Hebraize 
speak Hebrew, < 'E/3paiof, Hebrew: see He- 
brew.] I. trans. To adapt to the Hebrew form 
or manner ; express in Hebrew idioms. 
II. intrans. 1. To conform to the Hebrew 
rites, manners, or language. 2. To exhibit a 
tendency to Hebraism; follow Hebraism as an 
ideal of mind and conduct. See Hebraism, 2. 
We have fostered our Hebraizing instincts, our prefer- 
ence of earnestness of doing to delicacy and flexibility of 
thinking, too exclusively. 
M. Arnold, Culture and Anarchy, v. 
Also spelled Hebraise. 
Hebrew (he ' bro), n. and a. [Early mod. E. 
also Ebrew; < ME. Hebrew, Ebreu (= D. he- 
breeuw), < OF. hebreu, hebrieu, F. hebreu = Sp. 
Pg. hebreo = It. ebreo (of. D. hebreer = G. he- 
brder = Dan. hebrteer = Sw. hebre, n. ), < LL. He- 
brceus, n., LL. and L. Hebrceus, a., < Gr. 'Eppaiof, 
a. and n.,< Aramaic 'ebrdyd, < Heb. 'ibri, pi. 
'ibrim, a Hebrew, referred to the eponymous 
'Eber, Eber or Heber, the traditional ancestor of 
the Hebrews. 'Eber means the further bank of 
a river, making the Hebrews, according to Jew- 
ish tradition, the men from the other side of 
the Euphrates, or, according to a mod. expla- 
nation, dwellers in aland of rivers.] I. n. 1. 
A member of that branch of the Semitic fam- 
ily of mankind descended, according to tradi- 
tion, from Heber, the great-grandson of Shem. 
in the line of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; an 
Israelite ; a Jew. 
To whom Jacob succeeded in the promised blessing: 
who with his soimes and familie went downe into Egypt, 
where his ppsteritie multiplied exceedingly, and were 
called sometime Ebrewes of their ancient pedegree. 
Purchas, Pilgrimage, p. 108. 
Of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an He- 
brew of the Hebrews. Phil. UL 6. 
2. The language spoken by the Hebrews, one 
of the northern or Canaanitic divisions of the 
Semitic family of languages. It is the language 
of the books of the Old Testament, and became extinct 
as a vernacular tongue three or four centuries before the 
Christian era; but it Is even now used for speaking and 
writing by well-educated Hebrews all over the world, and 
has an extensive modern literature. 
And the Table aboven his Heved, that was a Vote and 
an half long, on the whiche the Title was writen, in Ebreu, 
Grece, and Latyn, that was of Olyve. 
M'niiilrrH/,', Travels, p. 10. 
Ezra, pressing on their hands, raised himself, and ut- 
tered in Hebrew the confession of the Divine Unity, which 
for long generations has been on the lips of the dying 
Israelite. George Eliot, Daniel Deronda, Ixx. 
Epistle to the Hebrews, one of the books of the New 
Testament, addressed to Christians of Hebrew birth dwell- 
ing in Koine, or perhaps in Palestine or Alexandria. Its 
chief object is to present a parallel between the symbolism 
of the Old Testament dispensation and the life-work of 
Christ. The author is unknown perhaps Barnabas, or 
less probably A polios. The authorship has been often 
ascribed to the apostle Paul, but this view is contrary to 
the weight of authority of the early church, and is opposed 
by the mass of modern scholars. A probable date of com- 
position is about A. D. 65. Abbreviated Heb. Rabbinical 
or modern Hebrew, the language used by the rabbins 
in their writings. Ite basis or body is the Hebrew and 
Chaldaic, with various alterations in the words of these 
two languages. They have borrowed freely from the Ara- 
bic, and the rest is composed of words chiefly from the 
Greek, some from the Latin, and others from the modern 
tongues. 
fl. a. Of or pertaining to the Hebrews ; He- 
braic : as, the Hebrew language or rites. 
