er·cles vein \ˈərˌklēz-\noun Usage: usually capitalized E Etymology:Ercles, alteration of Hercules, ancient Greco-Roman hero, from Latin, from Greek Hēraklēs : a rousing somewhat bombastic manner of public speaking or writing < could not write in the Ercles vein if he would, and he had chosen to give his inaugural address an agreeably quiet tone — Nation >