ἀμαλδύνω: Difference between revisions

|Definition=(ἀμαλός) Ep. (not in Od.) and Ion. word, properly, <span class="sense"><p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<span class="bld">A</span> [[soften]], [[mitigate]], ἐλπωρὴ ἀμαλδύνει κακότητα <span class="bibl">Q.S.1.73</span>, cf. <span class="bibl">13.401</span>; but in early Ep. [[crush]], [[destroy]], τεῖχος ἀμαλδῦναι <span class="bibl">Il.12.18</span>; <b class="b2">bring low</b>, συμφορὰ ἐσθλὸν ἀμαλδύνει <span class="bibl">B.13.3</span>; [[put an end to]], τὴν διὰ τοῦ ὀμφαλοῦ πνοήν <span class="bibl">Hp.<span class="title">Nat.Puer.</span>17</span>; [[use up]], [[squander]], χρήματα <span class="bibl">Theoc.16.59</span>; [[weaken]], ὀφθαλμούς <span class="title">Cat.Cod.Astr.</span>2.174:—Pass., ὥς κεν . . τεῖχος ἀμαλδύνηται <span class="bibl">Il.7.463</span>; ἀμαλδυνθήσομαι <span class="bibl">Ar.<span class="title">Pax</span>380</span>; ὄμματα ἀ. <span class="bibl">Hp.<span class="title">Mul.</span> 2.201</span>; ἀ. ἡ δίοδος τῆς γονῆς Id.<span class="title">Genit.</span>2; ἀμαλδυνθεῖσα χρόνῳ περικαλλέα μορφήν <span class="title">AP</span>6.18 (Jul.); [[neglect]], [[waste]], <span class="bibl">Democr.202</span>. </span><span class="sense">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<span class="bld">2</span> metaph., [[conceal]], [[disguise]], εἶδος <span class="bibl"><span class="title">h.Cer.</span>94</span>, cf. <span class="bibl">A.R.1.834</span>; [[efface]], στίβον <span class="bibl">Id.4.112</span>.</span>

|etymtx=Grammatical information: v.<br />Meaning: [[destroy]], [[weaken]] (Il.).<br />Origin: XX [etym. unknown]<br />Etymology: One assumes a denominative from <b class="b3">*ἀμαλδύς</b>, which is further not known. The first question is whether the word has the same root as <b class="b3">βλαδύς</b> (q.v.). The <b class="b3">ἀ-</b> must then have been added after the privative formations (which always express some lack), but this is not very probable; influence of <b class="b3">ἀμαλός</b> is not very likely. - The form seems identical with Lat. [[mollis]] (< <b class="b2">*moldu̯is</b>) [[soft]], Skt. <b class="b2">mr̥dú-</b> id. Arm. [[meɫk]] [[weak]], [[soft]] shows no initial laryngeal for this group (Pok. 718). The absence of prothesis could point to substratal origin, but there are no other indications for this. - <b class="b3">μέλδομαι</b> <b class="b2">to smelt</b> is hardly cognate because of its meaning. However, it has a variant <b class="b3">ἀμέλδειν</b> showing the same problem as <b class="b3">ἀμαλδύνω</b> \/ <b class="b3">βλαδύς</b>. In this case we are certain of cognate forms with <b class="b2">s-</b>, OHG [[smelzan]]; does this point to <b class="b2">h₂m-</b>\/<b class="b2">sm-</b>? The question has not been solved. - <b class="b3">μαλθακός</b>, <b class="b3">μαλακός</b>, <b class="b3">ἀμαλός</b> and <b class="b3">ἀμβλύς</b> differ too much to be useful. Not here <b class="b3">βλέννα</b> and <b class="b3">μύλη</b>.