προσπαίζω
Ἐρωτώμενος διὰ τί ὀλίγους ἔχει μαθητάς, ἔφη ὅτι ἀργυρέᾳ αὐτοὺς ἐκβάλλω ῥάβδῳ → When asked why he had so few pupils, he replied ‘I chase them away with a silver stick (Diogenes Laertius 6.4.5, on the philosopher Antisthenes)
English (LSJ)
fut.
A -παίξομαι App.BC4.118: aor. προσέπαισα Pl. Euthd.283b, Alciphr.3.65; also προσέπαιξα ib.5, Plu.Caes.63:—play or sport with, τινι X.Mem.3.1.4, Pl.Euthd.278b; of a partridge, Porph.Abst.3.4: metaph., προσπαίζουσα τοῖς ὤμοις κόμη playing over, Poll.2.25. 2 abs., sport, jest, π. ἐν λόγοις Pl.Phdr.262d, cf. Lg. 653e, 804b; opp. σπουδάζειν, Id.Euthd.283b. 3 laugh at, make fun or sport of, τινι Men.Epit.182, Plu.2.197d, Caes.63; satirize, τινι D.L.4.61, 7.164:—Med., App. l.c. II c. acc., θεοὺς π. sing to the gods, sing in their praise or honour, Pl.Epin.980b: c. dupl. acc., ὕμνον προσεπαίσαμεν . . τὸν . . Ἔρωτα sang a hymn in praise of Eros, Id.Phdr.265c. 2 banter, τοὺς ῥήτορας Id.Mx.235c, cf. Euthd.285a; π. τὸν κύνα, τὸν ἄρκτον, tantalize, Luc.Dom.24, Ael.NA4.45.
