μέτρον

English (LSJ)

τό,

   A that by which anything is measured:    1 measure, rule, μέτρ' ἐν χερσὶν ἔχοντες Il.12.422; ἐν μέτροισι ταμὼν δόνακας h.Merc.47; πάντ' ἄνδρα πάντων χρημάτων μ. εἶναι is a measure of all things, Pl.Tht.183c, cf. Protag. ap. Arist.Metaph.1053a36; μ. αὐτῷ οὐχ ἡ ψυχή, ἀλλ' ὁ νόμος X.Cyr.1.3.18.    b Math., measure, divisor, Eratosth. ap. Nicom.Ar.1.13, etc.    2 measure of content, whether solid or liquid, δῶκεν μέθυ, χίλια μ. Il.7.471; εἴκοσι δ' ἔστω μ. . . ἀλφίτου Od.2.355; ὕδατος ἀνὰ εἴκοσι μ. χεῦε 9.209, cf. Il.23.268, 741, Hes.Op.350, 600, etc.; at Samos, of the μέδιμνος, SIG976.55 (ii B.C.); in Egypt, of the ἀρτάβη, μ. δοχικόν PTeb.11.6 (ii B.C.); also of smaller units, as μ. ἑξαχοίνικον ib.105.40 (ii B.C.); μέτροις καὶ σταθμοῖς by measure and weight, Decr. ap. And.1.83; in the widest sense, either weight or measure, Φείδωνος τοῦ τὰ μ. ποιήσαντος Πελοποννησίοισι Hdt.6.127; μ. οἰνηρά, σιτηρά, Arist.EN1135a2; Κιλικίῳ μ. μετρεῖν OGI579.2 (Cilicia).    3 any space measured or measurable, length, size, in pl., dimensions, μέτρα κελεύθου the length of the way, Od.4.389; μέτρα θαλάσσης Hes.Op.648, Orac. ap. Hdt.1.47; μορφῆς μέτρα bodily dimensions, E.Alc.1063; τὰ μ. τοῦ λίθου its distances from a given point in given directions, its position, Hdt.2.121.ά, cf. Pl.Lg. 843e, Plu.Sol.23; ἄστρων μέτρα S.Fr.432.8; ἀπέχει . . θαλάσσης μέτρον ἑξήκοντα σταδίους Th.8.95; τῷ Ἴστρῳ ἐκ τῶν ἴσων μ. ὁρμᾶται [ὁ Νεῖλος] starts from the same distances as (i.e. the position corresponding to the source of) the Ister, Hdt.2.33; εἰδέναι τὴν ἑαυτοῦ χώραν μέτρῳ καὶ τόπῳ X.Cyr.8.5.3; ἐντὸς τῶν μ. τετμημένον μέταλλον Hyp.Eux.35; later of Time, duration, μέτρα βίοιο ἄρκια APl.4.333 (Antiphil.); ἐτέων μέτρα, ὡράων μέτρον, AP7.334,9.481; μέτρα ἐνιαυτῶν, νυκτός, Arat.464.731; χρονικὰ μ. Simp. in de An.299.37.    b limit, goal, ὅρμου μ. the goal which is the mooring-place, Od.13.101; ἥβης μ. ἱκέσθαι the term which is puberty, Il.11.225, Hes. Op.132; but, ἥβης μ. ἔχειν full measure of youthful vigour, ib. 438, Thgn.1119; σοφίης, γνωμοσύνης μ. Sol.13.52, 16.2.    4 due measure or limit, proportion, μέτρα φυλάσσεσθαι Hes.Op.694; χρὴ κατ' αὐτὸν παντὸς ὁρᾶν μέτρον Pi.P.2.34; μέτρα μὲν γνώμᾳ διώκων, μέτρα δὲ καὶ κατέχων Id.I.6(5).71; κατὰ μέτρον Hes.Op.720; πίνειν ὑπὲρ μέτρον Thgn.498; προστιθεὶς μ. A.Ch.797 (lyr.); τί μ. κακότατος ἔφυ; S.El.236 (lyr.); μ. ἔχει have a moderating power, Pl.Lg.836a; πλέον πίνειν τοῦ μέτρου Id.R.621a; μ. ἔχειν Id.Lg.957a; μέτρῳ, = μετρίως, καταβαίνειν Pi.P.8.78; οὐδεὶς τῷ μ. τὸ πίνειν ἔστεργε Alciphr. 3.32.    5 τίς ἱππείοις ἐν ἔντεσσιν μέτρα . . ἐπέθηκ' checks, i.e. bits, Pi.O.13.20.    II metre, Ar.Nu.638, 641, etc.; opp. μέλος (music) and ῥυθμός (time), Pl.Grg.502c, etc.; λόγους ψιλοὺς εἰς μέτρα τιθέντες putting into verse, Id.Lg.669d; τὰ ἐν μέτρῳ πεποιημένα ἔπη X.Mem. 1.2.21.    2 pl., verses, Pl.Ly.205a. (I.-E. *métro-m from *métro-m 'measuring instrument', cf. Goth. mitan 'measure'.)