Part 813

Her"o*ine (?), n. [F. hÈroÔne, L. heroina, Gr. &?;, fem. of &?;. See Hero.] 1. A woman of an heroic spirit.

The heroine assumed the woman's place.

Dryden.

2. The principal female person who figures in a remarkable action, or as the subject of a poem or story.

Her"o*ism (?; 277), n. [F. hÈroÔsme.] The qualities characteristic of a hero, as courage, bravery, fortitude, unselfishness, etc.; the display of such qualities.

Heroism is the self-devotion of genius manifesting itself in action.

Hare.

Syn. -- Heroism, Courage, Fortitude, Bravery, Valor, Intrepidity, Gallantry. Courage is generic, denoting fearlessness or defiance of danger; fortitude is passive courage, the habit of bearing up nobly under trials, danger, and sufferings; bravery is courage displayed in daring acts; valor is courage in battle or other conflicts with living opponents; intrepidity is firm courage, which shrinks not amid the most appalling dangers; gallantry is adventurous courage, dashing into the thickest of the fight. Heroism may call into exercise all these modifications of courage. It is a contempt of danger, not from ignorance or inconsiderate levity, but from a noble devotion to some great cause, and a just confidence of being able to meet danger in the spirit of such a cause. Cf. Courage.

Her"on (?), n. [OE. heiroun, heroun, heron, hern, OF. hairon, F. hÈron, OHG. heigir; cf. Icel. hegri, Dan. heire, Sw. h‰ger, and also G. h‰her jay, jackdaw, OHG. hehara, higere, woodpecker, magpie, D. reiger heron, G. reiher, AS. hrgra. Cf. Aigret, Egret.] (Zoˆl.) Any wading bird of the genus Ardea and allied genera, of the family ArdeidÊ. The herons have a long, sharp bill, and long legs and toes, with the claw of the middle toe toothed. The common European heron (Ardea cinerea) is remarkable for its directly ascending flight, and was formerly hunted with the larger falcons.

There are several common American species; as, the great blue heron (Ardea herodias); the little blue (A. cúrulea); the green (A. virescens); the snowy (A. candidissima); the night heron or qua-bird (Nycticorax nycticorax). The plumed herons are called egrets.

Heron's bill (Bot.), a plant of the genus Erodium; -- so called from the fancied resemblance of the fruit to the head and beak of the heron.

Her"on*er (?), n. A hawk used in hunting the heron. "Heroner and falcon." Chaucer.

Her"on*ry (?), n. A place where herons breed.

Her"on*sew (?), n. A heronshaw. [Obs.] Chaucer.

Her"on*shaw (?), n. [OF. heroncel, dim. of hÈron. See Heron.] (Zoˆl.) A heron. [Written variously hernshaw, harnsey, etc.]

He`ro*ˆl"o*gist (?), n. [Gr. &?; + &?; discourse.] One who treats of heroes. [R.] T. Warton.

He"ro*ship (?), n. The character or personality of a hero. "Three years of heroship." Cowper.

Her"pes (?), n. [L., fr. Gr. "e`rphs, fr. "e`rpein to creep.] (Med.) An eruption of the skin, taking various names, according to its form, or the part affected; especially, an eruption of vesicles in small distinct clusters, accompanied with itching or tingling, including shingles, ringworm, and the like; -- so called from its tendency to creep or spread from one part of the skin to another.

Her*pet"ic (?), a. [Cf. F. herpÈtique.] Pertaining to, or resembling, the herpes; partaking of the nature of herpes; as, herpetic eruptions.

Her"pe*tism (?), n. [See Herpes.] (Med.) See Dartrous diathesis, under Dartrous.

{ Her*pet`o*log"ic (?), Her*pet`o*log"ic*al (?), } a. Pertaining to herpetology.

Her`pe*tol"o*gist (?), n. One versed in herpetology, or the natural history of reptiles.

Her`pe*tol"o*gy (?), n. [Written also, but less properly, erpetology.] [Gr. &?; a creeping thing, reptile (fr. &?; to creep) + -logy: cf. F. herpÈtologie.] The natural history of reptiles; that branch of zoˆlogy which relates to reptiles, including their structure, classification, and habits.

Her`pe*tot"o*mist (?), n. One who dissects, or studies the anatomy of, reptiles.

Her`pe*tot"o*my (?), n. [Gr. &?; a reptile + &?; to cut.] The anatomy or dissection of reptiles.

||Herr (?), n. A title of respect given to gentlemen in Germany, ||equivalent to the English Mister.

Her"ring (?), n. [OE. hering, AS. hÊring; akin to D. haring, G. h‰ring, hering, OHG. haring, hering, and prob. to AS. here army, and so called because they commonly move in large numbers. Cf. Harry.] (Zoˆl.) One of various species of fishes of the genus Clupea, and allied genera, esp. the common round or English herring (C. harengus) of the North Atlantic. Herrings move in vast schools, coming in spring to the shores of Europe and America, where they are salted and smoked in great quantities.

Herring gull (Zoˆl.), a large gull which feeds in part upon herrings; esp., Larus argentatus in America, and L. cachinnans in England. See Gull. -- Herring hog (Zoˆl.), the common porpoise. -- King of the herrings. (Zoˆl.) (a) The chimÊra (C. monstrosa) which follows the schools of herring. See ChimÊra. (b) The opah.