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hydras

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hydras

 

  1  definition  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Hydra  \Hy"dra\,  n.;  pl  E.  {Hydras},  L.  {Hydr[ae]}.  [L.  hydra, 
  Gr  "y`dra;  akin  to  "y`dwr  water.  See  {Otter}  the  animal, 
  {Water}.] 
  1.  (Class.  Myth.)  A  serpent  or  monster  in  the  lake  or  marsh 
  of  Lerna,  in  the  Peloponnesus,  represented  as  having  many 
  heads,  one  of  which  when  cut  off  was  immediately 
  succeeded  by  two  others  unless  the  wound  was  cauterized. 
  It  was  slain  by  Hercules.  Hence  a  terrible  monster. 
 
  Gorgons,  and  Hydras,  and  Chimeras  dire.  --Milton. 
 
  2.  Hence:  A  multifarious  evil,  or  an  evil  having  many 
  sources;  not  to  be  overcome  by  a  single  effort. 
 
  3.  (Zo["o]l.)  Any  small  fresh-water  hydroid  of  the  genus 
  {Hydra},  usually  found  attached  to  sticks,  stones,  etc., 
  by  a  basal  sucker. 
 
  Note:  The  body  is  a  simple  tube,  having  a  mouth  at  one 
  extremity,  surrounded  by  a  circle  of  tentacles  with 
  which  it  captures  its  prey.  Young  hydras  bud  out  from 
  the  sides  of  the  older  ones,  but  soon  become  detached 
  and  are  then  like  their  parent.  Hydras  are  remarkable 
  for  their  power  of  repairing  injuries;  for  if  the  body 
  be  divided  in  pieces,  each  piece  will  grow  into  a 
  complete  hydra,  to  which  fact  the  name  alludes.  The 
  zooids  or  hydranths  of  marine  hydroids  are  sometimes 
  called  hydras. 
 
  4.  (Astron.)  A  southern  constellation  of  great  length  lying 
  southerly  from  Cancer,  Leo,  and  Virgo.




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