Damocles
pronunciation
How to pronounce Damocles in British English:
UK [ˈdæməkli:z]
How to pronounce Damocles in American English:
US [ˈdæməˌkliz]
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- Noun:
- the Greek courtier to Dionysius the Elder who (according to legend) was condemned to sit under a naked sword that was suspended by a hair in order to demonstrate to him that being a king was not the happy state Damocles had said it was (4th century BC)
Word Origin
- Damocles
- courtier of Dionysius I, tyrant of Syracuse; his name in Greek means literally "fame of the people," from demos, damos "people" (see demotic) + -kles "fame," a common ending in Greek proper names (as in Sophocles, Pericles), from PIE *klew-es, from root *kleu- "to hear" (see listen). To teach Damocles how a tyrant lives, Dionysius seated him at a banquet with a sword suspended above his head by a single hair.
Example
- 1. Without political reform , the sword of damocles is still hanging above the government 's head .
- 2. A senior french official said the plan , which has backing from the european commission in brussels as well as several other eurozone countries , was a way of " removing the damocles sword of default " while keeping pressure on athens to reform .
- 3. One person close to the company compared the government 's role to the sword of damocles , an ever-present evil hanging over their heads .
- 4. In short , the population has become russia 's head hanging in the " sword of damocles , " the implementation of effective measures have been urgent .
- 5. Money , in fact , a sword of damocles , is the double-edged sword , use the appropriate people can be assisted problem solving nianye subsistence sector , but as unsightly dip in the hearts of holding the money , it will danger of their own .