κοῦφος

English (LSJ)

η, ον,

   A light, nimble, Hom. only in neut. pl. as Adv., κοῦφα ποσὶ προβιβάς stepping lightly on, Il.13.158, cf. Hes.Sc.323; κοῦφα βιβῶν Pi.O.14.16; κ. ποσὶν ἄγ' ἐς κύκλον Ar.Th.954 (lyr.); also κούφοις ποσί Pi.O.13.114; κουφοτάταις πτερύγων ἀκμαῖς Ar.Ra.1353; πήδημα κ. ἐκ νεὼς ἀφήλατο A.Pers.305; κ. ἐξᾶραι πόδα S.Ant.224; κ. ἅλμα E.El.439 (lyr.); κ. αἴρειν βῆμα Id.Tr.343; οὐ τοῖς κούφοις ὁ δρόμος LXX Ec.9.11: metaph., κουφότεραι . . ἀπειράτων φρένες too buoyant, Pi.O. 8.61.    2 metaph., easy, light, τελεῖν . . κούφαν κτίσιν to make achievement easy, ib.13.83; κ. εἰ δοίης τέλος A.Th.260; κ. νύξ an easier night, of a sick person, Jul.Mis.342a (Comp.); περίπατος Sor.1.46; τὸ ὅσιον ἅπαν κ. ἔργον OGI383.120 (Nemrud Dagh, i B. C.); of government, light, κουφοτέραν βασιλείαν less oppressive, Isoc.9.51; ἡ εὔκλεια κουφοτέρα φέρειν X.Cyr.8.2.22; of an antagonist, easy-going, κουφότατος ἦν κρατήσας Id.Ages.11.12; δεσπότην ἀπράγμονα καὶ κ. ἐξαπατᾷ θεράπων Men.Per.Fr.1.    3 unsubstantial, airy, vain, τὸ νέον . . κούφας ἀφροσύνας φέρον S.OC1230 (lyr.); οὐδὲν ἄλλο πλὴν . . κούφην σκιάν Id.Aj. 126; ἐλπίδος τι εἶχον κούφης Th.2.51; κ. καὶ πτηνοὶ λόγοι Pl.Lg.717c; κ. πρᾶγμα a trifle, ib.935a; κ. γράμματα a small letter, E.IT594; of persons, = κουφόνους, Hdn.5.7.1; τὸ κοῦφον τοῦ νοῦ levity, Paus.5.21.14, cf. Hdn.7.8.6.    4 light in point of weight, opp. βαρύς, Pl. Phlb.14d, R.438c (Comp.), etc.; κούφα σοι χθὼν ἐπάνωθε πέσοι may earth lie lightly on thee, E.Alc.462 (lyr.), cf. Hel.853; κούφη σοι κόνις ἥδε πέλοι IG14.1942.4; κούφη σεῖο γαῖ' ὀστέα κεύθοι ib.329 (Himera); κ. πνεύματα light airs, S.Aj.558; ὀστᾶ τε καὶ κ. κόνις Men.538.3; τὸ κουφότατον . . τῶν κακῶν . . πενία Id.Kith.Fr.2.    b Medic. in various uses, σικύαι κοῦφαι dry cuppings, Philum. ap. Orib.45.29.17, cf. Sor.2.11, etc.; also κούφου μένοντος τοῦ ἰοῦ on the surface, Philum.Ven.7.3; μὴν κ. the eighth month of pregnancy, Sor.1.56; of food, easy to digest, light, Arist.EN1141b18, etc.    c of troops, light-armed, οἱ κ. τῶν στρατιωτῶν Hell.Oxy.6.4; ὡπλισμένοι κουφοτέροις ὅπλοις X. Mem.3.5.27; κούφη στρατιά Plu.Fab.11; τὰ κ. τῆς δυνάμεως Plb.10.25.2.    d of ships, lightly-laden, Th.6.37, 8.27.    5 light, slight, ἁμαρτήματα Pl.Lg.863c; κουφότερα γυμνάσια, opp. ἀναγκαῖα, Arist. Pol.1338b40; κ. ἐργασίαι ib.1321a25.    6 empty, κεράμια Gp.7.24.2, cf. PLond.5.1656.6 (iv A. D.), PFlor.314.8(v. A. D.): hence as Subst., κοῦφον (sc. κεράμιον), τό, jar, in pl., POxy.1631.16 (iii A. D.), PFay. 133.6 (iv A. D.), PStrassb.1.10 (vi A. D.).    7 Act., relieving, assisting, χερὶ κούφᾳ Pi.P.9.11: prob. to be taken in this sense in Theoc. 11.3.    II Adv. -φως lightly, nimbly, κ. ὀροῦσαι A.Eu.112; κ. ἐσκευασμένοι, of soldiers, Th.4.33; ὡπλισμένοι X.Mem.3.5.26, etc.; κ. ἔχειν to be relieved, Arist.Pr.873a16.    2 metaph., lightly, with light heart, κουφότερον μετεφώνεε Od.8.201; κ. νοῆσαι Sapph.Supp. 5.14; κ. φέρειν, opp. δεινῶς φ., E.Med.449, 1018; ὡς κουφότατα φέρειν Hdt.1.35; διάγουσα κούφως doing well, of a patient, Hp.Epid.1.26.δ.    3 lightly, with ease, A.Pr.701.