Adjacent Words

juggernaut definitions

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WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: a massive inexorable force that seems to crush everything in its way [syn: juggernaut, steamroller]
2: an avatar of Vishnu [syn: Jagannath, Jagannatha, Jagganath, Juggernaut]
3: a crude idol of Krishna

Merriam Webster's

noun Etymology: Hindi Jagann?th, literally, lord of the world, title of Vishnu Date: 1841 1. chiefly British a large heavy truck 2. a massive inexorable force, campaign, movement, or object that crushes whatever is in its path <an advertising juggernaut> <a political juggernaut>

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. 1 esp. Brit. a large heavy motor vehicle, esp. an articulated lorry. 2 a huge or overwhelming force or object. 3 (Juggernaut) an institution or notion to which persons blindly sacrifice themselves or others. Etymology: Hindi Jagannath f. Skr. Jagannatha = lord of the world: name of an idol of Krishna in Hindu mythol., carried in procession on a huge cart under which devotees are said to have formerly thrown themselves

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Juggernaut Jug"ger*naut`, n. [Skr. jagann[=a]tha lord of the world.] One of the names under which Vishnu, in his incarnation as Krishna, is worshiped by the Hindoos. [Written also Juggernnath, Jaganath, Jaganatha, etc.] Note: The principal seat of the worship of Juggernaut is at P[^u]ri in Orissa. At certain times the idol is drawn from the temple by the multitude, on a high car with sixteen wheels. Formerly, fanatics sometimes threw themselves under the wheels to be crushed as a sacrifice to the god.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Jagannath Jag"an*nath, Jagannatha Jag`an*na"tha, n. Also Juggernaut Jug"ger*naut [Hind. Jagan-n[=a]th lord of the world, Skr. jagann[=a]tha.] (Hinduism) A particular form of Vishnu, or of Krishna, whose chief idol and worship are at Puri, in Orissa. The idol is considered to contain the bones of Krishna and to possess a soul. The principal festivals are the Snanayatra, when the idol is bathed, and the Rathayatra, when the image is drawn upon a car adorned with obscene paintings. Formerly it was erroneously supposed that devotees allowed themselves to be crushed beneath the wheels of this car. It is now known that any death within the temple of Jagannath is considered to render the place unclean, and any spilling of blood in the presence of the idol is a pollution.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(juggernauts) 1. A juggernaut is a very large truck. (mainly BRIT) N-COUNT 2. If you describe an organization or group as a juggernaut, you are critical of them because they are large and extremely powerful, and you think they are not being controlled properly. The group became a sales juggernaut in the commodity options business. N-COUNT [disapproval]