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μηχα^ν-ή , Dor. μα_χα^νά , ἡ, (μῆχος):
I. contrivance, esp. machine for lifting weights and the like , crane, Hdt.2.125, IG11(2).161 A69, al. (Delos, iii B. C.); μ. τετράκωλος, δίκωλος, Rev.Phil.44.251 (Didyma, ii B. C.); “μ. λιθαγωγός” Poll. 10.148; ἰχθυβόλῳ μ., of Poseidon's trident, A.Th.132 (lyr.); λαοπόροις μ., of Xerxes' bridge of boats, Id.Pers.114 (lyr.), cf. 722; freq. of irrigation machines, POxy.985 (i A. D.), etc.; also of oil-presses, Wilcken Chr.176.10 (i/ii A. D.), etc.
2. engine of war, “μηχανὰς προσάγειν” Th.2.76, etc.; “ἑλεῖν μηχαναῖς” Id.4.13.
3. theatrical machine by which gods, etc., were made to appear in the air, Pl.Cra.425d, Clit.407a; “αἴρειν μ.” Antiph.191.15, Alex.126.19: hence, prov. of anything sudden and unexpected, “ἀπὸ μηχανῆς θεὸς ἐπεφάνης” Men. 227; “ὥσπερ ἀπὸ μ.” D.40.59, cf. Arist.Po.1454b1.
4. area of land irrigated by a machine, POxy.1830.13 (vi A. D.), PLond.5.1765 (vi A. D.), PSI1.77.14 (vi A. D.).
II. any artificial means or contrivance for doing a thing, “ἤτοι κλήρῳ . . , ἢ ἄλλῃ τινὶ μ.” Hdt.3.83; “εἴ τίς ἐστι μ., ἴθι καὶ πειρῶ” Id.8.57, etc.; esp. in pl. μηχαναί, shifts, devices, wiles, Hes.Th. 146; “πάντα σοφίσματα καὶ πάσας μ. ἐπεποιήκεε ἐς αὐτοὺς Δαρεῖος” Hdt. 3.152; μηχαναῖς Διός by the arts of Zeus, A.Ag.677; χερὸς . . ἐκτίνοντα μηχανάς acts of violence, ib.1582; “Ὀρέστην μηχαναῖσι μὲν θανόντα, νῦν δὲ μηχαναῖς σεσωσμένον” S.El.1228; “κρατεῖ μαχαναῖς . . θηρός” Id.Ant.349 (lyr.); “σοφιστῶν μ.” Pl.Lg.908d: prov., “μηχαναὶ Σισύφου” Ar.Ach.391:—Phrases: “πάσας προσφέροντε μ.” E.IT112; “μηχανὴν προσοιστέον” Ar.Th.1132; “πᾶσαν σπουδὴν καὶ μ. προσφερόμενος” Plb.1.18.11; “ἐπεισήγαγον μ.” Id.29.25.1; “μηχανὰς εὑρήσομεν, ὥστε ἀπαλλάξαι” A.Eu.82; “πλέκειν” E.Andr.66; “πορίζεσθαι” Pl.Smp. 191b; “ἐκπορίζειν” Ar.V.365; ζητεῖν ib.149; ἀντλεῖν μαχανάν exhaust one's resources, Pi.P.3.62; κατ᾽ ἐμὰν μ. ib.109: c. gen. objecti, ἔξευρε μ. τιν᾽ Ἀδμήτῳ κακῶν contrivance against ills, E.Alc.221 (lyr.); but μ. σωτηρίας a way, means of procuring or providing safety, A. Th.209; “μυρίων οὐσῶν μ. ἀπαλλαγῆς” X.Cyr.5.1.12; οὐδεμία μ. [ἐστι] ὅκως οὐ c. fut. ind., Hdt.2.160; μὴ οὐ c. inf., ib. 181, 3.51; τὸ μὴ οὐ (prob.) Id.1.209; τίς μ. μὴ οὐχὶ . . ; Pl.Phd.72d.
2. freq. in adverb. phrases, μηδεμιῇ μ. by no means whatsoever, by no contrivance, Hdt. 7.51, etc.; “οὓς οὐδεμιῇ μ. δεῖ τιτρώσκειν” Hp.Art.11; so μήτε τέχνῃ μήτε μ. μηδεμιᾷ Foed. ap. Th.5.18, cf. IG12.39.23; opp. “πάσῃ τέχνῃ καὶ μ.” Lys. 19.53; “πάσῃ μ.” Ar.Lys.300 (lyr.); τρόπῳ ἢ μ. ᾑτινιοῦν Lex ap.D.21.113.
Henry George Liddell. Robert Scott. A Greek-English Lexicon. revised and augmented throughout by. Sir Henry Stuart Jones. with the assistance of. Roderick McKenzie. Oxford. Clarendon Press. 1940.

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  • Cross-references in general dictionaries from this page (42):
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