I.to turn about or aside, turn, Hom., etc.; στρ. ἵππους to turn or guide horses, Il.; στρ. σάκος to sway the shield, Soph.
II.ἄνω καὶ κάτω στρ. to turn upside down, Aesch., Plat.; so, κάτω στρ. Soph.; so, στρέφειν alone, to overturn, upset, Eur.
III.to twist a rope, Xen.
2.metaph. of pain, to twist, torture, Ar., Plat.
IV.to twist, plait, ἐστραμμένα Xen.: to spin, Luc.
VI.to turn from the right course, divert, embezzle, Lys.
B.Pass. and Mid. to turn oneself, to turn round or about, turn to and fro, Il.; ἔνθα καὶ ἔνθα στρέφεσθαι, of one tossing in bed, id=Il.
2.to turn to or from an object, to turn back, return, id=Il., Soph.; στραφέντες ἔφευγον Xen.
3.of the heavenly bodies, to revolve, Od.; of the distaff, Plat.
II.to twist about, like a wrestler trying to elude his adversary; so, in argument, to twist and turn, shuffle, τί ταῦτα στρέφει; why d'ye shuffle so? Ar.; τί δῆτα ἔχων στρέφει; why then do you keep shuffling, Plat.; πάσας στροφὰς στρέφεσθαι to twist every way, id=Plat.
2.to turn and change, Soph.; τοῦ δὲ σοῦ ψόφου οὐκ ἂν στραφείην I would not turn for any noise of thine, id=Soph.
III.to twist oneself up with a thing, stick close to it, Od.:—then, like Lat. versari, to be always engaged, Plat.
2.generally, to be at large, go about Soph.
C.in strict Mid. sense, to turn about with oneself, take back, Soph.
D.intr. in Act., like Pass. to turn about, Il.; of soldiers, to wheel about, Xen.
