μέρμερος: Difference between revisions

|Definition=ον, <span class="sense"><span class="bld">A</span> [[baneful]], Hom. (only in Il.) always in neut. pl., <b class="b3">μέρμερα μητίσασθαι</b> to devise [[mischief]], <span class="bibl">10.48</span>; μ. ῥέζων <span class="bibl">11.502</span>; μ. μήσατο ἔργα <span class="bibl">10.289</span>, cf. <span class="bibl">524</span>; in Hom. always of [[warlike deeds]], πολέμοιο μ. ἔργα <span class="bibl">8.453</span>; but <b class="b3">μ. ῥέζων</b>, of Zeus, <span class="bibl">Orph.<span class="title">Fr.</span>21a</span>; <b class="b3">μ. ἔργα γυναικῶν</b> the [[ills]] that women work, <span class="bibl">Hes.<span class="title">Th.</span>603</span>; μ. κακόν <span class="bibl">E.<span class="title">Rh.</span> 509</span>; βλάβη Lyc.949; ἀδρανίη <span class="bibl">Nic.<span class="title">Th.</span>248</span>. </span><span class="sense"><span class="bld">II</span> of persons, [[captious]], [[fastidious]], <span class="bibl">Pl.<span class="title">Hp.Ma.</span>290e</span>; ἔθνος Λατίνων <span class="bibl">D.P.350</span>; <b class="b3">μ. χρῆμα</b> [[crafty]] creature, of a fox, Plu.2.988a; of a hound, <span class="bibl">Opp.<span class="title">C.</span>1.490</span>.— Ep. word, used in E. and Pl. ll. cc.</span>

|etymtx=Grammatical information: adj.<br />Meaning: Conventional epithet of unclear meaning (after H. [[μέρμερα]] = [[χαλεπά]], [[δεινά]], <b class="b3">φροντίδος ἄξια</b>); apparently intensive formation with reduplication, which suggests connection with <b class="b3">μέρ-ιμνα</b>(?). So prop. meaning [[causing meditation]], [[cares]], from where [[distressful]], [[dreadful]] v. t.(?), of persons [[(much) meditating]], [[caring]]; also as PN (Apollod., Paus.).<br />Other forms: (Hom., only Il.) always n. pl. [[μέρμερα]] as epithet of [[ἔργα]], also as object of [[ῥέζειν]], [[μητίσασθαι]], posthom. of [[κακόν]], [[βλάβη]] etc. (E., Lyc., Nic.), also of persons and animals (Pl. Hp. Ma., Plu., Opp.); enlarged. <b class="b3">μερ-μέριος</b> (Them.).<br />Derivatives: Besides [[μέρμηραι]] f. pl. [[cares]], [[anxieties]] (Hes. Th. 55, Thgn. 1325, also IG 14, 1942 [late verse]), [[μερμηρίζω]], <b class="b3">-ίξαι</b>, <b class="b3">-ίξω</b> [[care]], [[meditate]], [[invent]], [[consider]], [[linger]] (Hom.; cf. Ruijgh L'élém. ach. 87); also [[μερμαίρω]] (Suid., H., Phot. [codd. also <b class="b3">-μέρω</b>]); on <b class="b3">ἀπο-μερμηρίσαι</b> [[forget the cares]] (Ar. V. 5, D. C.) s. Ruijgh ibd.<br />Origin: PG [a word of Pre-Greek origin]<br />Etymology: The length of the vowel in <b class="b3">μέρ-μηρ-αι</b> againt <b class="b3">μέρ-μερ-ος</b> has been explained from [[μερμηρίζω]], where it is ascribed to the metre, but this is no sufficient explanation; rather it points to Pre-Greek origin; on [[ε]]/[[η]] s. Fur. 257 n. 42. -- Under [[μέριμνα]] we pointed to the primary thematic root-verb Skt. <b class="b2">smárati</b>, Av. [[maraiti]] [[remember]] (reduplicated <b class="b2">hi-šmar-</b>); further there is, with broken reduplication, Arm. [[mormok]] [[regret]], [[displeausre]], [[sorrow]], [[grief]] and the also reduplicated Lat. [[me-mor]] [[mindful]], to which prob. also [[mora]] [[delay]]. Further, partly doubtful cognates from Germ. a. Celt., for Greek unimportant, in WP. 2, 689f., Pok. 969f., W.-Hofmann s. [[memor]] . Hypothetic connection with the PN [[Ἴσμαρος]] and [[Μάρων]] in Kretschmer Glotta 29, 96 f. Lith. <b class="b2">merė́ti</b> [[care]], s. Fraenkel Gnomon 22, 237. -- [Not to [[μάρτυς]] [[sub verbo|s.v.]] or [[μείρομαι]].]