Lion

• POS: Noun
• HYPHEN: li=on

CIDE DICTIONARY

Lion, n. [F. lion, L. leo, -onis, akin to Gr. le`wn. Cf. Chameleon, Dandelion, Leopard.].

•  A large carnivorous feline mammal (Panthera leo, formerly Felis leo), found in Southern Asia and in most parts of Africa, distinct varieties occurring in the different countries. The adult male, in most varieties, has a thick mane of long shaggy hair that adds to his apparent size, which is less than that of the largest tigers. The length, however, is sometimes eleven feet to the base of the tail. The color is a tawny yellow or yellowish brown; the mane is darker, and the terminal tuft of the tail is black. In one variety, called the maneless lion, the male has only a slight mane.  [1913 Webster]
•  A sign and a constellation; Leo.  [1913 Webster]
•  An object of interest and curiosity, especially a person who is so regarded; as, he was quite a lion in London at that time.  [1913 Webster]

  "Such society was far more enjoyable than that of Edinburgh, for here he was not a lion, but a man."  [1913 Webster]

American lion (Zoöl.), the puma or cougar. -- Lion ant (Zoöl.), the ant-lion. -- Lion dog (Zoöl.), a fancy dog with a flowing mane, usually clipped to resemble a lion's mane. -- Lion lizard (Zoöl.), the basilisk. -- Lion's share, all, or nearly all; the best or largest part; -- from Æsop's fable of the lion hunting in company with certain smaller beasts, and appropriating to himself all the prey. -- Lion of Lucerne, a famous sculptured lion at Lucerne, Switzerland, designed by Thorwaldsen and dedicated in 1821 as a memorial to the Swiss Guards who fell defending Louis XVI. in the attack of the mob on the Tuileries, Aug. 10, 1792. The animal, which is hewn out of the face of a rock, is represented as transfixed with a broken spear and dying, but still trying to protect with its paw a shield bearing the fleur-de-lis of France. -- Lion of St. Mark, a winged lion, the emblem of the evangelist Mark, especially that of bronze surmounting a granite column in the Piazzetta at Venice, and holding in its fore paws an open book representing St. Mark's Gospel. -- Lion of the North, Gustavus Adolphus (1594-1632), King of Sweden, the hero of the Protestant faith in the Thirty Years' War.

OXFORD DICTIONARY

Lion, n.
1 (fem. lioness) a large flesh-eating cat, Panthera leo, of Africa and S. Asia, with a tawny coat and, in the male, a flowing shaggy mane.
2 (the Lion) the zodiacal sign or constellation Leo.
3 a brave or celebrated person.
4 the lion as a national emblem of Great Britain or as a representation in heraldry.

Idiom

lion-heart a courageous person (esp. as a sobriquet of Richard I of England). lion-hearted brave and generous. the lion's share the largest or best part.

Derivative

lionhood n. lion-like adj.

Etymology

ME f. AF liun f. L leo -onis f. Gk leon leontos

THESAURUS

Lion

Achilles, David, Establishment, Gibraltar, Hector, Leo, Roland, Samson, Siberian tiger, VIP, a man, achievement, alerion, animal charge, annulet, argent, armorial bearings, armory, arms, azure, bandeau, bar, bar sinister, baron, baton, bearings, bend, bend sinister, big boy, big gun, big man, big name, big-timer, bigwig, billet, blazon, blazonry, bobcat, bordure, brass, brass hat, brave, broad arrow, bulldog, cadency mark, canton, cat-a-mountain, catamount, celebrity, chaplet, charge, cheetah, chevron, chief, chutzpanik, coat of arms, cockatrice, constellation, coronet, cougar, crescent, crest, cross, cross moline, crown, cynosure, decorated hero, demigod, demigoddess, device, difference, differencing, dignitary, dignity, eagle, elder, eminence, ermine, ermines, erminites, erminois, escutcheon, falcon, father, fess, fess point, field, fighting cock, figure, file, flanch, fleur-de-lis, folk hero, fret, fur, fusil, galaxy, gallant, gamecock, garland, good soldier, great man, griffin, gules, gyron, hatchment, heart of oak, helmet, heraldic device, hero, heroine, high-muck-a-muck, honor point, horse, idol, immortal, impalement, impaling, important person, inescutcheon, interests, iron, jaguar, label, leader, leopard, lords of creation, lozenge, luminaries, luminary, lynx, magnate, man of courage, man of mark, mantling, marshaling, martlet, mascle, master spirit, metal, mogul, motto, mountain lion, mullet, nabob, nails, name, nombril point, notability, notable, oak, ocelot, octofoil, or, ordinary, orle, ox, painter, paladin, pale, paly, panjandrum, panther, pean, person of note, person of renown, personage, personality, pheon, pillar of society, pleiad, pop hero, popular hero, popular idol, power, power elite, public figure, puma, purpure, quarter, quartering, rock, rose, ruling circle, sable, sachem, saltire, scutcheon, shield, simba, social lion, somebody, something, spread eagle, stalwart, star, steel, subordinary, superstar, tenne, the brave, the great, the top, tiger, tincture, top brass, top people, torse, tressure, tycoon, unicorn, vair, valiant, valiant knight, vert, very important person, wildcat, worthy, wreath, yale

