δράω

Ancient Greek

Etymology

Apparently from Proto-Hellenic *dráwō, from Proto-Indo-European *dréwh₂-eti (“to run, act”), which seems like an extension of *dreh₂- (“to run”), and cognate with Sanskrit द्राति (drā́ti, “to run”), द्रवति (drávati, “id”). (Can this⁽⁺⁾ etymology be sourced?)

However, Beekes does not mention the aforementioned derivation, and instead mentions a connection with Lithuanian darýti (“to make, do”). Though the Lithuanian is a strong semantic match, it is generally thought to be from Proto-Indo-European *dʰer- (“to hold”) and thus related to Sanskrit धर्म (dharma, “dharma, morality”), phonetically precluding a relation with the Greek.

Pronunciation

 

• IPA^(key): /drá.ɔː/ → /ˈðra.o/ → /ˈðra.o/

• (5^th BCE Attic) IPA^(key): /drá.ɔː/
• (1^st CE Egyptian) IPA^(key): /ˈdra.o/
• (4^th CE Koine) IPA^(key): /ˈðra.o/
• (10^th CE Byzantine) IPA^(key): /ˈðra.o/
• (15^th CE Constantinopolitan) IPA^(key): /ˈðra.o/

Verb

δρᾰ́ω • (dráō)

1. to act, to take action, to achieve

Inflection

   Present: δρᾰ́ω, δρᾰ́ομαι (Uncontracted)

number		singular			dual		plural
		first	second	third	second	third	first	second	third
active	indicative	δρᾰ́ω	δρᾰ́εις	δρᾰ́ει	δρᾰ́ετον	δρᾰ́ετον	δρᾰ́ομεν	δρᾰ́ετε	δρᾰ́ουσῐ(ν)
	subjunctive	δρᾰ́ω	δρᾰ́ῃς	δρᾰ́ῃ	δρᾰ́ητον	δρᾰ́ητον	δρᾰ́ωμεν	δρᾰ́ητε	δρᾰ́ωσῐ(ν)
	optative	δρᾰ́οιμῐ	δρᾰ́οις	δρᾰ́οι	δρᾰ́οιτον	δρᾰοίτην	δρᾰ́οιμεν	δρᾰ́οιτε	δρᾰ́οιεν
	imperative		δρά	δρᾰέτω	δρᾰ́ετον	δρᾰέτων		δρᾰ́ετε	δρᾰόντων
middle/ passive	indicative	δρᾰ́ομαι	δρᾰ́ῃ, δρᾰ́ει	δρᾰ́εται	δρᾰ́εσθον	δρᾰ́εσθον	δρᾰόμεθᾰ	δρᾰ́εσθε	δρᾰ́ονται
	subjunctive	δρᾰ́ωμαι	δρᾰ́ῃ	δρᾰ́ηται	δρᾰ́ησθον	δρᾰ́ησθον	δρᾰώμεθᾰ	δρᾰ́ησθε	δρᾰ́ωνται
	optative	δρᾰοίμην	δρᾰ́οιο	δρᾰ́οιτο	δρᾰ́οισθον	δρᾰοίσθην	δρᾰοίμεθᾰ	δρᾰ́οισθε	δρᾰ́οιντο
	imperative		δρᾰ́ου	δρᾰέσθω	δρᾰ́εσθον	δρᾰέσθων		δρᾰ́εσθε	δρᾰέσθων
		active				middle/passive
infinitive		δρᾰ́ειν				δρᾰ́εσθαι
participle	m	δρᾰ́ων				δρᾰόμενος
	f	δρᾰ́ουσᾰ				δρᾰομένη
	n	δρᾰ́ον				δρᾰόμενον
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.

   Present: δρῶ, δρῶμαι (Contracted)

