ἀδύνατος

English (LSJ)

ον,    I of persons, unable to do a thing, c. inf., Hdt.3.138, Epich.272, E.HF56, etc.; ἀ. εἰπεῖν Arist.Rh.1379a2; ἀ. ὥστε . . Onos.1.13: Comp., τὸν δυνατώτερον τοῦ -ωτέρου [πλέον ἔχειν] Pl.Grg.483d: Sup. -ώτατος, λέγειν Eup.95.    2 abs., without strength, powerless, weakly, Hdt.5.9, E.Ion596, Andr.746; οἱ ἀ. men disabled for service, whether as invalids or paupers, Lys.24 tit., Arist.Ath.49.4; ἐν τοῖς ἀ. μισθοφορεῖν Aeschin.1.103; ἀ. σώματι Lys.2.73; ἀ. χρήμασι poor, Th.7.28; εἴς τι Pl.Hp.Mi.366b; οἱ -ώτατοι persons of no importance, Phld.Herc. 1457.8; of ships, disabled, Hdt.6.16; τὸ ἀ. want of strength, Pl. Hp.Ma.296a; τὰ ἀ. disabilities, D.18.108.    II of things, impossible, E.Or.665, Hel.1043; ἐλπίδες unrealizable, Democr.58; τὸ ἀ. Arist.Cael.280b12; ἡ εἰς τὸ ἀ. ἀπαγωγή reductio ad impossibile, APr. 29b5; ὁ διὰ τοῦ ἀ. συλλογισμός, ἡ διὰ τοῦ ἀ. δεῖξις, ib.34b30, 45a35; ἀδύνατα βούλομαι Lync.1.12:—ἀδύνατόν [ἐστι] c. inf., Hdt.1.32, al.; ἀδύνατά [ἐστι] Pi.P.2.81, Hdt.1.91, 6.106, Th.1.59; ἀ. ὑμῖν ὥστε . . Pl.Prt.338c; ὑμέας καταλελάβηκε ἀ. τι βοηθέειν Hdt.9.60; τὰ ἀ. καρτερεῖν E.IA1370; τολμᾶν ἀδύνατα Id.Hel.811; ἀδυνάτων ἐρᾶν Id.HF318, cf. Luc.DDeor.8, etc.; prov., ἀδύνατα θηρᾷς Macar.1.26: Comp. -ώτερον, ἔτι . . εἰ οἷόν τε . . Pl.Tht.192b, cf. Prm.138d: Sup., ὃ δὴ πάντων -ώτατον Id.Phlb.15b.    III Adv. -τως without power or skill, feebly, ἀμύνεσθαι Antipho 4.3.3, cf. 3.3.4 (Comp.), Lys.12.3:—ἀ. ἔχειν to be unwell, Pl.Ax.364b; to be unable, c. inf., Arist. Rh.Al.1435a16; ἀ. ἔχει it is impossible, Epicur.Ep.2p.49U.; ἀ. λέγεται it is an impossible story, Phld.Rh.2.122 S.—Rare in poetry: Trag. only in E.