A.letting go, release, περὶ τῆς τῶν πλοίων ἀφέσεως Philipp. ap. D.18.77, cf. Pl.Plt.273c; “καρπῶν” PAmh.2.43.9 (ii B. C.); γῆ ἐν ἀφέσει land in private hands, opp. βασιλική, PTeb. 5.37 (ii B. C.), etc.
b. of persons, dismissal: in ritual, “λαοῖς ἄ.” Apul.Met.11.17; release, Plb.1.79.12, IG2.314.21, Ev.Luc.4.18.
2. c. gen., ἀ. φόνου quittance from murder, Pl.Lg.869d: so abs., Hermog.Stat.8; discharge from a bond, D.33.3; “ἄ. ἐναντίον μαρτύρων ποιήσασθαι” Id.45.41; opp. ἀπόδοσις χρημάτων, Isoc.17.29; exemption from attendance, leave of absence, Arist.Ath.30.6; ἀ. τῆς στρατείας exemption from service, Plu.Ages.24; remission of a debt, “ταλάντου” Michel1340B7 (Cnidus, ii B. C.); “χρημάτων” IPE12.32B70 (Olbia, iii B. C.); sc. καταδίκης, Inscr.Magn.93c16.
3. relaxation, exhaustion, Hp.Epid.3.6.
4. divorce, “τινὶ πέμπειν” Plu.Pomp.42.
5. starting of horses in a race, “ἵππων ἄ. ποιεῖν” D.S.4.73: hence, starting-post itself, ἰσώσας τἀφέσει (Musgr. for τῇ φύσει） τὰ τέρματα having made the winning-post one with the starting-post, i.e. having completed the δίαυλος and come back to the starting-post, dub. cj. in S.El.686, cf. Paus.5.15.5, 6.20.9: metaph., the first start, beginning of anything, Man.3.405, etc.
6. discharge, emission, “ὕδατος” Arist.PA 697a24; “βέλους” D.S.17.41; “τοῦ θοροῦ, τοῦ ᾠοῦ” Arist.GA756a12; “τοῦ κυήματος” Id.HA608a1; the dropping of a foal, ib.576a25.
b. discharge, release of an engine, Ph.Bel.58.24.
7. = ἀφεσμός, Arist.HA 625a20 (pl.).
8. release, “ὕδατος” PPetr.2p.34 (iii B. C.): hence, in concrete sense, conduit, sluice, ib.3p.88, PFlor.388.44 (iii A. D.): pl., “ἀφέσεις θαλάσσης” channels, LXX 2 Ki.22.16.
9. Astrol., reckoning of the vital quadrant, Ptol.Tetr.127, cf. Vett.Val.136.2 (but ἀπὸ Λέοντος τὴν ἄφεσιν ποιούμενοι, simply, starting from . . , Id.31.8).
