Heroicness - Heterocercal

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Heroicness (?), n. Heroism. [R.] W. Montagu.

{ Heroicomic (?), Heroicomical (?), } a. [Cf. F. héroïcomigue. See , and .] Combining the heroic and the ludicrous; denoting high burlesque; as, a heroicomic poem.
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heroin (hẽr�ĭn), n. (Chem.) a morphine derivative, diacetyl morphine, used to relieve severe pain and as a sedative. It is highly addictive, and its use is strictly controlled in the U.S. by federal law. It is a popular strong narcotic drug of abuse, in part because it is more soluble than morphine. It is sometimes included as one of the components of Brompton's mixture, used to control pain in terminallly ill patients.
Syn. -- diacetyl morphine, H, horse, junk, scag, shit, smack.
[WordNet 1.5 +PJC]

Heroine (?), n. [F. héroïne, L. heroina, Gr. �, fem. of �. See .] 1. A woman of an heroic spirit.
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The heroine assumed the woman's place. Dryden.
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2. The principal female person who figures in a remarkable action, or as the subject of a poem or story.
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Heroism (?; 277), n. [F. héroïsme.] The qualities characteristic of a hero, as courage, bravery, fortitude, unselfishness, etc.; the display of such qualities.
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Heroism is the self-devotion of genius manifesting itself in action. Hare.

Syn. -- , , , , , , . Courage is generic, denoting fearlessness or defiance of danger; fortitude is passive courage, the habit of bearing up nobly under trials, danger, and sufferings; bravery is courage displayed in daring acts; valor is courage in battle or other conflicts with living opponents; intrepidity is firm courage, which shrinks not amid the most appalling dangers; gallantry is adventurous courage, dashing into the thickest of the fight. Heroism may call into exercise all these modifications of courage. It is a contempt of danger, not from ignorance or inconsiderate levity, but from a noble devotion to some great cause, and a just confidence of being able to meet danger in the spirit of such a cause. Cf. .
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Heron (?), n. [OE. heiroun, heroun, heron, hern, OF. hairon, F. héron, OHG. heigir; cf. Icel. hegri, Dan. heire, Sw. häger, and also G. häher jay, jackdaw, OHG. hehara, higere, woodpecker, magpie, D. reiger heron, G. reiher, AS. hrāgra. Cf. , .] (Zoöl.) Any wading bird of the genus Ardea and allied genera, of the family Ardeidæ. The herons have a long, sharp bill, and long legs and toes, with the claw of the middle toe toothed. The common European heron (Ardea cinerea) is remarkable for its directly ascending flight, and was formerly hunted with the larger falcons.
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☞ There are several common American species; as, the great blue heron (Ardea herodias); the little blue (Ardea cœrulea); the green (Ardea virescens); the snowy (Ardea candidissima); the night heron or qua-bird (Nycticorax nycticorax). The plumed herons are called egrets.
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Coloq. Heron's bill (Bot.), a plant of the genus Erodium; -- so called from the fancied resemblance of the fruit to the head and beak of the heron.
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Heroner (?), n. A hawk used in hunting the heron. “Heroner and falcon.” Chaucer.
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Heronry (?), n. A place where herons breed.
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Heronsew (?), n. A heronshaw. [Obs.] Chaucer.
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Heronshaw (?), n. [OF. heroncel, dim. of héron. See .] (Zoöl.) A heron. [Written variously hernshaw, harnsey, etc.]
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Heroölogist (?), n. [Gr. � + � discourse.] One who treats of heroes. [R.] T. Warton.
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Heroship (?), n. The character or personality of a hero. “Three years of heroship.” Cowper.
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Herpes (?), n. [L., fr. Gr. erphs, fr. erpein to creep.] (Med.) An eruption of the skin, taking various names, according to its form, or the part affected, caused by a herpesvirus infection; especially, an eruption of vesicles in small distinct clusters, accompanied with itching or tingling, including shingles, ringworm, and the like; -- so called from its tendency to creep or spread from one part of the skin to another.
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Herpes simplex (?), n. (Med.) either of two forms of herpesvirus infection, distinguished as being caused by herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1), which causes mostly sores and eruptions around the mouth (cold sores and fever blisters) and at other points above the waist, and herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2), causing genital herpes. HSV-1 is also known in some cases to cause genital herpes infections.
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Herpestes n. A genus of carnivores including the mongooses.
Syn. -- genus Herpestes.
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Herpesvirus (?), n. (Med.) any of several dozen DNA-containing virus of the family Herpetoviridae, including among them such human-disease-causing agents as Herpes simplex virus causing oral and genital , varicella-zoster virus (Herpes zoster virus) causing shingles and chickenpox (varicella), Epstein-Barr virus (EB virus) causing infectious mononucleosis, and Cytomegalovirus.
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Herpes zoster (?), n. (Med.) same as ; -- a form of caused by the varicella-zoster virus.
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Herpes zoster virus (?), n. (Med.) same as .
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Herpetic (?), a. [Cf. F. herpétique.] Pertaining to, or resembling, the herpes; partaking of the nature of herpes; as, herpetic eruptions.
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Herpetism (?), n. [See .] (Med.) See Dartrous diathesis, under .

