sisyphean

sisyphean
sisyphean "resembling the labors of Sisyphus," 1630s, from SISYPHUS (Cf. Sisyphus) + -AN (Cf. -an).

Etymology dictionary. 2014.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Sisyphean — Sis y*phe an, a. Relating to Sisyphus; incessantly recurring; as, Sisyphean labors. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Sisyphean — [sis΄ə fē′ən] adj. [< L Sisypheius < Gr Sisypheios < Sisyphos + AN] 1. of or like Sisyphus 2. endless and toilsome, useless, etc. [a Sisyphean task] …   English World dictionary

  • Sisyphean — index operose Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 …   Law dictionary

  • Sisyphean — ► ADJECTIVE ▪ (of a task) unending. ORIGIN from Sisyphus in Greek mythology who was condemned to the eternal task of rolling a large stone to the top of a hill, from which it always rolled down again …   English terms dictionary

  • Sisyphean — also Sisyphian adjective Date: 1635 of, relating to, or suggestive of the labors of Sisyphus < a Sisyphean task > …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • Sisyphean — adjective /ˌsɪsəˈfiːən/ a) Incessant or incessantly recurring, but futile. Sisyphean labors b) Relating to Sisyphus. Syn: like herding cats …   Wiktionary

  • Sisyphean — Sis•y•phe•an [[t]ˌsɪs əˈfi ən[/t]] adj. cvb suggesting or resembling the punishment of Sisyphus in futility or hopelessness: a Sisyphean task[/ex] …   From formal English to slang

  • Sisyphean — /sis euh fee euhn/, adj. 1. of or pertaining to Sisyphus. 2. endless and unavailing, as labor or a task. [1625 35; < Gk Sisýphe(ios) (Sísyph(os) SISYPHUS + eios adj. suffix) + AN] * * * …   Universalium

  • Sisyphean — Sis·y·phe·an || ‚sɪsɪ fiːən adj. pertaining to Sisyphus (Greek Mythology); requiring endless hard labor …   English contemporary dictionary

  • Sisyphean — [ˌsɪsɪ fi:ən] adjective denoting a task that can never be completed. Origin C16: from Sisyphus in Greek mythology, who was condemned to the eternal task of rolling a large stone to the top of a hill, from which it always rolled down again …   English new terms dictionary

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