siren

• POS: Noun
• HYPHEN: si=ren

CIDE DICTIONARY

siren, n. [L., fr. Gr. : cf. F. sirène.].

•  One of three sea nymphs, -- or, according to some writers, of two, -- said to frequent an island near the coast of Italy, and to sing with such sweetness that they lured mariners to destruction.  [1913 Webster]

  "Next where the sirens dwell you plow the seas;
  Their song is death, and makes destruction please."  [1913 Webster]
•  An enticing, dangerous woman.  Shak.  [1913 Webster]
•  Something which is insidious or deceptive.  [1913 Webster]

  "Consumption is a siren."  [1913 Webster]
•  A mermaid.  Shak.  [1913 Webster]
•  Any long, slender amphibian of the genus Siren or family Sirenidæ, destitute of hind legs and pelvis, and having permanent external gills as well as lungs. They inhabit the swamps, lagoons, and ditches of the Southern United States. The more common species (Siren lacertina) is dull lead-gray in color, and becames two feet long.  [1913 Webster]
•  An instrument for producing musical tones and for ascertaining the number of sound waves or vibrations per second which produce a note of a given pitch. The sounds are produced by a perforated rotating disk or disks. A form with two disks operated by steam or highly compressed air is used sounding an alarm to vessels in fog.  [1913 Webster]

siren, a. 

 Of or pertaining to a siren; bewitching, like a siren; fascinating; alluring; as, a siren song.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

siren, n.
1 a a device for making a loud prolonged signal or warning sound, esp. by revolving a perforated disc over a jet of compressed air or steam. b the sound made by this.
2 (in Greek mythology) each of a number of women or winged creatures whose singing lured unwary sailors on to rocks.
3 a sweet singer.
4 a a dangerously fascinating woman; a temptress. b a tempting pursuit etc.
5 (attrib.) irresistibly tempting.
6 an eel-shaped tailed amphibian of the family Sirenidae.

Idiom

siren suit a one-piece garment for the whole body, easily put on or taken off, orig. for use in air-raid shelters.

Etymology

ME f. OF sereine, sirene f. LL Sirena fem. f. L f. Gk Seiren

DEVIL DICTIONARY

siren

n. One of several musical prodigies famous for a vain attempt to dissuade Odysseus from a life on the ocean wave. Figuratively, any lady of splendid promise, dissembled purpose and disappointing performance.

THESAURUS

siren

Circe, Davy, Davy Jones, Don Juan, Dylan, Euryale, Gorgon, Jezebel, Klaxon, Lorelei, Mayday, Medea, Medusa, Neptune, Nereid, Nereus, Oceanid, Oceanus, Parthenope, Poseidon, SOS, Siren, Stheno, Thetis, Triton, Varuna, air-raid alarm, alarm, alarm bell, alarm clock, alarm signal, alarum, alert, all clear, alluring, appealing, appetizing, attracting, attractive, beacon, beguiling, beldam, bewitcher, bewitching, bitch-kitty, blandishing, blinking light, boiler factory, boiler room, bull-roarer, burglar alarm, buzzer, cajoling, captivating, catcall, catching, charismatic, charmer, charming, cherry bomb, clack, clacker, clapper, coaxing, come-hither, coquette, coquettish, cracker, cricket, crostarie, drawing, enchanter, enchanting, enchantress, engaging, enravishing, enthralling, enticer, enticing, entrancing, exciting, exotic, fascinating, femme fatale, fetching, fiery cross, fire alarm, fire bell, fire flag, firecracker, five-minute gun, flashing light, flirt, flirtatious, fog bell, fog signal, foghorn, fresh-water nymph, fury, gale warning, glamorous, grimalkin, hag, hellcat, hellhag, hooter, horn, hue and cry, hurricane warning, hypnotic, interesting, intriguing, inveigler, inviting, irresistible, kelpie, lighthouse, limniad, magnetic, man fish, mermaid, merman, mesmeric, mouth-watering, naiad, nix, nixie, noisemaker, note of alarm, occulting light, ocean nymph, piquant, police whistle, prepossessing, provocative, provoquant, rattle, rattlebox, ravishing, sea devil, sea god, sea nymph, sea-maid, sea-maiden, seaman, seducer, seducing, seductive, seductress, she-devil, she-wolf, signal, signal of distress, sirenic, small-craft warning, snapper, sorceress, spellbinder, spellbinding, spellful, steam whistle, still alarm, storm cone, storm flag, storm warning, taking, tantalizing, teaser, teasing, tempter, tempting, temptress, termagant, tickling, ticktack, tigress, titillating, titillative, tocsin, two-minute gun, undine, upside-down flag, vamp, vampire, virago, vixen, wailer, warble, warning, water god, water spirit, water sprite, whistle, whizgig, whizzer, wildcat, winning, winsome, witch, witching

