n. [ L., fr. Gr. &unr_;. ] (Myth.) A river in the Nether World or infernal regions; also, the infernal regions themselves. By some of the English poets it was supposed to be a flaming lake or gulf. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. 1 death's-head moth.
Syn. -- genus Acherontia [ WordNet 1.5 ]

a. Of or pertaining to Acheron; infernal; hence, dismal, gloomy; moribund. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OE. heiroun, heroun, heron, hern, OF. hairon, F. héron, OHG. heigir; cf. Icel. hegri, Dan. heire, Sw. häger, and also G. häher jay, jackdaw, OHG. hehara, higere, woodpecker, magpie, D. reiger heron, G. reiher, AS. hrāgra. Cf. Aigret, Egret. ] (Zool.) Any wading bird of the genus Ardea and allied genera, of the family Ardeidae. 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. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ There are several common American species; as, the great blue heron (Ardea herodias); the little blue (Ardea cœrulea); the green (Ardea virescens); the snowy (Ardea candidissima); the night heron or qua-bird (Nycticorax nycticorax). The plumed herons are called egrets. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A hawk used in hunting the heron. “Heroner and falcon.” Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A place where herons breed. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A heronshaw. [ Obs. ] Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OF. heroncel, dim. of héron. See Heron. ] (Zool.) A heron. [ Written variously hernshaw, harnsey, etc. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. ] One of a breed of draught horses originating in Perche, an old district of France; -- called also Percheron-Norman. [ 1913 Webster ]