Scylla

2 definitions found

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

  Scylla \Scyl"la\, n.
     A dangerous rock on the Italian coast opposite the whirpool
     Charybdis on the coast of Sicily, -- both personified in
     classical literature as ravenous monsters. The passage
     between them was formerly considered perilous; hence, the
     saying "Between Scylla and Charybdis," signifying a great


     peril on either hand.
     [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  Scylla
       n : (Greek mythology) a sea nymph transformed into a sea monster
           who lived on one side of a narrow strait; drowned and
           devoured sailors who tried to escape Charybdis (a
           whirlpool) on the other side of the strait