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Delilah
DelilahIn the Old Testament of the Bible, Delilah was a woman, probably a Philistine*, who received a large amount of silver for telling the enemies of Samson, the Israelite hero, the source of his great strength. After seducing Samson to win his confidence, she got him to reveal what made him strong—his long, thick hair. She then lured him to sleep and had his hair cut. As a result, Samson became weak, and the Philistines were able to seize him. The name Delilah has taken on the meaning of temptress or betrayer. The story of Samson and Delilah is the subject of a painting by Rembrandt and an opera by Saint-Saëns. See also Samson. |
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"Delilah." Myths and Legends of the World. 2001. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "Delilah." Myths and Legends of the World. 2001. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G2-3490900156.html "Delilah." Myths and Legends of the World. 2001. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G2-3490900156.html |
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Delilah
Delilah ♀ Biblical name (of uncertain origin), borne by Samson's mistress, who wheedled him into revealing that the secret of his strength was in his hair, and then cut it off while he was asleep and betrayed him to the Philistines (Judges 16:4–20). Although the biblical Delilah was deceitful and treacherous, the name was in regular use in Britain and the U.S. from the mid 17th century to the late 18th century. Since then it has occasionally been revived as an exotic name.
Variant: Delila. |
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PATRICK HANKS, KATE HARDCASTLE, and FLAVIA HODGES. "Delilah." A Dictionary of First Names. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. PATRICK HANKS, KATE HARDCASTLE, and FLAVIA HODGES. "Delilah." A Dictionary of First Names. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O41-Delilah.html PATRICK HANKS, KATE HARDCASTLE, and FLAVIA HODGES. "Delilah." A Dictionary of First Names. 2006. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O41-Delilah.html |
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Delilah
Delilah (Dalila in Milton's Samson Agonistes), in Judg. 16, a woman of the valley of Sorek, loved by Samson; she persuaded him to tell her the secret of his strength and (by cutting off his hair) betrayed him to the Philistines. A favourite figure in Renaissance pictorial art (e.g. Rubens, Samson and Delilah, 1609–10), her shearing of Samson's hair represented an archetypal symbol of man's vulnerability to female perfidy. In Milton's version she is Samson's second wife.
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MARGARET DRABBLE and JENNY STRINGER. "Delilah." The Concise Oxford Companion to English Literature. 2003. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. MARGARET DRABBLE and JENNY STRINGER. "Delilah." The Concise Oxford Companion to English Literature. 2003. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O54-Delilah.html MARGARET DRABBLE and JENNY STRINGER. "Delilah." The Concise Oxford Companion to English Literature. 2003. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O54-Delilah.html |
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Delilah
Delilah , in the Book of Judges, courtesan in the pay of the Philistines, perhaps a Philistine herself, who was loved by Samson . She learned that his strength lay in his long hair and betrayed him to his enemies by cutting it off. |
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"Delilah." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "Delilah." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-Delilah.html "Delilah." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-Delilah.html |
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Delilah
Delilah Philistine woman in the Old Testament (Judges 16). The mistress of Samson, she betrayed him to the Philistines by cutting his hair, the source of his strength, while he slept.
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"Delilah." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "Delilah." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O142-Delilah.html "Delilah." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O142-Delilah.html |
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Delilah
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ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "Delilah." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "Delilah." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O214-Delilah.html ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "Delilah." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O214-Delilah.html |
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Delilah
Delilah
•beguiler, compiler, Delilah, filer, Isla, miler, reviler, smiler, styler, tiler, Tyler
•idler
•stifler, trifler
•recycler • Kreisler • profiler
•stockpiler • freestyler • Rottweiler
•ayatollah, choler, collar, corolla, dollar, dolour (US dolor), Hezbollah, holler, scholar, squalor, wallah, Waller, white-collar
•cobbler, gobbler
•Doppler, poplar
•ostler
•brawler, caller, crawler, drawler, faller, forestaller, hauler, installer, mauler, Paula, stonewaller, trawler
•warbler • dawdler • footballer
•reed-warbler
•fowler, growler, howler, prowler, scowler
•Angola, barbola, bipolar, bowler, bronchiolar, canola, carambola, circumpolar, coaler, Coca-Cola, cola, comptroller, consoler, controller, Ebola, eidola, extoller, Finola, Gorgonzola, granola, Hispaniola, kola, Lola, lunisolar, mandola, molar, multipolar, Ndola, patroller, payola, pianola, polar, roller, Savonarola, scagliola, scroller, sola, solar, stroller, tombola, Tortola, troller, Vignola, viola, Zola
•ogler
•teetotaller (US teetotaler)
•potholer • steamroller • logroller
•roadroller
•boiler, broiler, Euler, oiler, spoiler, toiler
•potboiler
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Cite this article
"Delilah." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "Delilah." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-Delilah.html "Delilah." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-Delilah.html |
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