| kraken | A fabulous Scandinavian sea monster, often represented as resembling an island, but sometimes as resembling an immense octopus. "To believe all that has been said of the sea serpent or kraken, would be credulity; to reject the possibility of their existence, would be presumption." (Goldsmith) "Like a kraken huge and black." (Longfellow) Origin: Prob. From OSw. Krake, or ODan. Krage the trunk of a tree, the branches of which are not entirely cut off, to which it was likened by the Norwegian mariners. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
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