Augean
- resembling the Augean stables in filthiness or degradation.
- difficult and unpleasant: an Augean chore.
Origin of Augean
Examples from the Web for augean
Contemporary Examples of augean
I had to chase the chickens back into the coop and close the door so I could finish with the Augean Stables of the chicken pen.
The Bush White House staff has begun the Augean task of spinning the Bush legacy.
Historical Examples of augean
He has done much to cleanse the Augean stables of the English theatre.
Personality in LiteratureRolfe Arnold Scott-James
As well might Hercules have attempted to tidy up the Augean stables with a squirt.
Diary of a PilgrimageJerome K. Jerome
It is an Augean stable we have to clean, but Hercules was one, and we are many.
But the task is vast, it is herculean, like unto the cleaning of the Augean stables.
The Johnstown HorrorJames Herbert Walker
Cleaning the Augean stables was something of the same sort of a job.
With the Doughboy in FranceEdward Hungerford
Augean
- extremely dirty or corrupt
Word Origin for Augean
Word Origin and History for augean
Augean
"filthy," 1590s, in reference to Augean stable, the cleansing of which was one of the labors of Herakles, from Greek Augeias, like the stable of Augeas, king of Elis, which contained 3,000 oxen and had gone uncleansed for 30 years. Herakles purified it in one day by turning the river Alpheus through it.