epic

Everyday

1. (noun) A long poem or story about the adventures of heroes, often in ancient times, such as the Odyssey or Beowulf. tree →
2. (noun) A long film or book about big, exciting events. tree →
3. (adjective) Very big, long, brave or impressive: «an epic journey». tree →
4. (adjective, slang) Really great, amazing: «That party was epic!» tree →
5. (adjective, slang) «epic fail» — a huge, funny failure. tree →

In the lessons

In English and history: epic poems (the Iliad, the Odyssey, Beowulf, Gilgamesh), heroes and quests. In everyday and children's slang: «epic» for anything brilliant. Phrases: «an epic journey», «epic battle», «epic fail» (slang), «of epic proportions».

Examples

• Beowulf is an old English epic about a hero who fights a monster. tree →
• Homer's Odyssey is an epic poem. tree →
• The explorers made an epic journey across the ice. tree →
• We watched an epic film about knights and dragons. tree →
• That water fight was epic! (slang) tree →
• Falling in the pond in my new clothes was an epic fail. tree →
• The final was an epic battle that went to penalties. tree →
• CALLIOPE, the most honoured of the Muses, presided over heroic song and epic poetry, and is represented with a pencil in her hand, and a slate upon her knee. tree →

Note

Countable noun. The slang senses («epic!», «epic fail») are informal — not for formal writing. Do not confuse with «epoch» (a long period of time). Adjective form also «epical» (rare).