number		singular			dual		plural
		first	second	third	second	third	first	second	third
active	indicative	δρῶ	δρᾷς	δρᾷ	δρᾶτον	δρᾶτον	δρῶμεν	δρᾶτε	δρῶσῐ(ν)
	subjunctive	δρῶ	δρᾷς	δρᾷ	δρᾶτον	δρᾶτον	δρῶμεν	δρᾶτε	δρῶσῐ(ν)
	optative	δρῴην, δρῷμῐ	δρῴης, δρῷς	δρῴη, δρῷ	δρῷτον, δρῴητον	δρῴτην, δρῳήτην	δρῷμεν, δρῴημεν	δρῷτε, δρῴητε	δρῷεν, δρῴησᾰν
	imperative		δρά	δρᾱ́τω	δρᾶτον	δρᾱ́των		δρᾶτε	δρώντων
middle/ passive	indicative	δρῶμαι	δρᾷ	δρᾶται	δρᾶσθον	δρᾶσθον	δρώμεθᾰ	δρᾶσθε	δρῶνται
	subjunctive	δρῶμαι	δρᾷ	δρᾶται	δρᾶσθον	δρᾶσθον	δρώμεθᾰ	δρᾶσθε	δρῶνται
	optative	δρῴμην	δρῷο	δρῷτο	δρῷσθον	δρῴσθην	δρῴμεθᾰ	δρῷσθε	δρῷντο
	imperative		δρῶ	δρᾱ́σθω	δρᾶσθον	δρᾱ́σθων		δρᾶσθε	δρᾱ́σθων
		active				middle/passive
infinitive		δρᾶν				δρᾶσθαι
participle	m	δρῶν				δρώμενος
	f	δρῶσᾰ				δρωμένη
	n	δρῶν				δρώμενον
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.

   Imperfect: ἔδρᾰον, ἐδρᾰόμην (Uncontracted)

number		singular			dual		plural
		first	second	third	second	third	first	second	third
active	indicative	ἔδρᾰον	ἔδρᾰες	ἔδρᾰε(ν)	ἐδρᾰ́ετον	ἐδρᾰέτην	ἐδρᾰ́ομεν	ἐδρᾰ́ετε	ἔδρᾰον
middle/ passive	indicative	ἐδρᾰόμην	ἐδρᾰ́ου	ἐδρᾰ́ετο	ἐδρᾰ́εσθον	ἐδρᾰέσθην	ἐδρᾰόμεθᾰ	ἐδρᾰ́εσθε	ἐδρᾰ́οντο
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.

   Imperfect: ἔδρων, ἐδρώμην (Contracted)

number		singular			dual		plural
		first	second	third	second	third	first	second	third
active	indicative	ἔδρων	ἔδρᾱς	ἔδρᾱ	ἐδρᾶτον	ἐδρᾱ́την	ἐδρῶμεν	ἐδρᾶτε	ἔδρων
middle/ passive	indicative	ἐδρώμην	ἐδρῶ	ἐδρᾶτο	ἐδρᾶσθον	ἐδρᾱ́σθην	ἐδρώμεθᾰ	ἐδρᾶσθε	ἐδρῶντο
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.

   Future: δρᾱ́σω, δρᾱ́σομαι, ἐδρᾱσθήσομαι

number		singular			dual		plural
		first	second	third	second	third	first	second	third
active	indicative	δρᾱ́σω	δρᾱ́σεις	δρᾱ́σει	δρᾱ́σετον	δρᾱ́σετον	δρᾱ́σομεν	δρᾱ́σετε	δρᾱ́σουσῐ(ν)
	optative	δρᾱ́σοιμῐ	δρᾱ́σοις	δρᾱ́σοι	δρᾱ́σοιτον	δρᾱσοίτην	δρᾱ́σοιμεν	δρᾱ́σοιτε	δρᾱ́σοιεν
middle	indicative	δρᾱ́σομαι	δρᾱ́σῃ, δρᾱ́σει	δρᾱ́σεται	δρᾱ́σεσθον	δρᾱ́σεσθον	δρᾱσόμεθᾰ	δρᾱ́σεσθε	δρᾱ́σονται
	optative	δρᾱσοίμην	δρᾱ́σοιο	δρᾱ́σοιτο	δρᾱ́σοισθον	δρᾱσοίσθην	δρᾱσοίμεθᾰ	δρᾱ́σοισθε	δρᾱ́σοιντο
passive	indicative	ἐδρᾱσθήσομαι	ἐδρᾱσθήσῃ	ἐδρᾱσθήσεται	ἐδρᾱσθήσεσθον	ἐδρᾱσθήσεσθον	ἐδρᾱσθησόμεθᾰ	ἐδρᾱσθήσεσθε	ἐδρᾱσθήσονται
	optative	ἐδρᾱσθησοίμην	ἐδρᾱσθήσοιο	ἐδρᾱσθήσοιτο	ἐδρᾱσθήσοισθον	ἐδρᾱσθησοίσθην	ἐδρᾱσθησοίμεθᾰ	ἐδρᾱσθήσοισθε	ἐδρᾱσθήσοιντο
		active			middle		passive
infinitive		δρᾱ́σειν			δρᾱ́σεσθαι		ἐδρᾱσθήσεσθαι
participle	m	δρᾱ́σων			δρᾱσόμενος		ἐδρᾱσθησόμενος
	f	δρᾱ́σουσᾰ			δρᾱσομένη		ἐδρᾱσθησομένη
	n	δρᾶσον			δρᾱσόμενον		ἐδρᾱσθησόμενον
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.

