πτώσσω
ptosso
shrink from, shrink
Appears 9 times across Homer's epics.
Frequency by work
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Dictionary (LSJ)
πτώσσω, only pres., A. shrink from, shrink, of birds or other animals, π. ὥστε πέρδικα 106; [ἀκρίδες] πτώσσουσι καθʼ ὕδωρ flee into . ., Il. 21.14; also of men, πτῶσσον ὑπὸ κρημνούς ib.26; τί πτώσσεις; 4.371; τίς τοι ἀνάγκη πτώσσειν . . ; 5.634; πτώσσοντας ὑφʼ Ἕκτορι 7.129; κατὰ λαύρας . . πτώσσοντι skulk, slink, P. 8.87; εἰς ἐρημίαν π. flee cowering into . ., Ba. 223; π. ὑπʼ ἀσπίδος crouch beneath it, without any notion of fear, 11.36:—poet. Verb, once in , πτώσσοντας [ὑμέας εὕρομεν] 9.48. 2. cringe like a beggar, go begging (cf. πτωχός) , κατὰ δῆμον Od. 17.227, 18.363: c. acc. loci, π. ἀλλοτρίους οἴκους Op. 395. II. c. acc. pers., οὐδʼ ἂν (v.l. ἂρ) ἔτι δὴν ἀλλήλους πτώσσοιμεν we can no longer shirk one another, Il. 20.427; ποῖ καί με φυγᾷ πτώσσουσι μυχῶν; to what corners have they fled to shun me? Hec. 1066 (lyr.): c. acc. rei, [ὄρνιθες] νέφεα πτώσσουσαι shrinking from the clouds, Od. 22.304; π. δόρυ, βροντήν, 5.300, 7.531.
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