tantalus
C1/C2Formal, Literary, Specialised (Antiques/Furniture)
Definition
Meaning
A liquor stand or cabinet where bottles are locked in plain sight but cannot be accessed without a key, often associated with gentleman's dining rooms.
A situation, object, or experience where something desirable is visibly present but frustratingly out of reach or unobtainable, evoking the myth of Tantalus.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily used in two distinct senses: 1) The concrete object (a locked drinks cabinet). 2) A literary/figurative metaphor for any frustratingly inaccessible thing. The latter is more common in modern usage.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The term for the physical cabinet is more established in British English (as a piece of furniture). The figurative/metaphorical use is understood in both varieties but remains a literary/educated word.
Connotations
UK: Often evokes historical/antique furniture or period dramas. US: More likely to be encountered in literary or academic contexts than in reference to a physical object.
Frequency
Overall low frequency in both, but the concrete object sense is marginally more frequent in UK English.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
resemble a tantalusbe a [adjective] tantalusserve as a tantalus for [object]like the myth of TantalusVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “like Tantalus in Hades”
- “a tantalising/tantalus-like situation”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare. Possibly metaphorical: 'The promised merger was a corporate tantalus, always just out of reach.'
Academic
Used in Classics, Literature, Psychology (e.g., studies of desire/frustration).
Everyday
Very rare. Only among highly educated speakers in metaphorical sense.
Technical
Used in antique furniture cataloguing/description.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- (Not applicable for A2 level)
- The old house had a strange wooden box called a tantalus on the table.
- For the dieter, the dessert trolley was a cruel tantalus, displaying all the treats she couldn't have.
- The peace agreement became a diplomatic tantalus, constantly referenced in talks but never formally ratified by all parties.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a locked cabinet of TANdy drinks that you cAn't taSte. The word sounds like 'tantalise' – which comes from the same myth.
Conceptual Metaphor
DESIRE IS A TORMENTING VISION / FRUSTRATION IS BEING PERPETUALLY DENIED SUSTENANCE.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'танталовые муки' (the torment of Tantalus), which is the idiom for the situation, not the object.
- The physical 'tantalus' (cabinet) has no direct one-word Russian equivalent; it's a 'винный шкафчик с замком'.
Common Mistakes
- Misspelling as 'tantalise' (verb).
- Using it to mean something merely tempting, rather than specifically visible-but-unreachable.
- Incorrect capitalisation (it's lowercase for the object/metaphor).
Practice
Quiz
In which context is the word 'tantalus' LEAST likely to be used?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It derives from Tantalus, a figure in Greek mythology punished in the Underworld by being made to stand in water that receded when he tried to drink, with fruit hanging above that moved away when he reached for it.
No, it is a low-frequency, specialised, or literary word. Most learners will not need it for everyday communication.
'Tantalise' is a verb meaning 'to torment or tease with the sight or promise of something unobtainable'. 'Tantalus' is a noun, either for the physical locked cabinet or the metaphorical situation itself.
No, standard dictionaries list it only as a noun. The related verb is 'tantalise'.