   Aorist: ἔδρᾱσᾰ, ἐδρᾱσᾰ́μην, ἐδρᾱ́σθην

number		singular			dual		plural
		first	second	third	second	third	first	second	third
active	indicative	ἔδρᾱσᾰ	ἔδρᾱσᾰς	ἔδρᾱσε(ν)	ἐδρᾱ́σᾰτον	ἐδρᾱσᾰ́την	ἐδρᾱ́σᾰμεν	ἐδρᾱ́σᾰτε	ἔδρᾱσᾰν
	subjunctive	δρᾱ́σω	δρᾱ́σῃς	δρᾱ́σῃ	δρᾱ́σητον	δρᾱ́σητον	δρᾱ́σωμεν	δρᾱ́σητε	δρᾱ́σωσῐ(ν)
	optative	δρᾱ́σαιμῐ	δρᾱ́σειᾰς, δρᾱ́σαις	δρᾱ́σειε(ν), δρᾱ́σαι	δρᾱ́σαιτον	δρᾱσαίτην	δρᾱ́σαιμεν	δρᾱ́σαιτε	δρᾱ́σειᾰν, δρᾱ́σαιεν
	imperative		δρᾶσον	δρᾱσᾰ́τω	δρᾱ́σᾰτον	δρᾱσᾰ́των		δρᾱ́σᾰτε	δρᾱσᾰ́ντων
middle	indicative	ἐδρᾱσᾰ́μην	ἐδρᾱ́σω	ἐδρᾱ́σᾰτο	ἐδρᾱ́σᾰσθον	ἐδρᾱσᾰ́σθην	ἐδρᾱσᾰ́μεθᾰ	ἐδρᾱ́σᾰσθε	ἐδρᾱ́σᾰντο
	subjunctive	δρᾱ́σωμαι	δρᾱ́σῃ	δρᾱ́σηται	δρᾱ́σησθον	δρᾱ́σησθον	δρᾱσώμεθᾰ	δρᾱ́σησθε	δρᾱ́σωνται
	optative	δρᾱσαίμην	δρᾱ́σαιο	δρᾱ́σαιτο	δρᾱ́σαισθον	δρᾱσαίσθην	δρᾱσαίμεθᾰ	δρᾱ́σαισθε	δρᾱ́σαιντο
	imperative		δρᾶσαι	δρᾱσᾰ́σθω	δρᾱ́σᾰσθον	δρᾱσᾰ́σθων		δρᾱ́σᾰσθε	δρᾱσᾰ́σθων
passive	indicative	ἐδρᾱ́σθην	ἐδρᾱ́σθης	ἐδρᾱ́σθη	ἐδρᾱ́σθητον	ἐδρᾱσθήτην	ἐδρᾱ́σθημεν	ἐδρᾱ́σθητε	ἐδρᾱ́σθησᾰν
	subjunctive	δρᾱσθῶ	δρᾱσθῇς	δρᾱσθῇ	δρᾱσθῆτον	δρᾱσθῆτον	δρᾱσθῶμεν	δρᾱσθῆτε	δρᾱσθῶσῐ(ν)
	optative	δρᾱσθείην	δρᾱσθείης	δρᾱσθείη	δρᾱσθεῖτον, δρᾱσθείητον	δρᾱσθείτην, δρᾱσθειήτην	δρᾱσθεῖμεν, δρᾱσθείημεν	δρᾱσθεῖτε, δρᾱσθείητε	δρᾱσθεῖεν, δρᾱσθείησᾰν
	imperative		δρᾱ́σθητῐ	δρᾱσθήτω	δρᾱ́σθητον	δρᾱσθήτων		δρᾱ́σθητε	δρᾱσθέντων
		active			middle		passive
infinitive		δρᾶσαι			δρᾱ́σᾰσθαι		δρᾱσθῆναι
participle	m	δρᾱ́σᾱς			δρᾱσᾰ́μενος		δρᾱσθείς
	f	δρᾱ́σᾱσᾰ			δρᾱσᾰμένη		δρᾱσθεῖσᾰ
	n	δρᾶσᾰν			δρᾱσᾰ́μενον		δρᾱσθέν
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.

