leviathann.

Brit.

/lᵻˈvʌɪəθn/, U.S.

/ləˈvaɪəθ(ə)n/

Forms: Middle English–1500s levyathan, (Middle English levyethan), Middle English lyvyatan, lyvyaton, Middle English– leviathan.

Etymology: < Latin (Vulgate) leviathan, < Hebrew livyāthān. Some scholars refer the word to a root lāvā^h = Arabic lawa^y to twist (compare livyā^h, conjecturally rendered ‘wreath’); others think it adopted from some foreign language.

a. The name of some aquatic animal (real or imaginary) of enormous size, frequently mentioned in Hebrew poetry.

ΘΚΠ

the world > animals > by habitat > [noun] > aquatic animal > marine animal > with particular characteristics

leviathana1382

serpent1608

animal tree1823

blower1854

a1382 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Douce 369(1)) (1850) Job xl[i.] 20 [21] Whether maist thou drawen out leuyethan with an hoc?

1535 Bible (Coverdale) Psalms ciii[i.] 26 There is that Leuiathan, whom thou hast made, to take his pastyme therin.

1555 R. Eden in tr. Peter Martyr of Angleria Decades of Newe Worlde Pref. sig. aij The greate serpente of the sea Leuiathan, to haue suche dominion in the Ocean.

1591 E. Spenser Visions of Worlds Vanitie in Complaints 62 The huge Leuiathan, dame Natures wonder.

1667 J. Milton Paradise Lost vii. 412 Leviathan Hugest of living Creatures, on the Deep Stretcht like a Promontorie.

1713 E. Young Poem on Last Day i. 3 Leviathans but heave their cumbrous Mail, It makes a Tyde.

1725 W. Broome in A. Pope et al. tr. Homer Odyssey III. xii. 119 She [Scylla] makes the huge Leviathan her prey.

b. transferred; esp. = a ship of huge size.

ΘΚΠ

society > travel > travel by water > vessel, ship, or boat > [noun] > ship as larger than boat > large ship

towser1690

leviathan1815

?1801 T. Campbell Battle of Baltic ii Like leviathans afloat.]

1815 J. Scott Visit to Paris viii. 113 They [sc. floating baths]..stretch their long sprawling forms on the water, like so many painted Leviathans.

1818 Ld. Byron Childe Harold: Canto IV clxxxi. 93 The oak leviathans.

1859 J. Bright Speeches 43 Your splendid river, bearing the leviathans of noble architecture, constructed on its banks.

1892 E. R. Suffling Land of Broads (ed. 2) 13 These immense winged leviathans [wherries].

c. figurative. A man of vast and formidable power or enormous wealth.

ΘΚΠ

the mind > possession > wealth > [noun] > rich or wealthy person > rich and powerful person

leviathan1606

plutocrat1810

affluential1848

gold bug1872

plute1894

big-up1964

society > authority > power > [noun] > powerful person or body > powerful person

mightfula1325

mightya1382

potestatec1384

mightanda1400

potentatec1475

potent1568

leviathan1606

grandeur1632

strongman1764

huzoor1776

hegemon1829

prince1841

boyar1846

power-holder1854

baron1876

overlord1908

ayatollah1979

1606 T. Dekker Newes from Hell sig. G3 The Lacquy of this great Leuiathan, promisde he should be maister.

c1630 R. Sanderson Serm. II. 310 So can the Lord deal..with the great..leviathans of the world.

1782 T. Pennant Journey Chester to London 96 The leviathan who swallowed these manors, was Sir William Paget.

1796 E. Burke Let. to Noble Lord in Wks. (1815) VIII. 35 The duke of Bedford is the leviathan among all the creatures of the crown.

1839 T. De Quincey Lake Reminisc. in Tait's Edinb. Mag. Feb. 91/1 A legal contest with so potent a defendant as this leviathan of two counties.

1884 Punch 1 Mar. 97/1 Punters, plungers, leviathans, little men.

†2. (After Isaiah xxvii. 1.) The great enemy of God, Satan. Obsolete.

ΘΚΠ

the world > the supernatural > deity > a devil > the Devil or Satan > [noun]

devileOE

Beelzebubc950

the foul ghosteOE

SatanOE

warlockOE

SatanasOE

worsea1200

unwinea1225

wondc1250

quedea1275

pucka1300

serpenta1300

dragon1340

shrew1362

Apollyon1382

the god of this worldc1384

Mahoundc1400

leviathan1412

worsta1425

old enemyc1449

Ruffin1567

dismal1570

Plotcocka1578

the Wicked One1582

goodman1603

Mahu1603

foul thief1609

somebody1609

legiona1616

Lord of Flies1622

walliman1629

shaitan1638

Old Nicka1643

Nick1647

unsel?1675

old gentleman1681

old boy1692

the gentleman in black1693

deuce1694

Black Spy1699

the vicious one1713

worricow1719

Old Roger1725

Lord of the Flies1727

Simmie1728

Old Scratch1734

Old Harry1777

Old Poker1784

Auld Hornie1786

old (auld), ill thief1789

old one1790

little-good1821

Tom Walker1833

bogy1840

diabolarch1845

Old Ned1859

iniquity1899

a1382 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Douce 369(1)) (1850) Isa. xxvii. 1 In that dai viseten shal the Lord in his harde swerd,..vp on leuyathan,..a crookid wounde serpent.]

