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.
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
☞ 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
Heron's bill (Bot.),
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.
n. [ F. ] One of a breed of draught horses originating in Perche, an old district of France; -- called also