Ancient Greek edit

Etymology edit

περι- (peri-) +‎ σπάω (spáō)

Pronunciation edit

 

Verb edit

περῐσπᾰ́ω (perispáō)

  1. to draw off from around, strip off
    • 436 BCE – 338 BCE, Isocrates, Letters 9.10:
      τῶν δ’ ἄλλων ἃ περὶ τοῖς σώμασιν ἔχουσι περισπῶντες
      tôn d’ állōn hà perì toîs sṓmasin ékhousi perispôntes
      but from the others stripping off the clothing which they wear on their persons
    1. (middle voice) to strip oneself of
      • 430 BCE – 354 BCE, Xenophon, Cyropaedia 3.1.13:
        περιεσπάσατο τὴν τιάραν καὶ τοὺς πέπλους κατερρήξατο
        periespásato tḕn tiáran kaì toùs péplous katerrhḗxato
        [he] stripped off his turban and rent his garments
    2. to strip bare
  2. (of a general or army) to wheel about, esp. wheel twice
  3. to draw off, draw away, divert
    • :
      ἐπειρᾶτο τιμαῖς καὶ δωρεαῖς ἀποκαλεῖν αὐτοῦ τὰ στρατεύματα καὶ περισπᾶν τὴν δύναμιν
      epeirâto timaîs kaì dōreaîs apokaleîn autoû tà strateúmata kaì perispân tḕn dúnamin
      and they endeavoured by honors and gifts to recall his troops and draw away his power
    1. to detach
      • 95 CE – 165 CE, Appian, Hannibalic War 56:
        τοῦ δὲ αὐτοῦ χρόνου [] περιέσπασεν ἀπὸ Ἀννίβου Κράσσος.
        toû dè autoû khrónou [] periéspasen apò Anníbou Krássos.
        During the same time Crassus detached [] from Hannibal.
    2. to disturb, vex
    3. to divert, distract
      • 50 CE – 100 CE, The Gospel of Luke 10:40:
        ἡ δὲ Μάρθα περιεσπᾶτο περὶ πολλὴν διακονίαν
        hē dè Mártha periespâto perì pollḕn diakonían
        But Martha was distracted with much serving
    4. to steal
      • 170 CE – 250 CE, Philostratus, Gym. 45:
        καὶ ἀργυροῦν μὲν ἢ χρυσοῦν περισπῶντι ἀνάθημα ἢ διαφθείροντι
        kaì arguroûn mèn ḕ khrusoûn perispônti anáthēma ḕ diaphtheíronti
        and if one steals or destroys the gold or silver offering
    5. (passive voice, with infinitive) to be compelled
  4. (grammar) to pronounce with the circumflex (esp. on the last syllable)
    • 46 CE – 120 CE, Plutarch, Theseus 26:
      οὐκ ὀρθῶς τὴν δευτέραν συλλαβὴν περισπῶντας
      ouk orthôs tḕn deutéran sullabḕn perispôntas
      incorrectly pronouncing a circumflex on the second syllable

Conjugation edit

Derived terms edit

References edit