ἀκμή

English (LSJ)

ἡ, (cf. ἀκή A)

   A point, edge: prov., ἐπὶ ξυροῦ ἀκμῆς on the razor's edge (v. sub ξυρόν); ἀ. φασγάνου, ὅπλων, Pi.P.9.81, Plb.15.16.3 (pl.); ὀδόντων Pi.N.4.63, etc.; λόγχης ἀκμή E.Supp.318; κερκίδων ἀκμαί S.Ant.976; ἀμφιδέξιοι ἀ. both hands, Id.OT1243; ποδοῖν ἀ. feet, ib.1034; ἔμπυροι ἀκμαί pointed flames, E.Ph.1255, cf. πυρὸς ἀκμαί Epicr.6codd.    II highest or culminating point of anything, flower, prime, zenith, esp. of man's age, ἀκμὴ ἥβης S.OT741; ἐντῇδε τοῦ κάλλους ἀκμῇ Cratin.195; σώματός τε καὶ φρονήσεως Pl.R.461a; μέτριος χρόνος ἀκμῆς 460e; ὀξυτάτη δρόμου ἀ. ibid.; ἀ. βίου X.Cyr.7.2.20, etc.; ἐν ταύταις ταῖς ἀ. Isoc.7.37; ἐν ἀκμῇ εἶναι, of corn, to be ripe, Th.4.2; ἀκμὴν ἔχειν τῆς ἄνθης Pl.Phdr.230b; τοσοῦτον τῆς ἀ. ὑστερῶν Isoc. Ep.6.4; τῆς ἀ. λήγειν begin to decline, Pl.Smp.219a:—in various relations, ἀ. ἦρος spring-prime, Pi.P.4.64; ἀ. θέρους mid-summer, X. HG5.3.19; βραχεῖα ἀ. πληρώματος Th.7.14; ἀ. τοῦ ναυτικοῦ flower of their navy, Id.8.46; ἀ. τῆς δόξης Id.2.42; ἡ ἀ. τῆς Σπάρτης, τῶν νέων Demad.12; ἀ. νούσου crisis of disease, Hp.Acut.38:—generally, strength, vigour, ἐν χερὸς ἀκμᾷ Pi.O.2.63, cf. A.Pers.1060; ἀ. ποδῶν swiftness, Pi.I.8(7).41, cf. A.Eu.370; φρενῶν Pi.N.3.39; συμπεσεῖν ἀκμᾷ βαρύς cj. Id.I.4(3).51: periphr. like βία, ἀκμὴ Θησειδᾶν S.OC 1066.    2 Rhet., ἀκμὴ λόγου supreme effort, culmination, climax, Hermog.Inv.4.4, Id.1.10; pl., ib.11, cf. Philostr.VS1.25.7.    III of Time, like καιρός, the time, i. e. best, most futing time, freq. in Trag., ἡνίκ' ἂν δὴ πρὸς γάμων ἥκητ' ἀκμάς S.OT1492; ἔργων, λόγων, ἕδρας ἀκμή time for doing, speaking, sitting still, Id.El.22, Ph.12, Aj.811: c. inf., κοὐκέτ' ἦν μέλλειν ἀ. A.Pers.407, cf.Ag.1353; ἀπηλλάχθαι δ' ἀ. S.El.1338; σοὶ . . ἀ. φιλοσοφεῖν Isoc.1.3; ὁ καιρὸς ἔστ' ἐπ' αὐτῆς τῆς ἀκμῆς Ar.Pl.256; ἐπ' ἀκμῆς εἶναι, c. inf., to be on point of doing, E.Hel. 897; εἰς ἀκμὴν ἐλθὼν φίλοις in the nick of time, E.HF532; ἐπ' αὐτὴν ἥκει τὴν ἀκμήν it is come to the critical time, D.4.41; ἀκμὴν εἴληφεν have reached a critical moment, Isoc.Ep.1.1, cf. Plu.Sol.12, 15, 2.656f.    IV eruption on face, Cass.Pr.13, Aët.7.110, 8.13 (f.l. ἀκνάς, whence mod. acne). ἄκμη, v. ἄκμηνος.