ROGET THESAURUS

siren

Motive

N motive, springs of action, wellsprings of action, reason, ground, call, principle, by end, by purpose, mainspring, primum mobile, keystone, the why and the wherefore, pro and con, reason why, secret motive, arriere pensee, intention, inducement, consideration, attraction, loadstone, magnet, magnetism, magnetic force, allectation, allective, temptation, enticement, agacerie, allurement, witchery, bewitchment, bewitchery, charm, spell, fascination, blandishment, cajolery, seduction, seducement, honeyed words, voice of the tempter, song of the Sirens forbidden fruit, golden apple, persuasibility, persuasibleness, attractability, impressibility, susceptibility, softness, persuasiveness, attractiveness, tantalization, influence, prompting, dictate, instance, impulse, impulsion, incitement, incitation, press, instigation, provocation, inspiration, persuasion, suasion, encouragement, advocacy, exhortation, advice, solicitation, lobbyism, pull, incentive, stimulus, spur, fillip, whip, goad, ankus, rowel, provocative, whet, dram, bribe, lure, decoy, decoy duck, bait, trail of a red herring, bribery and corruption, sop, sop for Cerberus, prompter, tempter, seducer, seductor, instigator, firebrand, incendiary, Siren, Circe, agent provocateur, lobbyist, impulsive, motive, suasive, suasory, persuasive, persuasory, hortative, hortatory, protreptical, inviting, tempting suasive, suasory, seductive, attractive, fascinating, provocative, induced, disposed, persuadable, spellbound, instinct with, smitten with, infatuated, inspired, by, because, therefore, from this motive, from that motive, for this reason, for that reason, for, by reason of, for the sake of, count of, out of, from, as, forasmuch as, for all the world, on principle, fax mentis incendium gloriae, temptation hath a music for all ears, to beguile many and be beguiled by one.

Warning

N warning, early warning, caution, caveat, notice, premonition, premonishment, prediction, contraindication, lesson, dehortation, admonition, monition, alarm, handwriting on the wall, mene mene tekel upharsin, red flag, yellow flag, fog-signal, foghorn, siren, monitor, warning voice, Cassandra, signs of the times, Mother Cary's chickens, stormy petrel, bird of ill omen, gathering clouds, clouds in the horizon, death watch, watchtower, beacon, signal post, lighthouse, sentinel, sentry, watch, watchman, watch and ward, watchdog, bandog, housedog, patrol, patrolman, vedette, picket, bivouac, scout, spy, spial, undercover agent, mole, plainclothesman, advanced guard, rear guard, lookout, cautiousness, monitor, guard camera, radar, AWACS, spy satellite, spy-in-the- sky, U2 plane, spy plane, warning, premonitory, monitory, cautionary, admonitory, admonitive, sematic, warned, forewarned, on one's guard, in terrorem, Int, beware!, ware!, take care!, look out!, fore (golf), mind what you are about!, take care what you are about!, mind!, ne reveillez pas le chat qui dort, don't wake a sleeping cat, foenum habet in cornu, caveat actor, le silence du people est la legon des rois, verbum sat sapienti, a word to the wise is sufficient, un averti en vaut deux.

