Siren
Webster's Dictionary [1]
(1): ( n.) One of three sea nymphs, - or, according to some writers, of two, - said to frequent an island near the coast of Italy, and to sing with such sweetness that they lured mariners to destruction.
(2): ( n.) An enticing, dangerous woman.
(3): ( n.) Something which is insidious or deceptive.
(4): ( n.) A mermaid.
(5): ( n.) Any long, slender amphibian of the genus Siren or family Sirenidae, destitute of hind legs and pelvis, and having permanent external gills as well as lungs. They inhabit the swamps, lagoons, and ditches of the Southern United States. The more common species (Siren lacertina) is dull lead-gray in color, and becames two feet long.
(6): ( n.) An instrument for producing musical tones and for ascertaining the number of sound waves or vibrations per second which produce a note of a given pitch. The sounds are produced by a perforated rotating disk or disks. A form with two disks operated by steam or highly compressed air is used sounding an alarm to vessels in fog.
(7): ( a.) Of or pertaining to a siren; bewitching, like a siren; fascinating; alluring; as, a siren song.
Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature [2]
a name for fabulous beings occurring in Grecian mythology and first mentioned in the Odyssey of Homer, who enticed seamen by the magic sweetness of their songs and then slew them. Ulysses escaped their power by stopping the ears of his companions with wax and causing himself to be bound to the mast of his vessel until beyond the reach of their musical charms; and the Argonauts were preserved by the singing of Orpheus, which excelled that of the Sirens. The number of the Sirens was at first two; but afterwards three. Their names were said to be Aglaiopheme (clear voice) and Thelxiepea (magic song), Pisinoe being afterwards added, and others being substituted by different writers — e.g. Parthenope, Ligea, and Leucosia. They were fabled to have descended from Achelous, a river god, by the muse Terpsichore or Calliope, or by Sterope, daughter of Porthaon, from Phorcys, or from the earth. Their form was also variously represented — part woman and part fish or bird, endowed with wings, etc., the latter conception leading to their being sometimes identified with the Harpies. The place of the abode of the sirens was also uncertain — the Sicilian headland Pelorum, the island of Capraea, the Sirenusian isles, the island Anthemusa, and the coast of Parthenope (the modern Naples) all having been so designated. At Parthenope the tomb of the siren of that name was shown; and a temple dedicated to the worship of these beings stood near Surrentum. See Vollmer, Worterb. d. Mythol. s.v.; Smith, Dict. of Mythol. s.v.; Anthon, Classical Dict. s.v.
The Nuttall Encyclopedia [3]
An instrument for measuring the number of aërial vibrations per second, and thereby the pitch of a given note.