ROGET THESAURUS

Lion

Courage

N courage, bravery, valor, resoluteness, boldness, spirit, daring, gallantry, intrepidity, contempt of danger, defiance of danger, derring-do, audacity, rashness, dash, defiance, confidence, self-reliance, manliness, manhood, nerve, pluck, mettle, game, heart, heart of grace, spunk, guts, face, virtue, hardihood, fortitude, intestinal fortitude, firmness, heart of oak, bottom, backbone, spine, resolution, bulldog courage, prowess, heroism, chivalry, exploit, feat, achievement, heroic deed, heroic act, bold stroke, man, man of mettle, hero, demigod, Amazon, Hector, lion, tiger, panther, bulldog, gamecock, fighting-cock, bully, fire eater, courageous, brave, valiant, valorous, gallant, intrepid, spirited, spiritful, high-spirited, high-mettled, mettlesome, plucky, manly, manful, resolute, stout, stout-hearted, iron-hearted, lion-hearted, heart of oak, Penthesilean, bold, bold-spirited, daring, audacious, fearless, dauntless, dreadless, aweless, undaunted, unappalled, undismayed, unawed, unblanched, unabashed, unalarmed, unflinching, unshrinking, unblanching, unapprehensive, confident, self-reliant, bold as a lion, bold as brass, enterprising, adventurous, venturous, venturesome, dashing, chivalrous, soldierly, heroic, fierce, savage, pugnacious, strong-minded, hardy, doughty, firm, determined, dogged, indomitable, up to, up to the scratch, upon one's mettle, reassured, unfeared, undreaded, one's blood being up, courage sans peur, fortes fortuna adjuvat, have I not in my time heard lions roar, I dare do all that may become a man, male vincetis sed vincite, omne solum forti patria, self-trust is the essence of heroism, stimulos dedit oemula virtus, strong and great, a hero, teloque animus proestantior omni, there, is always safety in valor, virtus ariete fortier.

Prodigy

N prodigy, phenomenon, wonder, wonderment, marvel, miracle, monster, curiosity, lion, sight, spectacle, jeu de theatre, coup de theatre, gazingstock, sign, St. Elmo's fire, St. Elmo's light, portent, bursting of a shell, bursting of a bomb, volcanic eruption, peal of thunder, thunder-clap, thunder-bolt, what no words can paint, wonders of the world, annus mirabilis, dignus vindice nodus, natura il fece e poi roppe la stampa.

Repute

N repute, distinction, mark, name, figure, repute, reputation, good repute, high repute, note, notability, notoriety, eclat, the bubble reputation, vogue, celebrity, fame, famousness, renown, popularity, aura popularis, approbation, credit, succes d'estime, prestige, talk of the town, name to conjure with, glory, honor, luster, illustriousness, account, regard, respect, reputableness, respectability, good name, good report, fair name, dignity, stateliness, solemnity, grandeur, splendor, nobility, majesty, sublimity, rank, standing, brevet rank, precedence, pas, station, place, status, position, position in society, order, degree, baccalaureate, locus standi, caste, condition, greatness, eminence, height, importance, preeminence, supereminence, high mightiness, primacy, top of the ladder, top of the tree, elevation, ascent, superaltation, exaltation, dignification, aggrandizement, dedication, consecration, enthronement, canonization, celebration, enshrinement, glorification, hero, man of mark, great card, celebrity, worthy, lion, rara avis, notability, somebody, classman, man of rank, pillar of the state, pillar of the church, pillar of the community, chief, first fiddle, cynosure, mirror, flower, pink, pearl, paragon, choice and master spirits of the age, elite, star, sun, constellation, galaxy, ornament, honor, feather in one's cap, halo, aureole, nimbus, halo of glory, blaze of glory, blushing honors, laurels, memory, posthumous fame, niche in the temple of fame, immortality, immortal name, magni nominis umbra, distinguished, distingue, noted, of note, honored, popular, fashionable, in good odor in, favor, in high favor, reputable, respectable, creditable, remarkable, notable, notorious, celebrated, renowned, ion every one's mouth, talked of, famous, famed, far-famed, conspicuous, to the front, foremost, in the front rank, in the ascendant, imperishable, deathless, immortal, never fading, aere perennius, time honored, illustrious, glorious, splendid, brilliant, radiant, bright, full-blown, honorific, eminent, prominent, high, in the zenith, at the head of, at the top of the tree, peerless, of the first water, superior, supereminent, preeminent, great, dignified, proud, noble, honorable, worshipful, lordly, grand, stately, august, princely, imposing, solemn, transcendent, majestic, sacred, sublime, heaven- born, heroic, sans peur et sans reproche, sacrosanct, Int, hail!, all hail!, ave!, viva!, vive!, long life to!, banzai!, glory be to, honor be to?, one's name being in every mouth, one's name living for ever, sic itur ad astra, fama volat, aut Caesar aut nullus, not to know him argues oneself unknown, none but himself could be his parallel, palmam qui meruit ferat, above all Greek above all Roman fame, cineri gloria sera est, great is the glory for the strife is hard, honor virtutis praemium, immensum gloria calcar habet, the glory dies not and the grief is past, vivit post funera virtus.