behemoths

Noun

behemoth (plural behemoths)

1. A great and mighty beast which God shows to Job in Job 40:15–24.
   • ⸿ Beholde now Behemoth which I made with thee, hee eateth graſſe as an oxe.
     Loe now, his ſtrength is in his loynes, and his force is in the nauell of his belly.
     Hee moueth his taile like a Cedar: the ſinewes of his ſtones are wrapt together.
     His bones are as ſtrong pieces of braſſe: his bones are...1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Job 40:15–18, column 1
2. (broadly) Any great and mighty monster.
   • Next she doused the smouldering troll with the contents of the restaurant's fire extinguisher, hoping the icy powder wouldn't revive the sleeping behemoth.2001, Eoin Colfer, Artemis Fowl, page 58
3. (figuratively) Something which has the qualities of great power and might, and monstrous proportions.
   • The diehards who did turn out were at least rewarded with a first sight of Jon Parkin, the behemoth striker signed from Preston, who scored a stunning goal on his debut at Norwich last weekend.2011 January 18, Joe Lovejoy, “Cardiff City 0 Stoke City 2”, in The Guardian, archived from the original on 26 May 2023

   Synonyms:

   colossus, leviathan, mammoth, titan