{ Herpetologic (?), Herpetological (?), } a. Pertaining to herpetology.
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Herpetologist (?), n. One versed in herpetology, or the natural history of reptiles.
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Herpetology (?), n. [Written also, but less properly, erpetology.] [Gr. � a creeping thing, reptile (fr. � to creep) + -logy: cf. F. herpétologie.] The natural history of reptiles; that branch of zoölogy which relates to reptiles, including their structure, classification, and habits.
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Herpetotomist (?), n. One who dissects, or studies the anatomy of, reptiles.
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Herpetotomy (?), n. [Gr. � a reptile + � to cut.] The anatomy or dissection of reptiles.
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Herr (?), n. A title of respect given to gentlemen in Germany, equivalent to the English Mister.
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Herrenvolk (hĕrr�nfōlk), n. [German.] a race that considers itself superior to all others and fitted to rule the others; -- referred to especially in NAZI racial theories.
Syn. -- master race.
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Herrenhaus (hĕrr�nhous), n. [G., House of Lords.] See , Austria, Prussia.
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Herring (hĕrrĭng), n. [OE. hering, AS. hæring; akin to D. haring, G. häring, hering, OHG. haring, hering, and prob. to AS. here army, and so called because they commonly move in large numbers. Cf. .] (Zoöl.) One of various species of fishes of the genus Clupea, and allied genera, esp. the common round or English herring (Clupea harengus) of the North Atlantic. Herrings move in vast schools, coming in spring to the shores of Europe and America, where they are salted and smoked in great quantities.
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Coloq. Herring gull (Zoöl.), a large gull which feeds in part upon herrings; esp., Larus argentatus in America, and Larus cachinnans in England. See . -- Coloq. Herring hog (Zoöl.), the common porpoise. -- Coloq. King of the herrings . (Zoöl.) (a) The chimæra (Chimaera monstrosa) which follows the schools of herring. Called also rabbit fish in the U. K. See . (b) The opah.
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Herringbone (hĕrrĭngbōn), a. Pertaining to, or like, the spine of a herring; especially, characterized by an arrangement of work in rows of parallel lines, which in the alternate rows slope in different directions.
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Coloq. Herringbone stitch , a kind of cross-stitch in needlework, chiefly used in flannel. Simmonds.
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Herrnhuter (hẽrnhŭẽr; G. hĕrnh�ẽr), n. (Eccl. Hist.) One of the Moravians; -- so called from the settlement of Herrnhut (the Lord's watch) made, about 1722, by the Moravians at the invitation of Nicholas Lewis, count of Zinzendorf, upon his estate in the circle of Bautzen.
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Hers (hẽrz), pron. See the Note under , pron.
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Hersal (?), n. Rehearsal. [Obs.] Spenser.
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Herschel (?), n. (Astron.) See .
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Herschelian (?), a. Of or relating to Sir William Herschel; as, the Herschelian telescope.
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Herse (hẽrs), n. [F. herse harrow, portcullis, OF. herce, LL. hercia, L. hirpex, gen. hirpicis, and irpex, gen. irpicis, harrow. The LL. hercia signifies also a kind of candlestick in the form of a harrow, having branches filled with lights, and placed at the head of graves or cenotaphs; whence herse came to be used for the grave, coffin, or chest containing the dead. Cf. .] 1. (Fort.) A kind of gate or portcullis, having iron bars, like a harrow, studded with iron spikes. It is hung above gateways so that it may be quickly lowered, to impede the advance of an enemy. Farrow.
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2. See , a carriage for the dead.
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3. A funeral ceremonial. [Obs.] Spenser.
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Herse, v. t. Same as , v. t. Chapman.
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Herself (?), pron. 1. An emphasized form of the third person feminine pronoun; -- used as a subject with she; as, she herself will bear the blame; also used alone in the predicate, either in the nominative or objective case; as, it is herself; she blames herself.
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2. Her own proper, true, or real character; hence, her right, or sane, mind; as, the woman was deranged, but she is now herself again; she has come to herself.
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Coloq. By herself , alone; apart; unaccompanied.
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Hersillon (?), n. [F., fr. herse a harrow. See , n.] (Fort.) A beam with projecting spikes, used to make a breach impassable.
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Hert (?), n. A hart. [Obs.] Chaucer.
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Herte (?), n. A heart. [Obs.] Chaucer.
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Hertely, a. & adv. Hearty; heartily. [Obs.] Chaucer.
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Hery (?), v. t. [AS. herian.] To worship; to glorify; to praise. [Obs.] Chaucer. Spenser.
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Hertz (?), n. [from the German physicist Heinrich Hertz.] a unit of frequency equal to one cycle per second; it is abbreviated Hz. It is commonly used to specify the frequency of radio waves, and also the clock frequencies in digital computers. For these applications, kilohertz and megahertz are the most commonly used units, derived from hertz.
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Hertzian (?), a. Of or pert. to the German physicist Heinrich Hertz.
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Coloq. Hertzian telegraphy , telegraphy by means of the Hertzian waves; wireless telegraphy. -- Coloq. H. waves , electric waves; -- so called because Hertz was the first to investigate them systematically. His apparatus consisted essentially in an oscillator for producing the waves, and a resonator for detecting them. The waves were found to have the same velocity as light, and to undergo reflection, refraction, and polarization.
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Herzog (?), n. [G., akin to AS. heretoga, lit., army leader. See , and .] A member of the highest rank of nobility in Germany and Austria, corresponding to the British duke.
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Hesitancy (?), n. [L. haesitantia a stammering.] 1. The act of hesitating, or pausing to consider; slowness in deciding; vacillation; also, the manner of one who hesitates.
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2. A stammering; a faltering in speech.
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Hesitant (?), a. [L. haesitans, p. pr. of haesitare: cf. F. hésitant. See .] 1. Not prompt in deciding or acting; hesitating.
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2. Unready in speech. Baxter.
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Hesitantly, adv. With hesitancy or doubt.
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Hesitate (?), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Hesitated (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Hesitating.] [L. haesitatus, p. p. of haesitare, intens. fr. haerere to hesitate, stick fast; to hang or hold fast. Cf. , , .]
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1. To stop or pause respecting decision or action; to be in suspense or uncertainty as to a determination; as, he hesitated whether to accept the offer or not; men often hesitate in forming a judgment. Pope.
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2. To stammer; to falter in speaking.

