ἄπταιστος
δυοῖν κακοῖν προκειμένοιν τὸ μὴ χεῖρον βέλτιστον → the lesser of two evils, the less bad thing of a pair of bad things, better the devil you know, better the devil you know than the devil you don't, better the devil you know than the devil you don't know, better the devil you know than the one you don't, better the devil you know than the one you don't know, the devil that you know is better than the devil that you don't know, the devil we know is better than the devil we don't, the devil we know is better than the devil we don't know, the devil you know is better than the devil you don't
English (LSJ)
ον,
A not stumbling, ἀπταιστστερον παρέχειν τὸν ἵππον make a horse less aptto stumble, X.Eq.1.6: metaph., ἄ ἐν τῷ βίῳ Epict. Gnom.52; δώμασιν ἀ. Limen.43, cf.M.Ant.5.9; βίος Luc.Am.46; infallible, Plot.5.3.17, Alex.Aphr.in Metaph.713.12; ἀλήθεια Iamb.Myst. 3.31; θεοὶ διδασκάλων-ότατοι Max.Tyr.38.1. Adv. -τως Pl.Tht.144b; inevitably, Gal.14.230: Comp.-ότερον with greater precision, Ptol.Tetr. 177:—also ἀπρο-τί, Hdn.Epim.256. 2 intact, Plu.2.691d. II not causing to stumble, giving a good footing, λεία καὶ ἄ. ὁδός Max. Tyr.5.2.
German (Pape)
[Seite 340] nicht anstoßend, nicht stolpernd, ἀπταιστότερον παρέχειν τὸν ἵππον, machen, daß das Pferd weniger stolpert, Xen. Equ. 1, 6; übh. ohne Frevel, Eust.; ohne Anstoß, sicher, καὶ ἀμετακίνητος Nicom. arithm. 1. – Adv., ἀπταίστως καὶ λείως ἔρχεσθαι Plat. Theaet. 144 b.
French (Bailly abrégé)
ος, ον :
1 qui ne fait pas de faux pas ; fig. qui ne fait pas de fautes, infaillible;
2 où l’on ne fait pas de faux pas.
Étymologie: ἀ, πταίω.
Spanish (DGE)
-ον
I 1que no se cae ἵππος X.Eq.1.6
•fig. que no se equivoca, seguro, infalible de pers. ναέται Δελφῶν Limen.43, αὐτὸς ἐν τῷ βίῳ ἄ. Epict.Gnom.52, θεοὶ διδασκάλων ἀπταιστότατοι Max.Tyr.38.1, de Dios, lit. crist. en PMich.inv.6427a.1.4 en ZPE 14.1974.194, de la hormiga ἄ. εἰς αὐτὸν (τόπον) παραγίνεται Horap.1.52, de abstr. βίος Luc.Am.46, ζῳή Plot.5.3.17, νοεῖν μὲν γάρ ἐστιν κατάληψις ἄ. τοῦ νοητοῦ Alex.Aphr.in Metaph.713.12, ἐπίγνωσις Theol.Ar.17, ἀλήθεια Iambl.Myst.3.31, τὸ ἔργον D.H.Dem.52, cf. Call.Fr.17.4
•subst. τὸ ... ἀπταιστότερον τοῖς ἀξιώμασι παρακολουθεῖ Ptol.Tetr.4.3.6.
2 fig. indemne, intacto, conservado ὁ τῶν πάντων δυνάστης ἀπταίστους αὐτοὺς ἐρρύσατο ὀμοθυμαδόν LXX 3Ma.6.39, de la nieve, Plu.2.691d.
II que no hace caer ὁδὸς ἄ. camino sin tropiezos Max.Tyr.34.2.
III adv. -ως con seguridad, sin fallo ὁ δὲ ... ἀ. ... ἔρχεται ἐπὶ τὰς μαθήσεις Pl.Tht.144b, ἀ. τυγχάνειν τοῦ τέλους Gal.14.230, εἶπον αὐτὰ ἀ. D.C.75.4.6, τὸ δ' ἐμπείρως ἐστὶν ... ἀ. Arr.Epict.2.13.21, αὐτοὺς ἀ. προπέμπειν Clem.Al.Strom.1.24.163, cf. Hsch.
English (Strong)
from Α (as a negative particle) and a derivative of πταίω; not stumbling, i.e. (figuratively) without sin: from falling.
English (Thayer)
ἀπτιαστον (πταίω, which see), not stumbling, standing firm, exempt from falling (properly, of a horse, Xenophon, de re eq. 1,6); metaphorically: Winer s Grammar, 97 (92); Buttmann, 42 (37).)