The Hebrew liturgy, like others, has its transitions of 
litany, lyric, proclamation, dry statements, and blessing. 
George Eliot, Daniel Deronda, xxxii. 
Hebrew calendar. See calendar. Hebrew charac- 
ter, the form of letters in which the Hebrew language is 
written. Hebrew-character moth, Tceiiiocampa go- 
thica, an orthosiid : so named from its markings. Hebrew 
manna. See manna. 
Bebrewess (he'brij-es), n. [< Hebreio + -ess.] 
An Israelitish woman. Jer. xxxiv. 9. 
In common with every Bebrewess, she [Salome] embroi- 
dered fit for that bride who was to be brought unto the 
king in raiment of needlework. 
E. S. Sheppard, Counterparts, xxxiv. 
Hebrewist (he'br-ist), n. [< Hebrew + -ist.] 
Same as Hebraist, 1. 
Hebrew-marked (he'bro-markt), a. Marked 
as if with Hebrew characters : applied to a 
lizard, Liokemus signifer. 
Hebrician (he-brish'an), n. [Irreg. < L. He- 
br(ceus'), Hebrew, + -ic-ian, after Grecian.] One 
skilled in the Hebrew language ; a Hebraist. 
It is fully written in meeter, as all learned Hebricians 
agree, although the rules be not yet fully found. 
Sir P. Sidney, Apol. for Poetrie. 
Not to make learned Hebricians, but to teach such young 
men as choose to learn it the Hebrew alphabet. 
C. F. Adams, A College Fetich, p. 22. 
Hebridse (heb'ri-de), n.pl. [NL. (Fieber, 1860), 
< Hebrus + idee.'] A family of heteropterous 
Hemiptera, containing the single genus Hebrus. 
Also Hebrides. 
2766 
Hebridal (heb'ri-dal), a. Same as Hebritlcan. 
Hebridal sandpiper. See sandpiper. 
Hebridean, Hebridian (he-brid'e-an, -i-an), n. 
and n. [< Hebrides, an alteration, said to have 
arisen from an accidental misprint, of the L. 
name Hebudes (Pliny), in Gr. "E/fov&u (Ptol- 
emy).] I. a. Pertaining to the Hebrides, a 
group of islands off the west coast of Scotland, 
to which they belong. 
II. . A native or an inhabitant of the Heb- 
rides. 
Hebrides (heb'ri-dez), n. pi. Same as Hebrides. 
Hebridian, a. and . See Hebridean. 
Hebrus (he'brus), n. [NL. (Curtis, 1833).] A 
genus of true bugs, representing the family 
Hebridce, common to Europe and America. 
There are four United States species, as H. 
americana. 
he-cabbagetree (he'kab'aj-tre), n. An arbores- 
cent composite plant, SenecioLeucadendron, con- 
fined to the island of Saint Helena, where it 
forms a conspicuous part of the vegetation of 
the central ridge at elevations of from 1,900 to 
2,600 feet. 
Hecate (hek'a-te), . [ME. Echate; < L. Heca- 
te, < Gr. 'EKOTJI, a name identical with harr/, an 
epithet of Artemis 
(Diana), fern, of CKO- 
rof, an epithet of 
Apollo, lit. far-shoot- 
ing, far-darting (in- 
volving a solar allu- 
sion)/ ends, far, afar, 
far off.] 1. In Gr. 
myth., a goddess akin 
to Artemis, of Thra- 
cian origin, combin- 
ing the attributions 
of Demeter or Ceres, 
Rhea, Cybele, Arte- 
mis or Diana, and 
Persephone or Pros- 
erpine, with whom, 
as a goddess of the 
infernal regions, she 
was to some extent 
identified, andin this 
character was rep- 
resented as prac- 
tising and teaching 
through her emissaries sorcery and witchcraft. 
Enter Hecate, meeting the three witches. 
1 Witch. Why, how now, Hecate f You look angerly. 
Shak., Macbeth, ill. 5. 
