θλάω

Ancient Greek

Etymology

Unknown, though note also θλίβω (thlíbō, to squeeze, distress) and φλάω (phláō, to crush, bruise).[1] Not related to θλᾰ́σπῐς (thlắspĭs, shepherd's purse), despite folk etymological linkage.

MacBain speculatively compares Old Irish dlùth (close, compact).[2]

Verb

θλάω • (thláō)

  1. to crush, bruise
    • c. 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Illiad 5.305-309:
      τῷ βάλεν Αἰνείαο κατʼ ἰσχίον ἔνθά τε μηρὸς ἰσχίῳ ἐνστρέφεται, κοτύλην δέ τέ μιν καλέουσι· θλάσσε δέ οἱ κοτύλην, πρὸς δʼ ἄμφω ῥῆξε τένοντε· ὦσε δʼ ἀπὸ ῥινὸν τρηχὺς λίθος· αὐτὰρ ὅ γʼ ἥρως ἔστη γνὺξ ἐριπὼν καὶ ἐρείσατο χειρὶ παχείῃ
      tōî bálen Aineíao kat’ iskhíon énthá te mēròs iskhíōi enstréphetai, kotúlēn dé té min kaléousi; thlásse dé hoi kotúlēn, pròs d’ ámphō rhêxe ténonte; ôse d’ apò rhinòn trēkhùs líthos; autàr hó g’ hḗrōs éstē gnùx eripṑn kaì ereísato kheirì pakheíēi
      (please add an English translation of this quotation)
  2. to overload
  3. to oppress

Conjugation

References

  1. ^ Beekes, Robert S. P. (2010), “θλάω”, in Etymological Dictionary of Greek (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 10), with the assistance of Lucien van Beek, Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, page 550
  2. ^ MacBain, Alexander; Mackay, Eneas (1911), “dlùth”, in An Etymological Dictionary of the Gaelic Language[1], Stirling, →ISBN, page 136

Further reading