Tantalus
tl noun, plural Tan·ta·lus·es for 2.
1.
Classical Mythology. a Phrygian king who was condemned to remain in Tartarus, chin deep in water, with fruit-laden branches hanging above his head: whenever he tried to drink or eat, the water and fruit receded out of reach.
2.
( lowercase ) Chiefly British. a stand or rack containing visible decanters, especially of wines or liquors, secured by a lock.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Link To Tantalus
Collins
World English Dictionary
tantalus (ˈtæntələs) ![[Click for IPA pronunciation guide]](http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif) | |
| —n | |
| (Brit) a case in which bottles may be locked with their contents tantalizingly visible | |
00:10
Tantalus
is always a great word to know.
So is Islands of the Blessed. Does it mean:
| the life-giving drink of the gods |
| islands in the ocean at the remotest western end of the world, to which the souls of heroes and worthy persons were transported after death |
| Tantalus (ˈtæntələs) | |
| —n | |
| Greek myth a king, the father of Pelops, punished in Hades for his misdeeds by having to stand in water that recedes when he tries to drink it and under fruit that moves away as he reaches for it | |
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Etymonline
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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American Heritage
Cultural Dictionary
Tantalus [(tan-tuh-luhs)]A king in classical mythology who, as punishment for having offended the gods, was tortured with everlasting thirst and hunger in Hades. He stood up to his chin in water, but each time he bent to quench his thirst, the water receded. There were boughs heavy with fruit over his head, but each time he tried to pluck them, the wind blew them out of reach.
Note: Something is “tantalizing” if it is desirable but unattainable.
The American Heritage® New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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