Acheron
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun 1. A river in the underworld: In Greek mythology, the Acheron is one of the rivers in Hades, the realm of the dead. It is often described as the "river of woe" or "river of pain," and its waters were traditionally crossed by the ferryman Charon to transport the souls of the deceased.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- In the epic, the hero descended to the banks of the Acheron.
- Charon demanded a coin to ferry souls across the Acheron.
Advanced Usage
- "Cross the Acheron": A literary metaphor for dying or passing into the afterlife or a state of misery.
- The poet wrote of crossing the Acheron into eternal sleep.
- "Acheronian" (adjective): Pertaining to the Acheron; profoundly dark, gloomy, or hellish. (This is a derived form, not the target word itself).
- The dungeon had an Acheronian darkness.
Variants and Related Words
- Acherontic (adj): Another adjective form meaning of or relating to the Acheron; infernal, gloomy.
- The Five Rivers of Hades: Acheron is often grouped with Cocytus (lamentation), Phlegethon (fire), Lethe (forgetfulness), and Styx (hate).
Synonyms
- River of Hades: A general term for any of the underworld rivers.
- Infernal river: A river of the underworld or hell.
Related Phrases and Idioms
- "To pay the ferryman": An idiom stemming from the myth of Charon and the Acheron, meaning to face the consequences of death or a difficult transition. (This phrase references the concept but does not contain the word "Acheron").
- He knew the risky surgery meant he might have to pay the ferryman.
Noun
- (Greek mythology) a river in Hades across which the souls of the dead were carried by Charon