Adjacent Words

Delilah definitions

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WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: (Old Testament) the Philistine mistress of Samson who betrayed him by cutting off his hair and so deprived him of his strength
2: a woman who is considered to be dangerously seductive [syn: enchantress, temptress, siren, Delilah, femme fatale]

Merriam Webster's

noun Etymology: Hebrew D?l?l?h Date: 1573 the mistress and betrayer of Samson in the book of Judges

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. a seductive and wily temptress. Etymology: Delilah, betrayer of Samson (Judges 16)

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Delilah De*li"lah, n. The mistress of Samson, who betrayed him (--Judges xvi.); hence, a harlot; a temptress. Other Delilahs on a smaller scale Burns met with during his Dumfries sojourn. --J. C. Shairp.

Hitchcock Bible Dictionary

poor; small; head of hair

Easton's Bible Dictionary

languishing, a Philistine woman who dwelt in the valley of Sorek (Judg. 16:4-20). She was bribed by the "lords of the Philistines" to obtain from Samson the secret of his strength and the means of overcoming it (Judg. 16:4-18). She tried on three occasions to obtain from him this secret in vain. On the fourth occasion she wrung it from him. She made him sleep upon her knees, and then called the man who was waiting to help her; who "cut off the seven locks of his head," and so his "strength went from him." (See SAMSON.)

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

de-li'-la (delilah, "dainty one," perhaps; Septuagint Daleida, Dalida): The woman who betrayed Samson to the Philistines (Jud 16). She was presumably a Philistine, though that is not expressly stated. She is not spoken of as Samson's wife, though many have understood the account in that way. The Philistines paid her a tremendously high price for her services. The account indicates that for beauty, personal charm, mental ability, self-command, nerve, she was quite a wonderful woman, a woman to be admired for some qualities which she exhibits, even while she is to be utterly disapproved. See SAMSON.

Willis J. Beecher

Moby Thesaurus

Aspasia, Jezebel, Messalina, Phryne, Thais, adventuress, courtesan, demimondaine, demimonde, demirep, femme fatale, harem girl, hetaera, houri, odalisque, seductress, temptress, vamp, vampire