beard the lion

Variant of lion

lion definition

lion (lī′ən)

noun pl. lions li′·ons or lion li′on

  1. a large, powerful cat (Panthera leo), found in Africa and SW Asia, with a tawny coat, a tufted tail, and, in the adult male, a shaggy mane: in folklore and fable the lion is considered king of the beasts
  2. a person of great courage or strength
  3. a prominent person who is in demand socially; celebrity
  4. Lions Club

Etymology: OFr < L leo (gen. leonis) < Gr leōn (gen. leontos)

lion Idioms

beard the lion (in his den)

to approach, oppose, etc. an influential or feared person, as in a place where that person has the advantage

the Lion

Leo, the constellation and fifth sign of the zodiac

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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