Hydrae

2 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  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.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              Gorgons, and Hydras, and Chimeras dire. --Milton.
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     2. Hence: A multifarious evil, or an evil having many
        sources; not to be overcome by a single effort.
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     3. (Zool.) Any small fresh-water hydroid of the genus
        {Hydra}, usually found attached to sticks, stones, etc.,
        by a basal sucker.
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     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.
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     4. (Astron.) A southern constellation of great length lying
        southerly from Cancer, Leo, and Virgo.
        [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  hydrae
       See {hydra}