Part 5248

<h1>Herby</h1> <Xpage=687>

<hw>Herb"y</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>a.</tt> <def>Having the nature of, pertaining to, or covered with, herbs or herbage.</def> "<i>Herby</i> valleys."

<i>Chapman.</i>

<h1>Hercogamous</h1> <Xpage=687>

<hw>Her*cog"a*mous</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>a.</tt> <ety>[Gr. <?/ a fence + <?/ marriage.]</ety> <fld>(Bot.)</fld> <def>Not capable of self-fertilization; -- said of hermaphrodite flowers in which some structural obstacle forbids autogamy.</def>

<h1>Herculean</h1> <Xpage=687>

<hw>Her*cu"le*an</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>a.</tt> <ety>[L. <ets>herculeus</ets>, fr. <ets>Hercules</ets>: cf. F. <ets>hercul\'82en</ets>. See <er>Hercules</er>.]</ety>

<p><b>1.</b> <def>Requiring the strength of Hercules; hence, very great, difficult, or dangerous; <as>as, an <ex>Herculean</ex> task</as>.</def>

<p><b>2.</b> <def>Having extraordinary strength or size; <as>as, <ex>Herculean</ex> limbs</as>.</def> "<i>Herculean</i> Samson."

<i>Milton.</i>

<h1>Hercules</h1> <Xpage=687>

<hw>Her"cu*les</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <p><b>1.</b> <fld>(Gr. Myth.)</fld> <def>A hero, fabled to have been the son of Jupiter and Alcmena, and celebrated for great strength, esp. for the accomplishment of his twelve great tasks or "labors."</def>

<p><b>2.</b> <fld>(Astron.)</fld> <def>A constellation in the northern hemisphere, near Lyra.</def>

<cs><col>Hercules' beetle</col> <fld>(Zo\'94l.)</fld>, <cd>any species of <spn>Dynastes</spn>, an American genus of very large lamellicorn beetles, esp. <spn>D. hercules</spn> of South America, which grows to a length of six inches.</cd> -- <col>Hercules' club</col>. <fld>(Bot.)</fld> <sd>(a)</sd> <cd>An ornamental tree of the West Indies (<spn>Zanthoxylum Clava-Herculis</spn>), of the same genus with the prickly ash.</cd> <sd>(b)</sd> <cd>A variety of the common gourd (<spn>Lagenaria vulgaris</spn>). Its fruit sometimes exceeds five feet in length.</cd> <sd>(c)</sd> <cd>The Angelica tree. See under <er>Angelica</er>.</cd> -- <col>Hercules powder</col>, <cd>an explosive containing nitroglycerin; -- used for blasting.</cd></cs>

<h1>Hercynian</h1> <Xpage=687>

<hw>Her*cyn"i*an</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>a.</tt> <ety>[L. <ets>Hercynia</ets> silva, <ets>Hercynius</ets> saltus, the Hercynian forest; cf. Gr. <?/ <?/.]</ety> <def>Of or pertaining to an extensive forest in Germany, of which there are still portions in Swabia and the Hartz mountains.</def>

<h1>Herd</h1> <Xpage=687>

<hw>Herd</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>a.</tt> <def>Haired.</def> <mark>[Obs.]</mark>

<i>Chaucer.</i>

<h1>Herd</h1> <Xpage=687>

<hw>Herd</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <ety>[OE. <ets>herd</ets>, <ets>heord</ets>, AS. <ets>heord</ets>; akin to OHG. <ets>herta</ets>,G. <ets>herde</ets>, Icel. <ets>hj\'94r<?/</ets>, Sw. <ets>hjord</ets>, Dan. <ets>hiord</ets>, Goth. <ets>ha\'a1rda</ets>; cf. Skr. <ets>\'87ardha</ets> troop, host.]</ety>

<p><b>1.</b> <def>A number of beasts assembled together; <as>as, a <ex>herd</ex> of horses, oxen, cattle, camels, elephants, deer, or swine</as>; a particular stock or family of cattle.</def>

<blockquote>The lowing <b>herd</b> wind slowly o'er the lea. <i>Gray.</i></blockquote>

<note>&hand; <i>Herd</i> is distinguished from <i>flock</i>, as being chiefly applied to the larger animals. A number of cattle, when driven to market, is called a <i>drove</i>.</note>

<p><b>2.</b> <def>A crowd of low people; a rabble.</def>

<blockquote>But far more numerous was the <b>herd</b> of such Who think too little and who talk too much. <i>Dryden.</i></blockquote>

<blockquote>You can never interest the common <b>herd</b> in the abstract question. <i>Coleridge.</i></blockquote>

<cs><col>Herd's grass</col> <fld>(Bot.)</fld>, <cd>one of several species of grass, highly esteemed for hay. See under <er>Grass</er>.</cd></cs>