hecatombs

Noun

hecatomb (plural hecatombs)

1. (Ancient-Rome, historical, Ancient Greece) A great public sacrifice to the gods, originally of a hundred oxen; also, a great number of animals reserved for such a sacrifice.
   • O be propitious, powerfull God of Arts, / I sheathe my weapons, and doe breake my darts, / Be then appeas'd, I'le offer to thy shrine, / An Heccatombe, of many spotted kine.1599, W. Kinsayder or Theriomastix [pseudonyms; John Marston], “Satyre. V. Totum in Toto.”, in The Scourge of Villanie. […], London: […] I[ames] R[oberts], →OCLC; republished as G[eorge] B[agshawe]...
2. (broadly, historical) A great public sacrifice in other religions; also, a great number of animals or people reserved for such a sacrifice.
   • The tutelary deity of the Aztecs was the god of war. The great object of their military expeditions was, to gather hecatombs of captives for his altars. The soldier, who fell in battle, was transported at once to the region of ineffable bliss in the bright mansions of the Sun.1843, William H[ickling] Prescott, chapter II, in History of the Conquest of Mexico, […], volume I, New York, N.Y.: Harper and Brothers, […], →OCLC, book I (Introduction—View of the Aztec...
3. (figuratively, literary, poetic) A great number of animals, people, or things that are sacrificed or destroyed; any great sacrifice; also (generally), a large amount.
   • O hecatombe! O catastrophe! / From Mydas pompe to Irus beggery!1598, John Marston, “The Metamorphosis of Pigmalions Image and Certaine Satyres. Satyre V. Parva magna, magna nulla.”, in J[ames] O[rchard] Halliwell, editor, The Works of John Marston. […] (Library...

   Synonyms:

   abundance, battalion, arseload, assload, bellyload, boatload, brimful, busload, bucketful, bucketload

See all 4 meanings of hecatomb