hero

A person, either real or mythical, who embodies or is seen as the foundation of the cultural values or achievements of a society, group of people, or period of time. Karl Marx became both a villain to those opposed to Communist ideology and a culture hero for those who embraced the ideals of Socialism. Mythical figures such as Cúchulainn and historical figures like Brian Boru have long been held as culture heroes in Ireland. During World War II, fascists like Hitler and Mussolini were culture heroes, which explains an awful lot.

Fully and completely something; something in every detail. The designer will understand if you want to make more changes—he is every inch a professional. Wow, your costume is great! You look every inch the old Hollywood starlet. I'm not surprised she got a full scholarship to graduate school. After all, she has always been every inch the academic.

To change an outcome, one's situation, or oneself from being particularly unsuccessful, negative, unfortunate, or unpopular to being especially successful, positive, fortunate, or popular. After his parents won the lottery, John went from zero to hero in his high school overnight. With computer programming becoming an increasingly in-demand skill, many who might have been picked on in high school are now going from zeros to heroes. The principal went from zero to hero when he let us go home early after the power outage.

slang Heroin. Yeah, I smoke pot every now and then, but hero? No thanks, man. Is it true that she used to be addicted to hero? A: "Yo, you want to try some hero?" B: "No way, dude. I don't do hard drugs."

A sandwich served on a long roll of bread, typically six inches to several feet in length, filled with a variety of ingredients including meat, cheese, and vegetables. Primarily heard in US. This restaurant across the road from our office makes the best hero sandwich in the city. I've gotten to where I go there two or three times a week for lunch. I'm ordering a few four-foot heroes for the party this weekend, so if you have any food allergies, let me know before tomorrow. A: "Do you want a hero? I'm ordering out." B: "No thanks. I'm not big on deli meats."

slang Heroin. Yeah, I smoke pot every now and then, but hero of the underworld? No thanks, man. Is it true that she used to be addicted to hero of the underworld? A: "Yo, you want to try some hero of the underworld?" B: "No way, dude. I don't do hard drugs."

Admiration for someone whom one idolizes or considers a hero, especially to an excessive or foolish degree. I'll never understand the hero worship we give to actors and athletes. They're very skilled, sure, but they're just entertainers at the end of the day. A: "I just think you're amazing. I want to be just like you when I grow up!" B: "OK, kid, enough of the hero worship. I'm just an ordinary guy." The CEO doesn't deserve your hero worship. He's probably one of the many people who got to the top by abusing his power along the way.

To admire or idolize someone, especially to an excessive or foolish degree. I'll never understand why we hero-worship actors and athletes. They're very skilled, sure, but they're just entertainers at the end of the day. A: "I just think you're amazing. I want to be just like you when I grow up!" B: "OK, kid, stop hero-worshipping me. I'm just an ordinary guy." Don't hero-worship the CEO. Too many people get to the top by abusing their power along the way.

Someone or something that provides a great benefit, has done very good work, has performed some heroic deed or function, etc., but has not received the credit or recognition they deserve. It's the volunteers who are the real unsung heroes of this event. They're the ones who put in countless hours without pay to ensure that everything runs smoothly from beginning to end. The company is known for their expensive smart devices, but its their subscription-based cloud storage that has been their real unsung hero, responsible for over 45% of their annual profit for the last four years.

Fig. a hero who has gotten no praise or recognition. The time has come to recognize all the unsung heroes of the battle for low-cost housing.

Individuals not famous or celebrated as they deserve to be. Unsung alludes to the long epic poems of Homer and Virgil, which celebrated the heroes of Greece and Troy. Indeed, a version of the term, which dates from the late seventeenth century, appears in Alexander Pope’s translation of Homer’s Iliad—“Unwept, unhonour’d, uninterrid he lies!”—words picked up a century later by Sir Walter Scott in one of his most famous poems, “The Lay of the Last Minstrel” (1805): “And, doubly dying, shall go down To the vile dust, from whence he sprung, Unwept, unhonour’d, and unsung.”