n.; pl. Heroes [ F. héros, L. heros, Gr. "h`rws.] 1. (Myth.) An illustrious man, supposed to be exalted, after death, to a place among the gods; a demigod, as Hercules. [1913 Webster]

2. A man of distinguished valor or enterprise in danger, or fortitude in suffering; a prominent or central personage in any remarkable action or event; hence, a great or illustrious person. [1913 Webster]

Each man is a hero and oracle to somebody. Emerson. [1913 Webster]

3. The principal personage in a poem, story, and the like, or the person who has the principal share in the transactions related; as Achilles in the Iliad, Ulysses in the Odyssey, and Aeneas in the Aeneid. [1913 Webster]

The shining quality of an epic hero. Dryden. [1913 Webster]

Hero worship, extravagant admiration for great men, likened to the ancient worship of heroes. [1913 Webster]

Hero worship exists, has existed, and will forever exist, universally among mankind. Carlyle. [1913 Webster]

prop. n. (Jewish Hist.) One of a party among the Jews, composed of partisans of Herod of Galilee. They joined with the Pharisees against Christ. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. pl. [ NL., fr. Gr. 'erwdio`s a heron. ] (Zool.) A division of wading birds, including the herons, storks, and allied forms. Called also Herodii. -- He*ro`di*o"nine a. [1913 Webster]

n. A heroine. [ Obs. ] Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ F. héroïque, L. heroïcus, Gr. "hrwi:ko`s.] 1. Of or pertaining to, or like, a hero; of the nature of heroes; distinguished by the existence of heroes; as, the heroic age; an heroic people; heroic valor. [1913 Webster]

2. Worthy of a hero; bold; daring; brave; illustrious; as, heroic action; heroic enterprises. [1913 Webster]

3. (Sculpture & Painting) Larger than life size, but smaller than colossal; -- said of the representation of a human figure. [1913 Webster]

Heroic Age, the age when the heroes, or those called the children of the gods, are supposed to have lived. --
Heroic poetry, that which celebrates the deeds of a hero; epic poetry. --
Heroic treatment or
Heroic remedies (Med.), treatment or remedies of a severe character, suited to a desperate case. --
Heroic verse (Pros.), the verse of heroic or epic poetry, being in English, German, and Italian the iambic of ten syllables; in French the iambic of twelve syllables; and in classic poetry the hexameter.

Syn. -- Brave; intrepid; courageous; daring; valiant; bold; gallant; fearless; enterprising; noble; magnanimous; illustrious. [1913 Webster]

a. Heroic. [ R. ] Spectator. -- He*ro"ic*al*ly, adv. -- He*ro"ic*al*ness, n. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Heroism. [ R. ] W. Montagu.

{ } a. [ Cf. F. héroïcomigue. See Heroic, and Comic. ] Combining the heroic and the ludicrous; denoting high burlesque; as, a heroicomic poem. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Chem.) a morphine derivative, diacetyl morphine, used to relieve severe pain and as a sedative. It is highly addictive, and its use is strictly controlled in the U.S. by federal law. It is a popular strong narcotic drug of abuse, in part because it is more soluble than morphine. It is sometimes included as one of the components of Brompton's mixture, used to control pain in terminallly ill patients.
Syn. -- diacetyl morphine, H, horse, junk, scag, shit, smack. [ WordNet 1.5 +PJC ]

n. [ F. héroïne, L. heroina, Gr. &unr_;, fem. of &unr_;. See Hero. ] 1. A woman of an heroic spirit. [ 1913 Webster ]

The heroine assumed the woman's place. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The principal female person who figures in a remarkable action, or as the subject of a poem or story. [ 1913 Webster ]