Plato › Greek Lexicon › μηχανή

μηχανή

mechane

contrivance

Appears 57 times across Plato's dialogues.

Frequency by work

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Dictionary (LSJ)

μηχανή, Dor. μᾱχᾰνά, ἡ, (μῆχος): I. contrivance, esp. machine for lifting weights and the like, crane, Hdt. 2.125, IGΙΙ(2).161 A 69, al. (Delos, iii B. C.); μ. τετράκωλος, δίκωλος, Rev.Phil. 44.251 (Didyma, ii B. C.); μ. λιθαγωγός Poll. 10.148; ἰχθυβόλῳ μ., of Poseidonʼs trident, A. Th. 132 (lyr.); λαοπόροις μ., of Xerxes’ bridge of boats, Id. Pers. 114 (lyr.), cf. 722; freq. of irrigation machines, POxy. 985 (i A. D.), etc.; also of oil-presses, Wilcken Chr. 176.10 (i/ii A. D.), etc. 2. engine of war, μηχανὰς προσάγειν Th. 2.76, etc.; ἑλεῖν μηχαναῖς Id. 4.13. 3. theatrical machine by which gods, etc., were made to appear in the air, Pl. Cra. 425d, Clit. 407a; αἴρειν μ. Antiph. 191.15, Alex. 126.19: hence, prov. of anything sudden and unexpected, ἀπὸ μηχανῆς θεὸς ἐπεφάνης Men. 227; ὥσπερ ἀπὸ μ. D. 40.59, cf. Arist. Po. 1454b1. 4. area of land irrigated by a machine, POxy. 1830.13 (vi A. D.), PLond. 5.1765 (vi A. D.), PSI 1.77.14 (vi A. D.). II. any artificial means or contrivance for doing a thing, ἤτοι κλήρῳ . . , ἢ ἄλλῃ τινὶ μ. Hdt. 3.83; εἴ τίς ἐστι μ., ἴθι καὶ πειρῶ Id. 8.57, etc.; esp. in pl. μηχαναί, shifts, devices, wiles, Hes. Th. 146; πάντα σοφίσματα καὶ πάσας μ. ἐπεποιήκεε ἐς αὐτοὺς Δαρεῖος Hdt. 3.152; μηχαναῖς Διός by the arts of Zeus, A. Ag. 677; χερὸς . . ἐκτίνοντα μηχανάς acts of violence, ib.1582; Ὀρέστην μηχαναῖσι μὲν θανόντα, νῦν δὲ μηχαναῖς σεσωσμένον S. El. 1228; κρατεῖ μαχαναῖς . . θηρός Id. Ant. 349 (lyr.); σοφιστῶν μ. Pl. Lg. 908d: prov., μηχαναὶ Σισύφου Ar. Ach. 391:—Phrases: πάσας προσφέροντε μ. E. IT 112; μηχανὴν προσοιστέον Ar. Th. 1132; πᾶσαν σπουδὴν καὶ μ. προσφερόμενος Plb. 1.18.11; ἐπεισήγαγον μ. Id. 29.25.1; μηχανὰς εὑρήσομεν, ὥστε ἀπαλλάξαι A. Eu. 82; πλέκειν E. Andr. 66; πορίζεσθαι Pl. Smp. 191b; ἐκπορίζειν Ar. V. 365; ζητεῖν ib.149; ἀντλεῖν μαχανάν exhaust oneʼs resources, Pi. P. 3.62; κατʼ ἐμὰν μ. ib.109: c. gen. objecti, ἔξευρε μ. τινʼ Ἀδμήτῳ κακῶν contrivance against ills, E. Alc. 221 (lyr.); but μ. σωτηρίας a way, means of procuring or providing safety, A. Th. 209; μυρίων οὐσῶν μ. ἀπαλλαγῆς X. Cyr. 5.1.12; οὐδεμία μ. [ἐστι] ὅκως οὐ c. fut. ind., Hdt. 2.160; μὴ οὐ c. inf., ib. 181, 3.51; τὸ μὴ οὐ (prob.) Id. 1.209; τίς μ. μὴ οὐχὶ . . ; Pl. Phd. 72d. 2. freq. in adverb. phrases, μηδεμιῇ μ. by no means whatsoever, by no contrivance, Hdt. 7.51, etc.; οὓς οὐδεμιῇ μ. δεῖ τιτρώσκειν Hp. Art. 11; so μήτε τέχνῃ μήτε μ. μηδεμιᾷ Foed. ap. Th. 5.18, cf. IG 12.39.23; opp. πάσῃ τέχνῃ καὶ μ. Lys. 19.53; πάσῃ μ. Ar. Lys. 300 (lyr.); τρόπῳ ἢ μ. ᾑτινιοῦν Lex ap.D. 21.113.
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