lion

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

1. n. A large carnivorous feline mammal (Panthera leo) of Africa and northwest India, having a short tawny coat, a tufted tail, and, in the male, a heavy mane around the neck and shoulders.
2. n. Any of several large wildcats related to or resembling the lion.
3. n. A very brave person.
4. n. A person regarded as fierce or savage.
5. n. A noted person; a celebrity: a literary lion.
6. n. See Leo.
7. idiom. lion's share The greatest or best part.

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

1. n. A quadruped of the genus Felis, F. leo, the largest of all carnivorous animals, distinguished by its tawny or yellow color, a full flowing mane in the male, a tufted tail, and the disappearance of the feline markings in both sexes before they arrive at maturity. The largest are from 8 to 9 feet in length. The lion is a native of Africa and the warm regions of Asia. He preys chiefly on live animals, avoiding carrion unless impelled by extreme hunger. He approaches his prey with stealthy movements, crouching for the spring, which is accompanied with a terrific roar. The whole frame is most powerful and impressive, giving with the large head and ample mane that majestic appearance to the animal from which he derives his title of “king of beasts.” Of the African lion there are several varieties, as the Barbary, Gambian, Senegal, and Cape lions. The Asiatic varieties are generally distinguished as the Bengal, the Persian or Arabian, and the maneless lion of Gujerat.
2. n. Figuratively, a lion-like person; a man possessing the courage, fierceness, etc., of a lion.
3. n. [capitalized] In astronomy, a constellation and sign of the zodiac. See Leo, 1.
4. n. In heraldry, a representation of a lion used as a bearing. There are various attitudes in which it is represented, forming as many different bearings, viz.: passant, passant gardant or leopardé, passant regardant, rampant, rampant gardant, rampant regardant, salient, combatant (when two lions are rampant and face to face, also called counter-rampant), statant, statant gardant, sejant, couchant, and coward. (See these words.) Further modifications of these bearings may exist, but are rare. Anciently the blazon was “a lion” only when the creature was rampant; when passant gardant, as on the shield of England, it was called lion leopardé, and also leopard. The lion is always langued and armed gules unless the field is gules, when it is langued and armed azure.
5. n. A gold coin current in Scotland from the time of Robert III. to the reign of James VI.: so called from the lion on the obverse of the coin. Under Mary it was worth 44 shillings Scotch; under James VI. (when it was called the lion noble), 74 shillings Scotch. Half-lions were also coined.
6. n. A copper coin: same as hardhead, 2.
7. n. An object of interest and curiosity; especially, a celebrated or conspicuous person who is much sought by society or by the public in general: as, to visit the lions of the place; such a one is the lion of the day. The use is an extension of lion in its literal sense, with reference to the lions formerly kept at the Tower in London. See the first quotation.
8. n. An imaginary danger, trumped up by cowardice or sloth.
9. n. Any humble friend or follower who acts as a sycophant or foil to another.
10. n. A silver and a gold coin of the Belgian provinces, struck in 1790. The value of the gold lion was about $6.50.

Wiktionary

1. n. A big cat, Panthera leo, native to Africa, India and formerly to much of Europe. The term may apply to the species as a whole, to individuals, or to male individuals. It also applies to related species like mountain lions.
2. n. heraldry A stylized representation of a large cat, used on a coat of arms.
3. n. A Chinese foo dog.
4. n. An individual who shows strength and courage, attributes associated with the lion.
5. n. A famous person.

GNU Webster's 1913

1. n. (Zoöl.) A large carnivorous feline mammal (Panthera leo, formerly Felis leo), found in Southern Asia and in most parts of Africa, distinct varieties occurring in the different countries. The adult male, in most varieties, has a thick mane of long shaggy hair that adds to his apparent size, which is less than that of the largest tigers. The length, however, is sometimes eleven feet to the base of the tail. The color is a tawny yellow or yellowish brown; the mane is darker, and the terminal tuft of the tail is black. In one variety, called the maneless lion, the male has only a slight mane.
2. n. (Astron.) A sign and a constellation; Leo.
3. n. An object of interest and curiosity, especially a person who is so regarded.

WordNet 3.0

1. n. large gregarious predatory feline of Africa and India having a tawny coat with a shaggy mane in the male
2. n. (astrology) a person who is born while the sun is in Leo
3. n. a celebrity who is lionized (much sought after)
4. n. the fifth sign of the zodiac; the sun is in this sign from about July 23 to August 22