Make Your Point > Archived Issues > HYDRA

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explore the archives: You know when you try to solve a complex problem, and you just make it worse? That problem is a hydra: a destructive beast of an issue that's really hard to get rid of. In Greek myth, the hydra was a monstrous water serpent with lots of heads. As soon as our hero chopped them off, more grew back. Literally and figuratively, that battle was H____lean, or demanding incredible bravery and strenuous effort. make your point with... "HYDRA" Originally a mythical monster (a snake with lots of heads that would regrow if you chopped them off), a hydra is a problem that's really, really hard to solve because it's so complicated and so persistent.  Pronunciation: HI druh Part of speech: Countable noun. (Countable nouns, like "bottle," "piece," and "decision," are words for things that can be broken into exact units. You talk about "a bottle," "three pieces," and "many decisions." Likewise, talk about one hydra or multiple hydras.) Other forms: The plural is "hydras," and when you need an adjective, use either "hydra-like" or "hydra-headed." Why it looks like "hydrant," "hydrate," and "dehydrated:" The mythological hydra was a water serpent. So, "hydra" comes from the Greek word for "water," and that's why it looks so much like other water-related words. Wait, with this serpent, how many heads are we talking about?: Depending on which version of the myth you're reading, a hydra has 6, 9, or 50 heads, and sometimes just "a lot" of them. How to use it: Because the original hydra had heads that would grow back after you sliced them off, you only want to call something a hydra when it resists your efforts to combat it, especially if it gets worse when you try to fight back. With that in mind, simply call an issue or problem a hydra: "Procrastination is the hydra we all battle." Or, talk about the hydra of some issue, or the hydra that some issue has become: "the hydra of my worries," "the hydra that this legislation has morphed into." Getting back to the myth for a moment: as the story goes, Hercules had a clever solution and some help from his nephew, so he eventually defeated his hydra. You can, too: "We've finally slain this hydra of overspending." You sometimes see folks writing "multi-headed hydra." Please avoid this redundancy. But you can talk about a hydra-headed problem or issue, or point out how one aspect of a problem is just one head of the hydra. examples: My laziest days breed a hydra: I kill one excuse, and my brain generates two more. At some point, you have to switch the news off; it's draining to even ponder the world's battle against the hydra of terrorism. study it now: Look away from the screen to explain the definition in your own words. You’ll know you understand what "hydra" means when you can explain it without saying "monster" or "problem that gets worse when you try to solve it." try it out: Be serious or silly as you think of a complicated, troublesome issue. Fill in the blanks: "(Problem or issue) has as many (specific parts) as a hydra has heads." Example: "Feminism has as many definitions as a hydra has heads." before you review: Spend at least 20 seconds occupying your mind with the game below. Then try the review questions. Don’t go straight to the review now—let your working memory empty out first. This month, we're playing with rhyming puzzles as we review previous words.  Examples: Someone who belts out songs in church with great gusto has ____ ___. Answer: hymn vim. And the barbecue place where you always meet up with your friends from Dallas and Houston is your _____ _____. Answer: Texas nexus. The puzzles, and their answers, will get longer and sillier as the month goes on. Click or mouse-over the link to the clue if you need it, and see each answer the following day. Enjoy! From yesterday: Her entire outfit is lovely, but the finishing touch, the piece that's loveliest of all, is a coat embellished with intricate embroidery. That garment is the ____ ____ _____ ____ (Four words of one syllable each. Clue: use this phrase.) Answer: lace coat grace note. Try this today: When we directly address our nation's commander-in-chief, we use an extremely respectful, humble tone. We should call that tone the ____________ ___________. (Two words of four syllables each. Clue: use this word.) review today's word: 1. An opposite of HYDRA-HEADED is A. ONE-DIMENSIONAL B. TWO-FACED C. THREE-IN-ONE 2.  A small freshwater creature, Hydra derives its name from its ability to _____. A. poison nearby plants and animals B. regenerate itself, essentially avoiding death forever C. switch instantly back and forth between alertness and deep sleep Answers are below. a final word: To be a sponsor and include your ad in an issue, please contact Liesl at Liesl@HiloTutor.com Disclaimer: Word meanings presented here are expressed in plain language and are limited to common, useful applications only. Readers interested in authoritative and multiple definitions of words are encouraged to check a dictionary. Likewise, word meanings, usage, and pronunciations are limited to American English; these elements may vary across world Englishes. Answers to review questions: 1. A 2. B