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A genus of wading birds comprising the wood ibises. Tantalus's cup (Physics), a philosophical toy, consisting of a cup, within which is the figure of a man, and within the figure a siphon, the longer arm of which passes down through the bottom of the cup, and allows the escape of any liquid that may be poured in, when…

by what one dislikes; also, whatever causes such a feeling; as, to work annoy. Worse than Tantalus' is her annoy. Shak.

was famished, the people cried to Pharaoh for bread. Cen. xli. 55. The pains of famished Tantalus he'll feel. Dryden.

The daughter of Tantalus, and wife of Amphion, king of Thebes. Her pride in her children provoked Apollo and Diana, who slew them all. Niobe herself was changed by the gods into stone.

A punishment like that of Tantalus; a teasing or tormenting by the hope or near approach of good which is not attainable; tantalization. Addison. Is not such a provision like tantalism to this people Josiah Quincy.

), any one of several species of large, long- legged, wading birds belonging to the genus Tantalus. The head and neck are naked or scantily covered with feathers. The American wood ibis (Tantalus loculator) is common in Florida. -- Wood lark (Zoöl.), a small European lark (Alauda arborea), which, like, the skylark, ut…