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]

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]

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 ]

Heroism is the self-devotion of genius manifesting itself in action. Hare.

Syn. -- Heroism, Courage, Fortitude, Bravery, Valor, Intrepidity, Gallantry. Courage is generic, denoting fearlessness or defiance of danger; fortitude is passive courage, the habit of bearing up nobly under trials, danger, and sufferings; bravery is courage displayed in daring acts; valor is courage in battle or other conflicts with living opponents; intrepidity is firm courage, which shrinks not amid the most appalling dangers; gallantry is adventurous courage, dashing into the thickest of the fight. Heroism may call into exercise all these modifications of courage. It is a contempt of danger, not from ignorance or inconsiderate levity, but from a noble devotion to some great cause, and a just confidence of being able to meet danger in the spirit of such a cause. Cf. Courage. [ 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 ]

Out-Heroding the preposterous fashions of the times. Sir W. Scott. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The owner and occupant of a ranch or rancho. [ 1913 Webster ]