TANTALUS

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

• TANTALUS (noun)
  The noun TANTALUS has 1 sense:

1. (Greek mythology) a wicked king and son of Zeus; condemned in Hades to stand in water that receded when he tried to drink and beneath fruit that receded when he reached for it

  Familiarity information: TANTALUS used as a noun is very rare.

• TANTALUS (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

(Greek mythology) a wicked king and son of Zeus; condemned in Hades to stand in water that receded when he tried to drink and beneath fruit that receded when he reached for it

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Instance hypernyms:

mythical being (an imaginary being of myth or fable)

Domain category:

Greek mythology (the mythology of the ancient Greeks)

Derivation:

tantalise; tantalize (harass with persistent criticism or carping)

 Context examples 

Yes, there was a tantalus containing brandy and whisky on the sea-chest.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)