Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun Either of two cavies (Dolichotis salinicola or D. patagonum) of the grasslands of Argentina, Bolivia, and Paraguay, having long legs and dense fur.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun The Patagonian cavy, Dolichotis patachonica. See cavy.
  • noun In Hind. myth., the tempter; the spirit of evil.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun (Hind. Myth.) The principal or ruling evil spirit.
  • noun (Zoöl.) The Patagonian cavy, a hare-like rodent (Dolichotis patagonum or Dolichotis Patagonicus) of the pampas of Argentina.
  • noun (Norse Myth.) A female demon who torments people in sleep by crouching on their chests or stomachs, or by causing terrifying visions.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun a rodent, scientific name Dolichotis, common in the Patagonian steppes of Argentina
  • noun folklore A nightmare; a spectre or wraith-like creature in Germanic and particularly Scandinavian folklore.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun hare-like rodent of the pampas of Argentina
  • noun Hindu god of death; opposite of Kama

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[American Spanish mará, from Mapuche.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Old Norse, from Proto-Germanic *marōn, cognate with Old English mare or mære

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Examples

  • The term mara derives from the Sanskrit root mr, to murder.

    The Four Maras (The Four Demonic Forces) 2006

  • Elimelech, you'll never forget. later on your two sons had taken wives the bitterness you'd taste again for they lost their lives then your heart was longing for the reasons why and painful tears where falling from your eyes like winters skies, all mothers fear so all was gone except the wife of one son then you returned to the land where you were from where the curse was lifted and the town all came to see you, a woman in all her pain, you changed your name mara naomi, the bitter one mara naomi, oh your beautiful there is a plan in harvest time came a man from your husbands line

    Desiring God Blog 2010

  • Our globe has fruitful valleys, but, likewise, desert plains; it has waters rich as nectar, and as sweet, but likewise springs that fitly may be termed mara; with much that is useful, our globe has much of waste.

    An Apology for African Methodism Benjamin Tucker 1867

  • "mara" offers Casper economic opportunities that he wouldn't otherwise have in an environment choking with poverty.

    CounterPunch 2009

  • "mara" offers Casper economic opportunities that he wouldn't otherwise have in an environment choking with poverty.

    CounterPunch 2009

  • You're sitting there doing mutte maar (Masturbation) as the U.S. has us by our tatte (Testicles) and we're getting our bund mara (Our butts reamed)?

    Wajahat Ali: Pakistan Leaders Meet to Discuss Osama Bin Laden (Parody) Wajahat Ali 2011

  • You're sitting there doing mutte maar (Masturbation) as the U.S. has us by our tatte (Testicles) and we're getting our bund mara (Our butts reamed)?

    Wajahat Ali: Pakistan Leaders Meet to Discuss Osama Bin Laden (Parody) Wajahat Ali 2011

  • She can be reached at mara. lemos-stein@dowjones.com.

    Just One Word: Bioplastics Mara Lemos Stein 2010

  • Although director David Fincher has been keeping Mara under wraps, the fan site rooney-mara. com has published supposed photos of the Salander-ized Mara.

    Rooney Mara becomes Lisbeth Salander Liz Kelly 2010

  • Write to Mara Lemos Stein at mara. lemos-stein@dowjones.com

    Nurturing the Marathon Dream Mara Lemos Stein 2010

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  • In Buddhism, this is a demon or evil spirit (or sometimes as simply the personification of evil) who tempted Siddharta, the original Buddha, during the time he searched for the way, and as he sat beneath the Bo Tree and meditated. When he himself could not lead Siddharta astray, he sent his three daughters--Lust, Thirst, and Desire--to attack him, but he was also able to resist them as well. Mara then sent a horde of his servant demons after Siddhartha, but the arrows and spears that the demons shot at him only turned into flowers that rained down upon him. Finally, Mara was defeated, and fled before the Buddha, who had become Enlightened. Today Mara wanders the Earth, homeless, stealing the souls of the dying.

    He is considered the lord of misfortunate, sin, destruction, and death. Mara reviles man, blinds him, guides him toward sensuous desires; once man is in his bondage, Mara is free to destroy him.

    http://www.megami-sama.net/mara/omake.php

    http://www.deliriumsrealm.com/delirium/articleview.asp?Post=293

    http://www.angelfire.com/electronic/bodhidharma/mara.html

    May 30, 2008