A.strong, stout, mighty, in Hom. mostly of bodily strength, “κρατερός περ ἐὼν καὶ χερσὶ πεποιθώς” Il.16.624, cf. 6.97, Pi.I.5(4).31, etc.; epith. of Ares, Il.2.515; of lions, Od.4.335; χεῖρες ib.288, Pi.P.11.18: with collat. notion of stern, harsh, of Hades, Il.13.415, cf. 21.566.
2. of things, conditions, etc., mighty, fierce, “κ. ὑσμίνας” 2.345; “ἀνάγκη” 6.458; “κρατερῆφι βίηφιν” 21.501; “σθένος” B.17.40; “πάλα” Id.10.20; βέλος, τόξον, Il.5.104, 8.279; “βιός” Od.24.170; δεσμός, δεσμοί, Il.5.386, Od.8.336; hard, “χῶρος” h.Merc.354; “σίδηρος ὅπερ κρατερώτατός ἐστιν” Hes.Th.864.
3. of passions, etc., strong, vehement, “λύσσα” Il.9.239; “ἔρις” 13.358; “μένος” 7.38; “πένθος” 11.249; “ἄλγεα” Od.15.232: of acts and words, “κ. ἀμφίβασις” Il.5.623; κ. μῦθος a harsh, rough speech, 1.25; “μῦθον ἀπηνέα τε κ. τε” 15.202.
II. Adv. -ρῶς strongly, stoutly, “μάχεσθαι” 12.152; “ἑστάμεναι” 15.666; “ἔχεσθαι” 16.501, 17.559; “νεμεσᾶν” 13.16; κὰδ δ᾽ ἔβαλε κ. dashed roughly to earth, Od.4.344; κ. ἀγόρευσεν, ἀπέειπεν, sternly, Il.8.29, 9.431; in Prose, Anon ap.Stob.4.31.34.—Once in Trag., “κ. γυιοπέδαι” A.Pr.168 (anap.); elsewh. καρτερός. (κορτερά: κρατερά, ἰσχυρά, Hsch., is prob. Aeol.）
