AUGEAN Meaning and
Definition
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Augean is an adjective that refers to something extremely filthy, dirty, or polluted. The term originates from Greek mythology, specifically from the story of the Augean stables. In this myth, Augeas, the king of Elis, possessed a vast number of cattle, and their stables had not been cleaned for many years. As a result, an immense amount of manure had accumulated, creating an overwhelmingly unsanitary environment. One of Hercules' twelve labors was to clean these stables in a single day.
From this mythological story, the term "augean" has been adopted to describe an extraordinarily dirty or chaotic situation that requires thorough cleansing or organization. The adjective can be used metaphorically to depict various contexts, such as a place that has been neglected for a long time, a figurative mess that needs comprehensive cleaning, or a system that is riddled with corruption or inefficiency.
The term "augean" denotes not only a state of extreme filth but also the magnitude of the task required to rectify it. It implies a monumental challenge that demands considerable effort, determination, and perseverance. Thus, when referring to something as "augean," it suggests a situation or condition that calls for significant commitment and diligent action in order to restore cleanliness, order, or integrity.
Top Common Misspellings for AUGEAN *
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
Other Common Misspellings for AUGEAN
Etymology of AUGEAN
The term "Augean" comes from Greek mythology and is derived from the name of King Augeas, who was the ruler of Elis in ancient Greece. According to the myth, King Augeas owned a stable that housed an immense number of cattle. However, the stable had not been cleaned for many years, and the filth had piled up to an extraordinary degree.
In the Greek legend, Heracles (known as Hercules in Roman mythology) was assigned the labor of cleaning the Augean stables. To accomplish this seemingly impossible task, Heracles diverted the rivers Alpheus and Peneus, causing them to flow through the stables and wash away the accumulated filth in a single day.
The story of the Augean stables has been associated with extremely difficult or seemingly insurmountable cleaning tasks.
Similar spelling words for AUGEAN
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