herculean

comparative more herculean · superlative most herculean

1. Alternative letter-case form of Herculean.

   Similarly, Joseph E. May, M.D., prescribed herculean doses of calomel and quinine to a slave with malaria, who, fortunately, recovered.

   2008, Harriet A. Washington, “Profitable Wonders”, in Medical Apartheid, Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group, page 56

   2 more examples

   Still there are some loop-holes out of which a man may creep, and dare to think and act for himself; but for a woman it is an herculean task, because she has difficulties peculiar to her sex to overcome, which require almost super-human powers.

   1791 (date written), Mary Wollstonecraft, A Vindication of the Rights of Woman: With Strictures on Political and Moral Subjects, London: […] J[oseph] Johnson, […], published 1792, →OCLC

   In October 1998, heavy rains brought on by two consecutive typhoons caused serious flooding in northern Taiwan. Fortunately, the floods receded in a short time and many people went to the disaster areas to help the victims. For example, over one thousand Tzu Chi volunteers helped city workers and military forces clean up debris in Hsichih. They finished the herculean job in just one day.

   2005, Cheng Yen, “Humanitarian Care Transcends All Borders”, in Foreign Language Publications Department, transl., edited by Douglas Shaw, The Cycle of Beauty, Taipei: Jing Si Publications Co., Ltd., →ISBN, →OCLC, page 78

comparative more Herculean · superlative most Herculean · alternative Herculæan · alternative Herculian · alternative herculean · alternative herculian

1. Of extraordinary might, power, size, etc.; suggesting Hercules in size or strength.

   But this is not the best:—look, pr'ythee, Charmian, / How this Herculean Roman does become / The carriage of his chafe.

   c. 1606–1607 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Anthonie and Cleopatra”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene iii], page 343, column 1

2. Requiring a huge amount of work; of extraordinary difficulty.

   a Herculean labour

   3 more examples

   He replied in a dry manner, that I would find it a Herculean task to chastise everybody who should laugh at my expense;

   1748, Tobias George Smollett, The Adventures of Roderick Random

   2006, Jeremy Clarkson, Top Gear (TV show), commenting on the Bugatti Veyron automobile The guys at Volkswagen have a Herculean task.

   There are thousands of known isotopes, and to have a functional and easily maintainable exhibit for all of these would require a Herculean effort.

   2012, John Nonte, Supercollider 4