   Perfect: δέδρᾱκᾰ, δέδρᾱμαι

number		singular			dual		plural
		first	second	third	second	third	first	second	third
active	indicative	δέδρᾱκᾰ	δέδρᾱκᾰς	δέδρᾱκε(ν)	δεδρᾱ́κᾰτον	δεδρᾱ́κᾰτον	δεδρᾱ́κᾰμεν	δεδρᾱ́κᾰτε	δεδρᾱ́κᾱσῐ(ν)
	subjunctive	δεδρᾱ́κω	δεδρᾱ́κῃς	δεδρᾱ́κῃ	δεδρᾱ́κητον	δεδρᾱ́κητον	δεδρᾱ́κωμεν	δεδρᾱ́κητε	δεδρᾱ́κωσῐ(ν)
	optative	δεδρᾱ́κοιμῐ, δεδρᾱκοίην	δεδρᾱ́κοις, δεδρᾱκοίης	δεδρᾱ́κοι, δεδρᾱκοίη	δεδρᾱ́κοιτον	δεδρᾱκοίτην	δεδρᾱ́κοιμεν	δεδρᾱ́κοιτε	δεδρᾱ́κοιεν
	imperative		δέδρᾱκε	δεδρᾱκέτω	δεδρᾱ́κετον	δεδρᾱκέτων		δεδρᾱ́κετε	δεδρᾱκόντων
middle/ passive	indicative	δέδρᾱμαι	δέδρᾱσαι	δέδρᾱται	δέδρᾱσθον	δέδρᾱσθον	δεδρᾱ́μεθᾰ	δέδρᾱσθε	δέδρᾱνται
	subjunctive	δεδρᾱμένος ὦ	δεδρᾱμένος ᾖς	δεδρᾱμένος ᾖ	δεδρᾱμένω ἦτον	δεδρᾱμένω ἦτον	δεδρᾱμένοι ὦμεν	δεδρᾱμένοι ἦτε	δεδρᾱμένοι ὦσῐ(ν)
	optative	δεδρᾱμένος εἴην	δεδρᾱμένος εἴης	δεδρᾱμένος εἴη	δεδρᾱμένω εἴητον/εἶτον	δεδρᾱμένω εἰήτην/εἴτην	δεδρᾱμένοι εἴημεν/εἶμεν	δεδρᾱμένοι εἴητε/εἶτε	δεδρᾱμένοι εἴησᾰν/εἶεν
	imperative		δέδρᾱσο	δεδρᾱ́σθω	δέδρᾱσθον	δεδρᾱ́σθων		δέδρᾱσθε	δεδρᾱ́σθων
		active				middle/passive
infinitive		δεδρᾱκέναι				δεδρᾶσθαι
participle	m	δεδρᾱκώς				δεδρᾱμένος
	f	δεδρᾱκυῖᾰ				δεδρᾱμένη
	n	δεδρᾱκός				δεδρᾱμένον
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.

   Pluperfect: ἐδεδρᾱ́κειν, ἐδεδρᾱ́μην

number		singular			dual		plural
		first	second	third	second	third	first	second	third
active	indicative	ἐδεδρᾱ́κειν, ἐδεδρᾱ́κη	ἐδεδρᾱ́κεις, ἐδεδρᾱ́κης	ἐδεδρᾱ́κει(ν)	ἐδεδρᾱ́κετον	ἐδεδρᾱκέτην	ἐδεδρᾱ́κεμεν	ἐδεδρᾱ́κετε	ἐδεδρᾱ́κεσᾰν
middle/ passive	indicative	ἐδεδρᾱ́μην	ἐδέδρᾱσο	ἐδέδρᾱτο	ἐδέδρᾱσθον	ἐδεδρᾱ́σθην	ἐδεδρᾱ́μεθᾰ	ἐδέδρᾱσθε	ἐδέδρᾱντο
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.

Derived terms

• ᾰ̓ντῐδρᾰ́ω (antidráō)
• δρᾶμᾰ (drâma)
• δρᾶσῐς (drâsis)
• δρᾱστῐκός (drāstikós)
• ἐπῐδρᾰ́ω (epidráō)
• πᾰρᾰδρᾰ́ω (paradráō)
• σῠνδρᾰ́ω (sundráō)
• ῠ̔ποδρᾰ́ω (hupodráō)

 

Further reading

• “δράω”, in Liddell & Scott (1940) A Greek–English Lexicon, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• “δράω”, in Liddell & Scott (1889) An Intermediate Greek–English Lexicon, New York: Harper & Brothers
• “δράω”, in Autenrieth, Georg (1891) A Homeric Dictionary for Schools and Colleges, New York: Harper and Brothers
• δράω in Bailly, Anatole (1935) Le Grand Bailly: Dictionnaire grec-français, Paris: Hachette
• δράω in Cunliffe, Richard J. (1924) A Lexicon of the Homeric Dialect: Expanded Edition, Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, published 1963
• δράω in the Diccionario Griego–Español en línea (2006–2024)
• “drama”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →OCLC.