Delilah

Delilah
/di luy"leuh/, n.
1. Samson's mistress, who betrayed him to the Philistines. Judges 16.
2. a seductive and treacherous woman.
3. a female given name: from a Hebrew word meaning "delicate."

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▪ biblical figure
also spelled  Dalila,  

      in the Old Testament, the central figure of Samson's (Samson) last love story (Judges 16). She was a Philistine who, bribed to entrap Samson, coaxed him into revealing that the secret of his strength was his long hair, whereupon she took advantage of his confidence to betray him to his enemies. Her name has since become synonymous with a voluptuous, treacherous woman.

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Universalium. 2010.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Delilah — • The woman who deceived and betrayed Samson Catholic Encyclopedia. Kevin Knight. 2006. Delilah     Delilah     † …   Catholic encyclopedia

  • Delilah — «Delilah» Сингл Том Джонс из альбома Delilah Выпущен февраль 1968 года Формат 7 Жанры поп Композитор Les Reed …   Википедия

  • Delilah — Saltar a navegación, búsqueda «Delilah» Sencillo de Queen del álbum Innuendo Publicación 1991 Grabado 1990 …   Wikipedia Español

  • DELILAH — (Heb. דְּלִילָה), a woman from the Valley of Sorek who was samson s mistress and who betrayed him to his enemies (Judg. 16:4ff.). The Philistine city kings offered her a handsome bribe to entice Samson to reveal the secret of his great strength.… …   Encyclopedia of Judaism

  • Delilah — f Biblical: name (of uncertain origin) of Samson s mistress, who wheedled him into revealing the secret of his strength and then betrayed him to the Philistines (Judges 16: 4–20). Although the biblical Delilah was deceitful and treacherous, the… …   First names dictionary

  • Delilah — temptress, treacherous lover, 1590s, from the name of the woman who seduced and betrayed Samson in Judges, from Heb. Delilah, lit. delicate, languishing, amorous, from Semitic root d l l to hang down, to languish …   Etymology dictionary

  • Delilah — [di lī′lə] n. [Heb delīlāh, lit., delicate] 1. Bible the lover of Samson, who betrayed him to the Philistines: Judg. 16 2. a seductive, treacherous woman; temptress …   English World dictionary

  • Delilah — De*li lah, n. The mistress of Samson, who betrayed him ( Judges xvi.); hence, a harlot; a temptress. [1913 Webster] Other Delilahs on a smaller scale Burns met with during his Dumfries sojourn. J. C. Shairp. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Delilah — This article is about the Biblical figure. For other, see Delilah (disambiguation). Samson and Delilah by Guercino (Musée des Beaux Arts de Strasbourg) Delilah (דלילה – Dlila, Standard Hebrew meaning [One who] weakened or uprooted or impoverished …   Wikipedia

  • Delilah — noun a) The mistress of Samson who betrays him to the Philistines. And Delilah said to Samson, Tell me, I pray thee, wherein thy great strength lieth, and wherewith thou mightest be bound to afflict thee. b) A beautiful, cunning and treacherous… …   Wiktionary

  • Delilah — noun Etymology: Hebrew Dĕlīlāh Date: 1573 the mistress and betrayer of Samson in the book of Judges …   New Collegiate Dictionary

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