Kraken

1 definition found

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

  Kraken \Kra"ken\, n. [Prob. from OSw. krake, or ODan. krage the
     trunk of a tree, the branches of which are not entirely cut
     off, to which it was likened by the Norwegian mariners.]
     A fabulous Scandinavian sea monster, often represented as
     resembling an island, but sometimes as resembling an immense
     octopus.


     [1913 Webster]
  
           To believe all that has been said of the sea serpent or
           kraken, would be credulity; to reject the possibility
           of their existence, would be presumption. --Goldsmith.
     [1913 Webster]
  
           Like a kraken huge and black.            --Longfellow.
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