1. Alternative letter-case form of Herculean#English|Herculean
   • 1792, Mary Wollstonecraft, A Vindication of the Rights of Woman

     Still there are some loop-holes out of which a man may creep, and dare to think and act for himself; but for a woman it is an herculean task, because she has difficulties peculiar to her sex to overcome, which require almost super-human powers.

• (America) IPA: /hɜːɹˈkjuːliən/, /ˌhɜːɹkjəˈliːən/

herculean

1. Of extraordinary might, power, size, etc.; suggesting Hercules in size or strength.
   • c. 1606–1607, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Anthonie and Cleopatra”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First Folio), London: Printed by Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, OCLC 606515358 ↗, [Act I, scene iii], page 343 ↗, column 1:

     But this is not the best:—look, pr'ythee, Charmian, / How this Herculean Roman does become / The carriage of his chafe.

   • It was truly a Herculean effort. I never thought it was going to happen, but it did.

2. Requiring a huge amount of work; of extraordinary difficulty.

   a Herculean labour

   • 2006, Jeremy Clarkson, Top Gear (TV show), commenting on the Bugatti Veyron automobile

     The guys at Volkswagen have a Herculean task.

• French: herculéen
• German: herkulisch
• Portuguese: hercúleo
• Russian: богаты́рский
• Spanish: hercúleo

• French: herculéen
• German: herkulisch
• Portuguese: hercúleo