[In every instance in Shakspere except one, and in one 
instance in Milton, the rhythm requires the pronuncia- 
tion to be hek'at.) 
2f. The moon personified. 
But let not Echate this crafte espie. 
PaUadius, Husbondrie (E. E. T. 8.), p. 196. 
3. [NL.] In zool,, a genus of Vermes. 
Hecatean (hek-a-te'an), a. Belonging or per- 
taining to Hecate. 
No, no, 'twas neither Hecattean spite, 
Nor charm below, nor pow'r above, . . . 
That thus transform'd our god of love. 
Quarles, Emblems, 11. 9. 
hecatomb (hek'a-tom), n. [< L. hecatombe, < 
Gr. eKardfi/iij, a great public sacrifice, prop, of 
one hundred oxen, but used in the earliest 
records in a general sense, < cKar6v, a hundred: 
see cent and hundred."] In classical antiq., a 
sacrifice of a hundred oxen or other beasts of 
one kind; hence, any great sacrifice of victims; 
any great slaughter of persons or animals. 
Thy Altars 
Smoaking with Hecatombs of slaughter'd Bulls. 
Prior, Second Hymn of Callimachus. 
Oh, Love, 
Thou proudly-blind destruction, I would send thee 
Whole hecatombs of hearts, to bleed my sorrows. 
Fletcher, Bonduca, i. 2. 
Hecatombaeon (hek'a-tom-be'on). n. [< Gr. 
inarouflaiuv, the first month of the Attic year, in 
which sacrifices were offered to the gods, < ena- 
To/*/3>7, a sacrifice, hecatomb: see hecatomb.'] The 
first month of the Attic year, containing thirty 
days, and corresponding to the last half of July 
and the first half of August. Also spelled Helca- 
tombaion. 
In Hekatoinbaion hecatombs were offered to Apollo, the 
summer god. Encyc. Brit., IX. 114. 
hecatompedon (hek-a-tom'pe-don). n.; pi. hec- 
atompeda (-da). [< Gr. CKard/meoov, neut. of 
/airo'jtre<5of, a hundred feet long, < nar6v, a 
hundred, + iroif (m>ti-, in deriv. also mi-) = E. 
foot, q. v.] A building 100 feet in length or 
width; particularly, the cella of the great tem- 
ple of Athena, the Parthenon, at Athens. See 
cut under cella. 
heckle 
hecatonstylon (hek'a-tpn-sti'lon), n. [< Gr. 
e/carov, a hundred, + nri/.of, pillar, column.] A 
building having a hundred columns. 
hecatontarchy (hek-a-ton'tar-ki), n. [Irreg. 
(after heptarchy) < Gr! IKOTOV', hundred, + apxn, 
rule.] The rule or government of a hundred. 
What would come to pass if the choice of a governor or 
governors were referred to the thousands and millions of 
England ? Beware a Heptarchy again, beware a Hecaton- 
tarchy. Bp. Backet, Abp. Williams, ii. 202. 
hecatontome (hek'a-ton-tom), n. [< Gr. ituntni, 
a hundred, + r<i/>f,' a tome, volume.] An ag- 
gregate of a hundred volumes ; any large col- 
lection or pile of books. [Rare.] 
The Gospell faithfully preach'd tb the poore; tire deso- 
ate parishes visited and duely fed, loyterers throwne out, 
wolves driven from the fold, had beene a better confuta- 
The Triple Hecate. ( Relief from 
vEgina, in collection of Prince Met- 
temicb.) 
tion of the Pope and Masse than whole Becatontomes of 
controversies. Milton, On Def. of Humb. Remonst. 
hecatophyllous (hek'a-to-fil'us), a. [< Gr. /ca- 
r6v, a hundred, + 0{'A/to, leaf.] In bot., having 
the leaves composed of a hundred or more leaf- 
lets. [Rare.] 
heccot, n. Same as hickwall. 
