Danaides

[ duh-ney-i-deez ]

plural noun

, Classical Mythology.

1. the 50 daughters of Danaus, 49 of whom were condemned to pour water forever into a leaky vessel for having murdered their husbands.

Danaides

/ ˌdænɪˈɪdɪən; dəˈneɪɪˌdiːz; ˌdænɪəˈdiːən /

plural noun

1. the fifty daughters of Danaüs. All but Hypermnestra murdered their bridegrooms and were punished in Hades by having to pour water perpetually into a jar with a hole in the bottom

Derived Forms

• Danaidean, adjective

Other Words From

• Dan·a·id·e·an [dan-ee-, id, -ee-, uh, n, dan-ee-i-, dee, -, uh, n], adjective

Example Sentences

Before, in that dreaming time, I saw that I had drawn water like the Danaides, in a pitcher full of holes.

From Project Gutenberg

It needed not only the energy of an American, but the tongue of a Dane and the perserverance of Danaides.

From Project Gutenberg

Mrs. Smidgkin, Mrs. Smidgkin, are you aware that the rain pours outside like the tears of the Danaides on their wedding night?

From Project Gutenberg

When I saw her at work yesterday, it seemed as if I beheld her drawing water with the bottomless vessel of the Danaides.

From Project Gutenberg

This they apply as an emblem of endless and ineffectual labour, like the stone of Sisyphus, and the sieves of the Danaides.

From Project Gutenberg