ἀκτή

ἀκτή (A), ἡ, A. headland, foreland, promontory, ἀ. προὔχουσα Od. 24.82; ἀ. προβλῆτες 5.405, 10.89; opp. λιμήν, Il. 12.284; often with epithets, denoting high rugged coast, τρηχεῖα, ὑψηλή, Od. 5.425, Il. 2.395; τρηχέα Hdt. 7.33; στυφλοί A. Pers. 303; ἀμφίκλυστος S. Tr. 752; στόνῳ βρέμουσι δʼ ἀντιπλῆγες ἀκταί Id. Ant. 592:— usu. of sea-coast, χλωρὰ ἀ. ib.1132; ἀκταὶ ἔναλοι Tim. Pers. 109; but also of rugged banks or strand of rivers, Ἑλώρου, Νείλου, Pi. N. 9.40, I. 2.42; Σιμόεντος A. Ag. 697; Ἀχέροντος S. Ant. 813.—Rare in early Prose, X. An. 6.2.1, Lycurg. 17. 2. generally, tract of land running out into the sea, ἀ. διφάσιαι of the north and south coasts of Asia Minor, Hdt. 4.38; of Africa, as jatting out from Asia, 4.41, cf. 177; of Cape Sepias, 7.183, al.; of Mt.Athos, Th. 4.109; of Italy, Arist. Pol. 1329b11; of the peninsula of the Piraeus, Hyp. Fr. 185, Arist. Ath. 42.3, Lycurg. 17 (also of Attica in general, E. Hel. 1673, cf. Str. 9.1.3); of the coast of Argolis, Plb. 5.91.8, D.S. 12.43: pl., ἀκτὰς τῆσδε γῆς S. Fr. 24. II. generally, edge, χώματος ἀ. of a sepulchral mound, A. Ch. 722; βώμιος ἀ. of an altar, S. OT 182(lyr.). (As there is no trace of ϝ, the word is more probably connected with [root ] ak ‘pointed’ than with ϝάγ-νυμι.)