The sharp-neb'd hecco stabbing at his brain. 
Drayton, The Owl. 
hech (hech), interj. [A var. of heigh, hey 1 ."] An 
exclamation of surprise or grief: also used as a 
verb. [Scotch.] 
There war monle a lady fair 
Siching and crying, " Och how ! " . . . 
What need ye hech ! and how ! ladies, 
What need ye how ! for me. 
Mary Hamilton (Child's Ballads, III. 326). 
hecht (hedht), v. A Scotch form of highft. 
There was an ancient citir- hecht Cartage. 
(Jacin Douglas, tr. of Virgil, p. 13. 
The Miller he hecht her a heart leal and loving. 
Burns, Meg o' the Mill. 
heck 1 (hek), . [< ME. hek ; a var. of hack?, 
the unassibilated form of hatch 1 , q. v.] 1. A 
door with an open or latticework panel, or 
having its upper part hinged independently of 
the lower part. 2. A latticed gate. 3. A rack 
for holding fodder for cattle. [Prov. Eng. and 
Scotch.] 4. A contrivance for catching fish, 
made in the form of a latticework or grating: 
as, a salmon-Aecfc. 5. In weaving, one of two 
or more vertical frames with gratings having 
eyes for receiving the warp-threads, each eye 
receiving one thread of the warp, and the alter- 
nate vertical motion of the gratings separating 
the warp-threads to form an opening or shed 
for the passage of the shuttle. [Rare.] 6. A 
latch or bolt for fastening a door. [Rare.] 
Living at heck and manger, a phrase used of one who 
has got into quarters where everything is comfortable and 
abundant. [Scotch.) 
heck' 2 (hek), n. [E. dial.; origin obscure.] The 
bend or winding of a stream. [Prov. Eng.] 
heckberry (hek v ber"i), . ; pi. heckberries (-iz). 
Same as hagberry. 
heck-box (hek'boks), n. In weaving, a box sus- 
pended between the travers on which the bob- 
bins of warp-yarn are mounted and the warp- 
ing-frame on which the yarns are wound, and 
made to slide up and down between two up- 
right posts. It separates the warp-threads into two 
leas or alternate sets, one set for each heald or heddle. 
Also called a jack. 
heckfar, heckfor, n. Obsolete or dialectal va- 
riants of heifer. Huloet, 1552. 
heckle (hek 1), n. [Also, with different vowel, 
hackle 3 , q. v., and assibilated hetehel, hatchel, 
q. v.; < ME. hekele, hechele, < D. hekel = MHG. 
hachel, hechel, G. hechel = Sw. hcickla = Dan. 
hegle, a heckle ; connected with and nearly a 
dim. of D. haak = MHG. hake, G. hake, haken 
= Sw. hake = Dan. hage = E. dial, hake, a hook : 
see hake 1 , hake?, hatch 1 , heck 1 , and hook."} An 
instrument for cleaning, sorting, and straight- 
ening raw flax and hemp : same as Jiatdiel. 
Some layde to pledge 
Theyr hatchet and their wedge, 
Their hekell and their rele. 
Skelton, Elynour Rummyng. 
He was a hedge unto his friends, 
A heckle to his foes, lady. 
Sob oy (Child's Ballad*, VI. 206). 
heckle (hek'l), v. t. ; pret. and pp. heckled, ppr. 
heckling. [Also, with different vowel, hackle 3 , 
q. v., and assibilated h etch el, earlymod. E. heck- 
ell, hetchyll; from the noun.] 1. To comb, as 
flax or hemp ; hatchel. 
There must be planting, cutting down, bundling, wa- 
tring, rippling, braking, wingling, and heckling of hemp. 
Howell, Parly of Beasts, p. 14. 
2. To question, especially in a severe or antag- 
onistic manner, as a parliamentary candidate 
in Great Britain. 
Robert never felt his wits so much stretched and sharp- 
ened as when after the lecture Lestrange was putting 
