περιέχω
periecho
encompass, embrace, surround
Appears 224 times across Aristotle's works.
Frequency by work
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Dictionary (LSJ)
περιέχω, also περι-ίσχω, 5.71; Aeol. περρέχω Supp. 25.9, 30.3: fut. περιέξω (and περισχήσω 5.7): aor. περιέσχον, inf. περισχεῖν: aor. Med. περιεσχόμην, inf. περισχέσθαι :—A. encompass, embrace, surround, κυκλόθεν ὁδὸς π. [τὸ χωρίον] 7.28; ἡ περιέχουσα [πέλαγος] γῆ Ti. 25a, cf. Mete. 354a6; γραμμαὶ περιέχουσαι τὸ χωρίον Men. 85a, cf. Mech. 851a14; ἡ περιέχουσα [ἶρις] Mete. 375a31; τόπον κύκλῳ πέτραις περιεχόμενον IG 42(1).122.21 (Epid.); τὸ περιέχον the envelope of a seed, HP 1.11.1. b. esp. of that which encompasses the earth or the universe, τὸν κόσμον πνεῦμα καὶ ἀὴρ π. Anaxim.2; ὁ περὶ χθόνʼ ἔχων αἰθήρ Fr. 919 (s.v.l.), cf. CP 3.17.4; τὸ περιέχον πάντα ὁπόσα νοητὰ ζῷα Ti. 31a, cf. 33b; τὸ περιέχον the environment, Nat. 79 G.,al., 2.3.14; τὸ περιέχον ἡμᾶς ἅπαντας καὶ γῆν καὶ θάλατταν, ὃ καλοῦμεν οὐρανόν 16.2.35; ὁ περιέχων ἀήρ ἠήρ) Lex 3, Mete. 379a28, 3.47, 2.333f, etc.; ὁ περιέχων alone, Cor. 38; but usu. τὸ περιέχον, 2, Juv. 468a3, Phas.p.10 H., M. 8.286; τὸ ἄπειρον καὶ τὸ π. GC 332a25, cf. Ph. 253a13, 259b11; φαμὲν τὸ μὲν π. τοῦ εἴδους εἶναι, τὸ δὲ περιεχόμενον τῆς ὕλης Cael. 312a12, cf. Ph. 211b12. c. τὸ π. the atmosphere, 1.37.9, 4.38, etc.; δυσκρασίαι τοῦ π. Alex. 58. 2. embrace, τινὰ ταῖς χερσίν Id Ant. 79, cf. Alex. 51, VS 2.5.3; πατρὸς περὶ ἔχοντος 115.1. 3. surround so as to guard, Caes. 16, etc.:—but, Pass., to be shut in, beleaguered, 8.10; ὑπὸ τῶν πολεμίων κύκλῳ ib.79; πανταχόθεν ib.80, cf. Cyr. 7.1.24 : metaph., to be hard pressed, Epit. 289; περισχομένη κακότητι 3.95. 4. embrace, comprise, comprehend, Men. 87d, etc.; πλείω γένη Pol. 1285a2; περιέχεται ὑπὸ τοῦ ὅλου τὰ πάντα Prm. 145c; contain, βίβλος π. τὰς πράξεις 2.1; λόγος π. ἐγκώμιον 660; of a letter, AJ 12.4.11: impers., περιέχει ἐν γραφῇ, folld. by a quotation, 1 Ep.Pet. 2.6; καθὼς ἡ ὠνὴ π. as is contained in the deed of sale, Supp.Epigr. 3.421.33 (Locr., ii A.D.). b. in Logic, τὸ περιέχον universal, opp. τὰ περιεχόμενα, the individuals or particulars, Metaph. 1023b27, cf. APr. 43b23; ὀνόματα περιέχοντα generic terms, Rh. 1407a31; καλοῦσι δʼ αὐτοὺς πλάτακας ἀπὸ τοῦ περιέχοντος from the generic name, 7.309a. 5. Math., ὁ ὑπὸ δύο ἀριθμῶν περιεχόμενος [ἀριθμός] the product of two numbers, 7 Def. 19; but π. ἑαυτόν, of a number of which a higher power terminates in the same digit, Theol.Ar. 33. 6. τὸν ἔλεγχον π. to be involved in, open to criticism, Rh. 1.49 II. surpass, excel, πάντα περρέχοισʼ ἄστρα, of the moon, Supp. 25.9; overcome, gain the victory or advantage, 5.7,8.105. 2. outflank the enemy, 5.71; περιέσχον τῷ κέρᾳ οἱ Πελοποννήσιοι 3.108,cf.5.73. III. Med., hold oneʼs hands round or over another: hence, protect, defend, c. gen. pers., περίσχεο (Ion. imper. aor. 2 Med.) παιδὸς ἐῆος Il. 1.393 : c. acc., οὕνεκά μιν περισχόμεθα Od. 9.199. 2. hold fast by, cling to, c. gen., γούνων περισχομένη 4.82 (but c. acc., περίσχετο γούνατα χερσίν 3.706); περιίσχετο κούρης 2.11: hence, cleave to, be fond of a person or thing, γενσάμενοι τῶν ἡμετέρων ἀγαθῶν περιέξονται 1.71, cf. 3.53, 5.40, 7.39, 160, etc.; τὠυτοῦ περιεχόμεθα we are compassing, aiming at the same end, 3.72, cf. Them. 9; κρίσιν . . ἧς μᾶλλον περιέχομαι on which I place more reliance, 2.4. 3. rarely c. inf., περιείχετο . . μένοντας μὴ ἐκλιπεῖν τὴν τάξιν clung to his resolution that they should stay and not leave their post, 9.57. IV. Aeol. περρέχω, = ὑπερέχω, ὁπόσον τῷ ποδὶ περρέχει τᾶς γᾶς, τοῦτο χάρις, i.e. every inch of his stature is grace, 30.3.
Key passages & sense analysis (Bonitz)
Index Aristotelicus. Hermann Bonitz's sense-by-sense analysis of
περιέχω — with the passages
he singles out as decisive for each meaning — will appear here. That curated,
interpretive selection is the layer LSJ and a raw concordance don't provide.
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