Demon

N demon, daemon, demonry, demonology, evil genius, fiend, familiar, daeva, devil, bad spirit, unclean spirit, cacodemon, incubus, Eblis, shaitan, succubus, succuba, Frankenstein's monster, Titan, Shedim, Mephistopheles, Asmodeus, Moloch, Belial, Ahriman, fury, harpy, Friar Rush, vampire, ghoul, afreet, barghest, Loki, ogre, ogress, gnome, gin, jinn, imp, deev, lamia, bogie, bogeyman, bogle, nis, kobold, flibbertigibbet, fairy, brownie, pixy, elf, dwarf, urchin, Puck, Robin Goodfellow, leprechaun, Cluricaune, troll, dwerger, sprite, ouphe, bad fairy, nix, nixie, pigwidgeon, will-o'-the wisp, ghost, revenant, specter, apparition, spirit, shade, shadow, vision, hobglobin, goblin, orc, wraith, spook, boggart, banshee, loup-garou, lemures, evil eye, merman, mermaid, merfolk, siren, satyr, faun, manito, manitou, manitu, possession, demonic possession, diabolic possession, insanity, Maxwell's demon, demoniac, demonic, demonical, impish, demoniacal, fiendish, fiend-like, supernatural, weird, uncanny, unearthly, spectral, ghostly, ghost-like, elfin, elvin, elfish, elflike, haunted, pokerish, possessed, possessed by a devil, possessed by a demon, demonically.

Sorcerer

N sorcerer, magician, thaumaturgist, theurgist, conjuror, necromancer, seer, wizard, witch, hoodoo, voodoo, fairy, lamia, hag, warlock, charmer, exorcist, mage, cunning man, medicine man, Shaman, figure flinger, ecstatica, medium, clairvoyant, fortune teller, mesmerist, deus ex machina, soothsayer, Katerfelto, Cagliostro, Mesmer, Rosicrucian, Circe, siren, weird sisters.

Evil doer

N evil doer, evil worker, wrongdoer, mischief-maker, marplot, oppressor, tyrant, destroyer, Vandal, iconoclast, firebrand, incendiary, fire bug, pyromaniac, anarchist, communist, terrorist, savage, brute, ruffian, barbarian, semibarbarian, caitiff, desperado, Apache, hoodlum, hood, plug-ugly, Red Skin, tough, Mohawk, Mo-hock, Mo-hawk, bludgeon man, bully, rough, hooligan, larrikin, dangerous classes, ugly customer, thief, cockatrice, scorpion, hornet, snake, viper, adder, snake in the grass, serpent, cobra, asp, rattlesnake, anaconda, canker-worm, wire-worm, locust, Colorado beetle, alacran, alligator, caymon, crocodile, mosquito, mugger, octopus, torpedo, bane, cutthroat, cannibal, anthropophagus, anthropophagist, bloodsucker, vampire, ogre, ghoul, gorilla, vulture, gyrfalcon, gerfalcon, wild beast, tiger, hyena, butcher, hangman, blood-hound, hell- hound, sleuth-hound, catamount, cougar, jaguar, puma, hag, hellhag, beldam, Jezebel, monster, fiend, devil incarnate, demon in human shape, Frankenstein's monster, harpy, siren, Furies, Eumenides, Hun, Attila, scourge of the human race, faenum habet in cornu.

Ocean

N sea, ocean, main, deep, brine, salt water, waves, billows, high seas, offing, great waters, watery waste, vasty deep, wave, tide, hydrography, hydrographer, Neptune, Poseidon, Thetis, Triton, Naiad, Nereid, sea nymph, Siren, trident, dolphin, oceanic, marine, maritime, pelagic, pelagian, seagoing, hydrographic, bathybic, cotidal, at sea, on sea, afloat.

Musician

N musician, artiste, performer, player, minstrel, bard, accompanist, accordionist, instrumentalist, organist, pianist, violinist, flautist, harper, fiddler, fifer, trumpeter, piper, drummer, catgut scraper, band, orchestral waits, vocalist, melodist, singer, warbler, songster, chaunter, chauntress, songstress, cantatrice, choir, quire, chorister, chorus, chorus singer, liedertafel, nightingale, philomel, thrush, siren, bulbul, mavis, Pierides, sacred nine, Orpheus, Apollo, the Muses Erato, Euterpe, Terpsichore, tuneful nine, tuneful quire, composer, performance, execution, touch, expression, solmization, playing, musical, adagio, andante.