Syn. -- To doubt; waver; scruple; deliberate; demur; falter; stammer.
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Hesitate, v. t. To utter with hesitation or to intimate by a reluctant manner. [Poetic & R.]
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Just hint a fault, and hesitate dislike. Pope.
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hesitater n. one who hesitates.
Syn. -- waverer, vacillator, hesitator.
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hesitating adj. holding back because of doubt or lack of confidence.
Syn. -- hesitant, indecisive.
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Hesitatingly, adv. With hesitation or doubt.
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Hesitation (?), n. [L. haesitatio: cf. F. hésitation.] 1. The act of hesitating; suspension of opinion or action; doubt; vacillation.
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2. A faltering in speech; stammering. Swift.
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Hesitative (?), a. Showing, or characterized by, hesitation.
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[He said] in his mild, hesitative way. R. D. Blackmore.
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Hesitatory (?), a. Hesitating. R. North.
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Hesp (?), n. [Cf. Icel. hespa a hasp, a wisp or skein. See .] A measure of two hanks of linen thread. [Scot.] [Written also hasp.] Knight.
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Hesper (?), n. [See .] The evening; Hesperus.
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Hesperetin (?), n. (Chem.) A white, crystalline substance having a sweetish taste, obtained by the decomposition of hesperidin, and regarded as a complex derivative of caffeic acid.
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Hesperian (?), a. [L. hesperius, fr. hesperus the evening star, Gr. � evening, � � the evening star. Cf. .] Western; being in the west; occidental. [Poetic] Milton.
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Hesperian, n. A native or an inhabitant of a western country. [Poetic] J. Barlow.
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Hesperian, a. (Zoöl.) Of or pertaining to a family of butterflies called Hesperidæ, or skippers. -- n. Any one of the numerous species of Hesperidæ; a skipper.
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Hesperid (?), a. & n. (Zoöl.) Same as 3d .
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Hesperidene (?), n. [See .] (Chem.) An isomeric variety of terpene from orange oil.
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Hesperides (?), n. pl. [L., fr. Gr. �.]
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1. (Class. Myth.) The daughters of Hesperus, or Night (brother of Atlas), and fabled possessors of a garden producing golden apples, in Africa, at the western extremity of the known world. To slay the guarding dragon and get some of these apples was one of the labors of Hercules. Called also Atlantides.
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2. The garden producing the golden apples.
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It not love a Hercules,
Still climbing trees in the Hesperides? Shak.
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Hesperidin (?), n. [See .] (Chem.) A glucoside found in ripe and unripe fruit (as the orange), and extracted as a white crystalline substance.
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Hesperidium (?), n. [NL. So called in allusion to the golden apples of the Hesperides. See .] (Bot.) A large berry with a thick rind, as a lemon or an orange.
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Hesperornis (?), n. [NL., fr. Gr. � western + �, �, a bird.] (Paleon.) A genus of large, extinct, wingless birds from the Cretaceous deposits of Kansas, belonging to the Odontornithes. They had teeth, and were essentially carnivorous swimming ostriches. Several species are known. See Illust. in Append.
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Hesperus (?), n. [L. See .] 1. Venus when she is the evening star; Hesper.
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2. Evening. [Poetic]
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The Sun was sunk, and after him the Star
Of Hesperus. Milton.
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Hessian (?), a. Of or relating to Hesse, in Germany, or to the Hessians.
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Coloq. Hessian boots , or Coloq. Hessians , boot of a kind worn in England, in the early part of the nineteenth century, tasseled in front. Thackeray. -- Coloq. Hessian cloth , or Coloq. Hessians , a coarse hempen cloth for sacking. -- Coloq. Hessian crucible . See under . -- Coloq. Hessian fly (Zoöl.), a small dipterous fly or midge (Cecidomyia destructor). Its larvæ live between the base of the lower leaves and the stalk of wheat, and are very destructive to young wheat; -- so called from the erroneous idea that it was brought into America by the Hessian troops, during the Revolution.
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Hessian, n. 1. A native or inhabitant of Hesse.
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2. A mercenary or venal person. [U. S.]
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☞ This use is a relic of the patriot hatred of the Hessian mercenaries who served with the British troops in the Revolutionary War.
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3. pl. See Hessian boots and cloth, under , a.
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Hessite (?), n. [After H. Hess.] (Min.) A lead-gray sectile mineral. It is a telluride of silver.
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Hest (hĕst), n. [AS. hǣs, fr. hātan to call, bid. See , and cf. .] Command; precept; injunction. [Archaic] See . “At thy hest.” Shak.
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Let him that yields obey the victor's hest. Fairfax.
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Yet I thy hest will all perform, at full. Tennyson.

