A.wearing away, esp. of Time, way or manner of spending, “χρόνου τε διατριβὰς . . ἐφηῦρε . . πεσσοὺς κύβους τε” pastimes, S. Fr.479.2: hence, abs.,
1. pastime, amusement, Ar.Pl.923, Alex. 219.4, etc.; “ἐν συνουσίᾳ τινὶ καὶ δ.” D.21.71; “γέλωτα καὶ δ. παρέχειν τινί” Aeschin.1.175, cf. Plu.Tim.11; “τοῦ συμποσίου δ.” Alex.185; “παρέσχε τοῖς κωμικοῖς δ.” materiem jocandi, Plu.Per.4, cf. Jul.Or.2.52b; place of amusement, Men.481.10, Bato 2.4.
2. serious occupation, study, etc., “τοὺς ἐν φιλοσοφίᾳ καὶ τῇ τοιᾷδε δ. τεθραμμένους” Pl.Tht. 172c; “διατριβὰς ποιεῖσθαι περί τι” Lys.16.11, cf. Is.11.37; “πρός τι” Aeschin.2.38; “ἐπί τινι” Ar.Ra.1498; “ἡ δ. τὰ πολλὰ ἐν λόγοις” Pl.Ly. 204a.
b. discourse, “τὰς ἐμὰς δ. καὶ τοὺς λόγους” Id.Ap.37d, cf. Grg. 484e, Isoc.12.19, etc.; “αἱ πολιτικαὶ δ.” D.H.10.15.
c. short ethical treatise or lecture, “δ. βραχέος διανοήματος ἠθικοῦ ἔκτασις” Hermog. Meth.5, cf. Suid.: title of works by Zeno, Cleanthes, etc.
d. school of philosophy, Ath.5.211d, al., Luc.Alex.5; “Μωυσοῦ καὶ Χριστοῦ” Gal. 8.579; “Ἐπικούρου δ.” Numen. ap. Eus.PE14.5; also, a place of teaching, school, “ἡ ἐν τῷ κήπῳ δ.” Epicur.Fr.217, cf. Phld.Acad.Ind.p.39 M., Luc.Nigr.25, Ath.8.350b.
3. way of life, passing of time, “δ. ἐν ἀγορᾷ” Ar.Nu.1055; “δ. νέων ἐν δικαστηρίοις” And.4.32; ἡ ἐν Σικελίᾳ δ. stay there, Pl.Ep.337e; ποιεῖσθαι ἐν τῷ ὑγρῷ τὴν δ., ἐν τῇ γῇ, Arist. HA487a20, Resp.474b26; “διατριβὰς μετ᾽ ἀλλήλων διατ ρίβειν” Aeschin. 1.147.
II. in bad sense, waste of time, loss of time, delay, with or without χρόνου, E.Ph.751, etc.; “δ. ποιεῖσθαι” Isoc.4.164: pl., “δ. καὶ μελλήσεις” Th.5.82; χρόνου δ. ἐμποιεῖν, παρέχειν, Id.3.38, X.Oec.8.13, etc.; “ἐμβαλεῖν” Plu.Nic.20; διατριβὴν ποτῷ ποιεῖν prolong a carouse, Alex.226.4.
III. Rhet., occasion for dwelling on a subject, Arist.Rh.1418a27 (pl.).
IV. continuance, permanence, Id.Mete.374a12.
V. sens. obsc., = συνουσία, Procop. Arc.2.