leviathannoun/lɪˈvaɪəθn̩/

• 1

  biblicalhuman-scienceslifestyleA vast sea monster of tremendous strength, either imaginary or real, described as the most dangerous and powerful creature in the ocean.

  • So is this greate and wyde ſee [sea] alſo, wherin are thinges crepinge innumerable, both ſmall and greate beaſtes. There go the ſhippes ouer, and there is that Leuiathan, whom thou haſt made, to take his paſtyme therin.
  • Euen ſo do I thinke them no trewe Chryſtian men that do not reioyce with the Angels of heauen for the deliuerie of theſe owre brootherne, owre fleſſhe, and owre bones, from the handes of owre commune enemie the oulde ſerpente who hath ſo longe had them in hys poſſeſſion, vntyll the fulneſſe of the gentyles be accomplyſſhed accordynge to the time prefinite by hym, who vnto the yeare after his incarnation. M. CCCC. lxxxxii. hath ſuffered the greate ſerpente of the ſea Leuiathan, to haue ſuche dominion in the Ocean […]
• 2

  A thing which is monstrously great in size, strength, etc. (especially a ship); also, a person with great power or wealth.

  • Of this laſt requeſt, the Lacquy of this great Leuiathan, promiſde he ſhould be maiſter, but he vvould not bring him to a miles end by land, (they vvere too many to meddle vvith).
  • So can the Lord deal, and often doth, vvith the great Behemoths and Leviathans of the vvorld: […]
• 3

  political-sciencesocial-sciencesSometimes in the form Leviathan: based on the writings of Thomas Hobbes, the political state, especially a domineering and totalitarian one.

  • Holonym: the System
  • [T]he Multitude ſo united in one Perſon, is called a Common-vvealth, in latine Civitas. This is the generation of that great Leviathan, or rather (to ſpeake more reverently) of that Mortall God, to vvhich vvee ovve under the Immortall God, our peace and defence.
• 4

  obsoleteSynonym of Satan (“the supreme evil spirit in the Abrahamic religions, who tempts humanity into sin; the Devil”).

  • [S]eu'n times thrice more glorious the name, / By vvhich thrice povverfull vvee coniure the ſame: / VVhich but repeated doth that Dragon feare, / That olde Leuyathan vvhoſe iavves Lord teare. / […] / Then glorious Captaine, our chiefe God and man, / Breake thou the Iavves of old Leuiathan.

leviathanadj/lɪˈvaɪəθn̩/

• 1

  Very large; enormous, gargantuan.

  • Her virtuous, pale-blue, saucerlike eyes flooded with leviathan tears on unexpected occasions and made Yossarian mad.