1412–20 J. Lydgate tr. Hist. Troy ii. xvii The vile serpent the Leuiathan.

1447 O. Bokenham Lyvys Seyntys (1835) 150 By the envye deceyvyd of hys enmy Clepyd serpent behemot or levyathan.

c1540 (?a1400) Destr. Troy 4423 This fende was the first þat felle for his pride..þat lyuyaton is cald.

1595 B. Barnes Divine Cent. Spirituall Sonnets li. sig. D4^v Breake thou the iawes of olde Leuiathan, Victorious conquerour.

3. Used by Hobbes for: The organism of political society, the commonwealth. (See quot. 1651.)

ΘΚΠ

society > society and the community > [noun]

commonaltyc1300

commonweal?a1400

commonality?c1400

commonwealth1445

weal-public1495

weal1513

society1566

public1621

leviathan1651

community1737

general public1854

collectivity1881

(le) tout Paris1894

John Q.1922

Joe Citizen1932

1651 T. Hobbes Leviathan ii. xvii. 87 The Multitude so united in one Person, is called a common-wealth... This is the Generation of that great leviathan, or rather (to speake more reverently) of that Mortall God, to which wee owe under the Immortall God, our peace and defence.

1657 R. Ligon True Hist. Barbados 20 What it is that makes up..harmony in that Leviathan, a well governed Common-wealth.

1690 J. Locke Ess. Humane Understanding i. iii. 17 An Hobbist..will answer: Because..the Leviathan will punish you, if you do not.

1714 B. Mandeville Fable Bees i. 155 The Gods have..design'd that Millions of you, when well joyn'd together, should compose the strong Leviathan.

Compounds

C1. attributive passing into adj. when sense: Huge, monstrous.

ΘΚΠ

the world > space > extension in space > measurable spatial extent > largeness > [adjective] > huge

unmeeteOE

unmeetlyOE

hugea1275

hideousc1330

infinitec1385

unmeasureda1398

unmeasurablec1405

hugyc1420

immeasurable1440

ingentc1450

unmeetlyc1450

giant1480

immense1490

monstrous?a1513

unmeasurely1513

hugeousa1529

unportable1537

enormous1544

enormc1560

giantly1561

immensible1579

rouncival1582

dismeasured1584

vast1585

immeasured1590

gargantuan1596

omnipotent1596

colossian1601

immane1601

prodigious1601

Polyphemian1602

Titanian1603

titanical1603

gigantical1604

immensive1604

gigantine1605

colossic1607

gigantean1611

Gogmagotical1612

gigantal?1614

Babylonian1617

leviathan1625

titanic1628

elephantine1631

gigantive1638

colossean1644

decumanal1652

immensurate1654

gigant1658

decuman1659

colossal1664

abnormous1710

Brobdingnagian1728

Brobdingnag1731

Pantagruelian1737

heroic1785

Patagonian1786

seven-league1787

Titan1793

gigantic1797

seven-leagued1799

mammoth1801

dimensionless1813

tremendous1813

gigantesque1821

monster1837

titanesque1838

monstre1840

giantlike1847

leviathanic1848

pythonic1851

Babylonic1853

supercolossal1871

giantesque1909

behemothian1910

supergiant1919

ginormous1942

big-ass1945

Ozymandian1961

fuck-off1962

mega1968

humongous1970

monstro1970

big-assed1972

big-arsed1996

1625 T. Middleton Game at Chæss ii. ii This leviathan-scandal that lies rolling Upon the crystal waters of devotion.

1751 H. Walpole Lett. (1846) II. 398 I had suspected that this leviathan hall must have devoured half the other chambers.

1841 Punch 16 Oct. 165/1 He has duly chronicled every word..in his leviathan note book.

1892 W. Beatty-Kingston Intemperance v. 32 The leviathan liquor interests.

C2.

Leviathan canvas n. a coarse canvas of open texture.

ΚΠ

1901 Lady's Realm 10 618/1 You can get this Leviathan canvas in many shades of different colours.

Derivatives

leˌviaˈthanic adj. huge as a leviathan.

ΘΚΠ