n.
Pronunciation: ' tan-t ə -l ə s
Function: noun
Etymology: Latin, from Greek Tantalos
Date: 14th century
1 : a legendary king of Lydia condemned to stand up to the chin in a pool of water in Hades and beneath fruit-laden boughs only to have the water or fruit recede at each attempt to drink or eat
2 not capitalized : a locked cellarette with contents visible but not obtainable without a key