heroics

English

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /hɪˈɹəʊ.ɪks/

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

Noun

heroics pl (plural only)

1. The actions of a hero.
   • 2013 August 14, Daniel Taylor, The Guardian‎^[1]:

     Hart, for one, will not remember the night for Lambert's heroics. Morrison, not closed down quickly enough, struck his shot well but England's No1 will be aghast at the way it struck his gloves then skidded off his knees and into the net.

   • 2016, RAUBENHEIMER NO v TRUSTEES, JOHANNES BREDENKAMP TRUST, AND OTHERS 2006 (1) SA 124 (C)

     The original cottage was said to appear on a well-known painting, dating back to 1863, of the American pirate ship, the Alabama, leaving Table Bay. It was also believed to feature in the story of the heroic Wolraad Woltemade who, in 1773, lost his life and that of his horse after valiantly saving 14 shipwrecked persons. This was said to have taken place within sight and full view of the house. The second respondent called this historical link into question, averring that the house was probably not yet built in 1773 while Woltemade's heroics were believed to have taken place in the vicinity of the Salt River mouth, some 10 km away.

   • 2023 May 17, Phil McNulty, “Manchester City 4 - 0 Real Madrid”, in BBC Sport‎^[2]:

     Real keeper Thibaut Courtois performed heroics to save two Erling Haaland headers early in the first half but he was powerless to stop Bernardo Silva's close-range finish after 23 minutes, the Portugal midfielder scoring a looping header for the second eight minutes before half-time.

2. (US, medicine) Emergency intervention to save a patient's life.
   • 1976, Ronald E. Alexander, Lawrence P. Wilkins, Medical-legal dilemmas in the care of the critically ill:

     Of if we have an elderly person who is unconscious and not responding, we discuss using heroics with the family, and they often say no heroics.

   • 1988, American College of Legal Medicine, Legal Medicine: Legal Dynamics of Medical Encounters, page 122:

     Her daughters argue that no heroics should be used to prolong her life.

   • 1998, George Watson, Emily Watson, The Calling: A Journey on the Path of Parent Care, page 29:

     No Heroics. Do not use respirators, ventilators or administer medication other than those medications necessary to prevent infection, provide comfort or alleviate pain.

3. (dated) Extravagant phrases; bombast.

Related terms

• hero
• heroic medicine
• heroine
• heroism

Noun

heroics

1. plural of heroic

Anagrams

• coheirs, hircose, sheroic

Catalan

Adjective

heroics

1. masculine plural of heroic