源于希腊神话的英语词汇英文释义

References for part of Vocabulary Exercises

18

1. altantean: exceedingly strong

2. gorgonize: change sb. into a gorgon/ stone, paralyze, stupefy sb.

3. mount one’s Pegasus: (humor) write a poem

4. a chimera in sb’s brain:a product of sb’s i magination

20

1. the choice of Heracles: the choice between a short but glorious life and a long yet

boring life

2. hydra-headed: hard to overcome or resist because of its pervasive or enduring quality or its many aspects

3. cleanse the Augean Stable: accomplish a task or problem requiring so much effort

to complete or solve as to seem impossible

4. the Shirt of Nessus/Tunic of Nessus /Nessus-robe/Nessus’ shirt: sth that brings destruction to sb.

5. Pillars of Heracles: an ancient name for two promontories on either side of the strait of Gibraltar, held by legend to have been parted by the arm of Heracles

6. Herculean effort: great effort

21

1. sow dragon’s teeth: bring about disputes

2. a Cadmean victory: a victory won after a heavy loss of lives

22

1. oedipal: having an Oedipal complex

2. sphinx riddle: a puzzling or mysterious person/thing

23

1.Procrustean bed: a regulation/rule exhibiting merciless disregard for individual differences or special circumstances

2. labyrinth: a maze

3. Daedalian: skillful

4. icarian: reckless, daredevil

5. clue: variant of clew something that serves to guide or direct in the solution of a problem or mystery

6. Ariadne’s thread (logic): the solving of a problem with multiple apparent means of proceeding through an exhaustive application of logic to all available routes

7. the Ship of Theseus (a philosophical proposition): whether an object which has all its component parts replaced remains fundamentally the same 24

1. the apple of discord: sth. that causes disagreement among people

2. Achilles’ heel: a weakness/ vulnerable point

3. hector v: intimidate or dominate in a blustering way

5. Achilles and Patroclus: sworn brothers, bosom friends

6. fight like a Trojan: fight/ work extremely hard

7. sulky like Achilles in his tent: very morose, bad-tempered, and resentful; refusing

to co-operate or be cheerful

8. a Trojan horse: the hidden danger; a covert wrecker

9. myrmidon: a faithful follower who carries out orders without question

25

1. the Electra complex: in psychoanalysis, a daughter's unconscious libidinal desire for her father.

2. the Orestes complex: in psychoanalysis, a son's hatred of his mother.

26

1. lotus-eater: sb. who lives in luxury and comfort free of care and worries

2. mentor: a wise and trusted counselor or teacher

3. cyclopean: of or constituting a primitive style of masonry characterized by the use of massive stones of irregular shape and size; huge, gigantic

4. tantalizing: exciting (another) by exposing something desirable while keeping it out of reach

5. siren song: sth beautiful but potentially dangerous

6. between Scylla and Charybdis: in a position where avoidance of one danger exposes one to another danger

27

1. harpy: a predatory person and shrewish woman

2. Palinurus: an ill-fated person

3. hypnotic: inducing or tending to induce sleep; soporific

4. dido: a mischievous prank or antic; a caper

5. ibyllic/sibylline: prophetic; oracular