Ancient Greek

edit

Etymology

edit

Possibly from Proto-Indo-European *mergʰ- (to moisten, wet) via a metathesized schwebeablaut form of *mregʰ- or zero-grade form *mr̥gʰ-; cognates include Latvian merguot (to rain slowly), merga (soft rain).[1]

The shift of PIE *mr > Greek *b is also seen in the unrelated βρεχμός (brekhmós, front part of the head), from *mregʰ- (brain, skull), as well as βραχύς (brakhús, short, brief; few), from *mr̥ǵʰús (short, brief).

Pronunciation

edit
 

Verb

edit

βρέχω (brékhō)

  1. to wet, to drench
  2. (Koine)
    1. send rain
      Ζεὺς ἔβρεχεZeùs ébrekheZeus was sending rain
    2. (in 3rd singular as impersonal) it rains
      • New Testament, Revelation 11:6:
        ἵνα μὴ ὑετὸς βρέχῃ τὰς ἡμέρας τῆς προφητείας αὐτῶν
        hína mḕ huetòs brékhēi tàs hēméras tês prophēteías autôn
        that it may not rain in the days of their prophecies

Inflection

edit

Derived terms

edit

Compounds

References

edit
  1. ^ Beekes, Robert S. P. (2010) “βρέχω”, in Etymological Dictionary of Greek (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 10), with the assistance of Lucien van Beek, Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, page 238

Further reading

edit

Greek

edit

Etymology

edit

From Ancient Greek βρέχω (brékhō, to wet, drench. Sense "rain" since Hellenistic times). The impersonal 3rd singulars, by ellipsis of noun God, or Zeus, or the cloud, etc. Unrelated to βρέγμα (vrégma, (anatomy) bregma), assumed as related by Hippocrates and Aristotle.[1]

Pronunciation

edit
  • IPA(key): /ˈvre.xo/
  • Hyphenation: βρέ‧χω

Verb

edit

βρέχω (vrécho) (past έβρεξα, passive βρέχομαι, p‑past βράχηκα, ppp βρεγμένος / βρεμένος)

  1. (transitive, intransitive) to wet, dampen
    Θα βρέξω τα ρούχα πριν τα σιδερώσω.
    Tha vréxo ta roúcha prin ta sideróso.
    I'll wet the clothes before I iron them.
    1. (transitive) to offer treat (usually a drink) for good luck for newly acquired goods
      Αγόρασα παπούτσια. Πάμε να τα βρέξουμε.
      Agórasa papoútsia. Páme na ta vréxoume.
      I bought new shoes. Let's go wet them [drink for their good luck].
  2. (transitive) to send rain
    Βρέχει ο Θεός και βρέχομαι. (proverb)
    Vréchei o Theós kai vréchomai.
    God rains and I get wet.
  3. (intransitive) to rain (3rd person singulars are impersonal) βρέχει (vréchei)
    • 16th century Vitsentzos Kornaros (1553‑1613/14) Ἐρωτόκριτος [Erotokritos] Β´ 754
      καὶ πάντα κεῖ ποὺ πολεμᾷ, στράφτει, βροντᾶ καὶ βρέχει.
      kai pánta kei pou polemá, stráftei, vrontá kai vréxei
      and always in the place he fights, it flashes, thunders and it rains.
    Θα βρέξει; Μα ήδη βρέχει.
    Tha vréxei; Ma ídi vréchei.
    Will it rain? But it is already raining.

Conjugation

edit

Derived terms

edit

Expressions:

edit

From stems βρεχ-βρεγ(βρεξ)-βροχ (& see their derivatives)

References

edit
  1. ^ βρέχω - Babiniotis, Georgios (2010) Ετυμολογικό λεξικό της νέας ελληνικής γλώσσας Etymologikó lexikó tis néas ellinikís glóssas [Etymological Dictionary of Modern Greek language] (in Greek), Athens: Lexicology Centre