See Also: Hercules(medicine)
Hercules(dictionary)
Hercules(dictionary)
infant Hercules(medicine)
Pillars of Hercules(encyclopedia)
Pillars of Hercules(dictionary)
Hercules (Herc) - Skydiving(gambling)
John, Sir Elton (Hercules)(encyclopedia)
HERCULES HATTIESBURG Credit Union(finance)

Hercules (iou)



Hercules noun. ME.
[Latin, alt. of Greek Herakles, from Hera wife of Zeus + kleos glory, lit. 'having or showing the glory of Hera'.]
Classical Mythology. A hero of superhuman strength, usu. depicted as carrying a club, who was celebrated for accomplishing twelve extraordinary tasks or 'labours' imposed on him by Hera and who after death was ranked among the gods. ME.
b. A representation of Hercules or a strong man. M17.
An exceptionally strong or muscular man. M16.
(The name of) a faint constellation of the northern hemisphere, between Draco and Ophiuchus. M16.
Any of several powerful machines; esp. a heavy weight used like the ram in a pile-driving machine. L18.
More fully Hercules beetle. A very large S. American scarabaeid beetle, Dynastes hercules. E19.
Phrases & comb.: Hercules beetle: see sense 5 above. Hercules braid a heavily corded worsted braid, used for trimmings. Hercules' club either of two tall prickly shrubs or small trees of the US: (a) the southern prickly ash, Zanthoxylum clava-herculis, of the rue family; (b) the angelica tree, Aralia spinosa. Hercules' Pillars arch. = Pillars of Hercules below. Hercules powder US a powerful explosive used in mining. labour of Hercules: see LABOUR noun. Pillars of Hercules the rocks (now Gibraltar and Ceuta) on either side of the Straits of Gibraltar, believed by the ancients to mark the western limits of the habitable world.