Antaeus
an African giant who was invincible when in contact with the earth but was lifted into the air by Hercules and crushed.
Historical Examples
I am falling in a heap, hold me up higher Antaeus and Atlas.
The Emperor, Complete Georg Ebers
Antaeus could not endure to have it said that any mortal was half so mighty as himself.
Tanglewood Tales Nathaniel Hawthorne
Several other wonderful feats are mentioned under other headings, as Antaeus, Cacus, etc.
1000 Mythological Characters Briefly Described Edward S. Ellis
He is like Antaeus; he gets new vigour whenever he touches the ground.’
Life Of Johnson, Volume 5 Boswell
His worldly mood was still upon him, his Antaeus heel still upon the earth.
A Circuit Rider’s Wife Corra Harris
He seemed earth-born, an Antaeus, and to suck in fresh vigour from the soil which he neighboured.
Crimes of Charity Konrad Bercovici
Antaeus had left his mother, the Earth, and was losing his strength in the air.
The Leech Phillips Barbee
The struggle between Antaeus and Heracles is a favourite subject in ancient sculpture.
Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 2, Slice 2 Various
On all their holidays, the Pygmies had excellent sport with Antaeus.
Tanglewood Tales Nathaniel Hawthorne
As in the classical legend of Antaeus, they believe that they derive strength from the touch of Mother Earth.
The Popular Religion and Folk-Lore of Northern India, Vol. I (of 2) W. Crooke
noun
(Greek myth) an African giant who was invincible as long as he touched the ground, but was lifted into the air by Hercules and crushed to death
Libyan giant slain by Herakles, from Greek Antaios, literally “opposite, opposed to, hostile,” from anta “over against, face to face,” related to anti “opposite, against” (see ante).
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an active hostility or opposition, as between unfriendly or conflicting groups: the antagonism between the liberal and the conservative parties. an opposing force, principle, or tendency: Her plan to become an actress met with the antagonism of her family. Physiology. an opposing action, as by one muscle in relation to another. Biochemistry, Pharmacology. the opposing […]
- Antagonistic muscles
antagonistic muscles antagonistic muscles an·tag·o·nis·tic muscles (ān-tāg’ə-nĭs’tĭk) pl.n. Muscles having opposite functions, the contraction of one neutralizing the contraction of the other. Historical Examples The result is the innervation of antagonistic muscles, by which the impression is intensified. Harvard Psychological Studies, Volume 1 Various
- Antagonistically
acting in opposition; opposing, especially mutually. hostile; unfriendly. Historical Examples The county would discuss her antagonistically at a hundred tea-tables. The Pastor’s Wife Elizabeth von Arnim adjective in active opposition mutually opposed adj. 1630s, from antagonist + -ic. Related: Antagonistical (1620s); antagonistically.
- Antagonization
to make hostile or unfriendly; make an enemy or of: His speech antagonized many voters. to act in opposition to; oppose. Rare. to act . verb (transitive) to make hostile; annoy or irritate to act in opposition to or counteract v. 1630s, “to compete with,” from Greek antagonizesthai “to struggle against, oppose, be a rival” […]
- Antagonizer
a person who people, or provokes hostility: The leader was an antagonizer of the peasantry. Compare .