The dictionary meaning of"Lion-hearted" is "brave and magnanimous".How can the selfish lion can be magnanimous

Question

Can we change the meaning to: brave and cunning or brave and selfish???

Answer 1

First, "lion-hearted" or "having the heart of a lion" refers to the BOLDNESS of a lion, and is esp. a nickname used to describe a fierce WARRIOR.

"magnanimous" is a secondary meaning. It MAY be derived by moving from the general idea of a person with a heart as big and strong as a lion. It you then think of "heart(ed)" in the EMOTIONAL sense, esp of loving and caring, you get to the idea of "lion-hearted" as having a heart that LOVES strongly.

But here is, I think, the more likely explanation. Note that "magnanimous" appears in definitions of the word capitalized (Lionhearted), and that in most if not all listings (see the various links from onelook below) it is followed by "Sir Walter Scott".
http://www.onelook.com/?w=lion-hearted&ls=a

I must assume, then, that these listings (or perhaps all copies of ONE old Webster's listing) are a specific reference to Scott's characterization of King Richard I of England -- "Richard the Lion-hearted"-- in his novel *Ivanhoe*. He portrays him as not only a valiant warrior but also a just and generous ruler, who drafts Robin Hood and his men to assist in rescuing his own people from the deprivations of his brother, King John. (This, by the way, is the source of our modern characterization of Robin Hood.)
http://www.novelguide.com/Ivanhoe/characterprofiles.html (see "Richard the Lion-hearted")
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ivanhoe

Answer 2

Magnanimous Define

Answer 3

The lion in the animal kingdom by nature is just another animal that needs meat to live he is neither greedy nor mean he just try's to survive , on the other side he is part of natures balancing machine , if there weren't the feline family to reduce the grass eating animals , they would just devour the entire grass lands , making them self's extinct by hunger , so the Lion and its feline cousins have a very important part in nature on controlling over population of gazelles, dears , what ever ... But the lion under the zodiac sign is egocentric but kind , honest ,and fair .

Answer 4

In the Oxford English Dictionary the definition is exceptionally courageous or brave. I think your definition is from the Webster On Line Dictionary and I know which one I would rather trust!