nymphs of the mountains
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
(Gr. oros, a moun- tain ) The Ocean-nymphs and Hamadryades, Oreads and Naiads, with long weedy locks, Offered to do her bidding through the seas, Under the earth, and in the hollow rocks.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “nymphs of the mountains” mean?
(Gr. oros, a moun- tain ) The Ocean-nymphs and Hamadryades, Oreads and Naiads, with long weedy locks, Offered to do her bidding through the seas, Under the earth, and in the hollow rocks.
Is “nymphs of the mountains” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.