sphinx
nounverbattested in dialogue
- //ˈsfɪŋks//
A creature with the head of a person and the body of an animal, commonly a lion.
noun
- 1
A creature with the head of a person and the body of an animal, commonly a lion.
[W]hatsoe'er of strange / Sculptured on alabaster obelisk, / Or jasper tomb, or mutilated sphynx, / Dark Æthiopia in her desert hills. / Conceals.
- 2
figurativeA person who keeps their thoughts and intentions secret; an enigmatic or impassive person.
...it is clear that judges are no longer required to be as passive as they once were; to be what I call sphinx judges. We now not only accept that a judge may intervene in the adversarial debate, but also believe that it is sometimes essential for him to do so for justice in fact to be done.
- 3
datedA mandrill (Mandrillus sphinx), formerly classified as a baboon, and called sphinx baboon.
- 4
A sphinx moth.
- 5
rareA sphincter.
Constance said boastfully, ‘My sphinxes are strong and in good repair. I order you to come.’
Etymology
From Sphinx, from Middle English Spynx, from Latin Sphinx, from Ancient Greek Σφίγξ (Sphínx), perhaps either from σφίγγω (sphíngō, “to squeeze, to strangle”) (whence also sphincter), of Pre-Greek origin, or from Egyptian Szp:p-A53-anx-n:x (šzp-ꜥnḫ, “divine image”, literally “living image”).
verb
- 1
To decorate with sphinxes.
a marble sphinxed chimney-piece
- 2
To adopt the posture of the Sphinx.
A hot lion with a very bloated stomach … will adopt either a sphinxed or a squatting posture which takes some of the weight off its belly.
Several animals maintained either a crouched … or a sphinxing posture (abdomen on the floor)
- 3
To be inscrutable, often through silence.
The sphinxèd riddle of the Universe, Nature's unsolved enigma, who may prove?
Then there are the folks trying to do a Garbo on us[…]Janet Gaynor, so they tell, is sphinxing it and has gone into a Retirement, with "Nothing to Say — Please Go Away" written on the doormat.
What with Fisher whole-hogging on one side, and K. of K. sphinxing on the other, Churchill had his work cut out to get any sort of agreement at all.
- 4
To behave in a manner characteristic of the Sphinx.
Perhaps Nature is sphinxing us on purpose. Whatever her objects may be, perhaps she gets her work done better when she appeals to our gambling instincts. If you knew for certain exactly how your marriage was going to turn out[…]
Forms
- plural
- sphinxes, sphinges
- past tense
- sphinxed
- past participle
- sphinxed
- present participle
- sphinxing
- third person singular
- sphinxes
sphinx · A creature with the head of a person and the body of an animal, commonly a lion.
Sphinx · An ancient, large statue in Egypt, with the face of a man and…spice · Aromatic or pungent plant matter (usually dried) used to…Spice · A surname.