{ Hestern (?), Hesternal (?), } a. [L. hesternus; akin to heri yesterday.] Pertaining to yesterday. [Obs.] See , a. Ld. Lytton.
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Hesychast (?), n. [Gr. � hermit, fr. � to be still or quiet, fr. � still, calm.] One of a mystical sect of the Greek Church in the fourteenth century; a quietist. Brande & C.

{ Hetæra (?), Hetaira (?) }, n.; pl. -ræ (#). [NL. See .] (Gr. Antiq.) A female paramour; a mistress, concubine, or harlot. -- Hetæric, Hetairic (#), a.
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{ Hetairism (?), Hetarism (?), } n. [Gr. � a companion, a concubine, fem. of � a comrade.] A supposed primitive state of society, in which all the women of a tribe were held in common. H. Spencer. -- Hetaristic (#), a.
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Hetchel (?), v. t. Same as .
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Hete (?), v. t. & i. [imp. & p. p. Hete, later Het.] Variant of . [Obs.]
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But one avow to greate God I hete. Chaucer.
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Heteracanth (?), a. [Hetero- + Gr. � a spine.] (Zoöl.) Having the spines of the dorsal fin unsymmetrical, or thickened alternately on the right and left sides.
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Heterarchy (?), n. [Hetero- + -archy.] The government of an alien. [Obs.] Bp. Hall.
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Heterauxesis (?), n. [NL., fr. Gr. � the other + � growth.] (Bot.) Unequal growth of a cell, or of a part of a plant.
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Hetero- (?). [Gr. eteros other.] A combining form signifying other, other than usual, different; as, heteroclite, heterodox, heterogamous.
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Heterocarpism (?), n. [Hetero- + Gr.� fruit.] (Bot.) The power of producing two kinds of reproductive bodies, as in Amphicarpæa, in which besides the usual pods, there are others underground.
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Heterocarpous (?), a. (Bot.) Characterized by heterocarpism.
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Heterocephalous (?), a. [Hetero- + Gr.� head.] (Bot.) Bearing two kinds of heads or capitula; -- said of certain composite plants.
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Heterocera (?), n. pl. [NL., fr. Gr. � other + � horn.] (Zoöl.) A division of Lepidoptera, including the moths, and hawk moths, which have the antennæ variable in form.
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Heterocercal (?), a. [Hetero- + Gr. � tail.] (Anat.) Having the vertebral column evidently continued into the upper lobe of the tail, which is usually longer than the lower one, as in sharks.
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