previous next
μάται-ος [μα^], α, ον A.Pr.331, Th.442, Ag.422 (lyr.), etc.; also ος, ον ib.1151, Ch.82, Eu.337 (all lyr.), S.OC780, E.IT628, Pl.Sph. 231b, D.1.18: (μάτη):—
I. vain, empty, idle:
1. of words, acts, etc., “μάταια νομίζομενThgn.141, cf. 487,492, etc.; μ. λόγοι idle tales or words, Hdt.7.10.ή; μ. ἔπεα ib.11; “δόξαι φέρουσαι χάριν μ.A. Ag.422 (lyr.); μ. ὑλάγματα, ποιφύγματα, ib.1672, Th.281; μ. εὐχή E.l.c.; “μάταια βάζειν τινάId.Hipp.119; “μ. τι δρᾶσαί τιναId.Cyc.662 (lyr.); “μ. ἂν εἴη πόνοςPl.Ti.40d; μ. ἡδονή S.l.c.; “δοξοσοφίαPl.Sph. l.c.; “ὄρεξιςArist.EN1094a21; τὰ μ. ἀναλώματα useless expenses, POxy.58.20 (iii A.D.); but also, μ. ἔπος a word of offence, Hdt.3.120.
2. of persons, empty, foolish, “ματαιότεροι νόονThgn.1025, cf. Hdt.2.173, S.Tr.863,888 (lyr.), Ar.V.338, Amips.9 (Sup.); “φῦλον ματαιότατονPi.P.3.21; worthless, S.Ant.1339 (lyr.).
II. rash, irreverent, profane, freq. in A., μ. γλῶσσα Pr.l.c., Ag.1662 (troch.); “φρονήματαTh.438; αὐτουργίαι μ., of matricide and the like , Eu.l.c.; χαρὰ μ. mad merriment, Th.442; “μ. ἀνοσίων τε κνωδάλωνSupp.762; τὸ μὴ μ. seriousness, gravity, ib.198; “ψαύειν ματαίαις χερσίS.Tr. 565.
III. Adv. -ως idly, without ground, ib.940, Emp.39.2, E.Fr.908.4; “ὀχλεῖν τοῖς ἀνθρώποιςAen.Tact.6.1; μ. ἐρεῖν to no purpose, Pl.Ep.331d; ταλαιπωρῆσαι Polystr.p.31 W.
hide Dictionary Entry Lookup
Use this tool to search for dictionary entries in all lexica.
Search for in
How to enter text in Greek:
hide References (25 total)
  • Cross-references in general dictionaries from this page (25):
    • Aeschylus, Agamemnon, 1662
    • Aeschylus, Agamemnon, 1672
    • Aeschylus, Agamemnon, 1151
    • Aeschylus, Eumenides, 337
    • Aeschylus, Libation Bearers, 82
    • Aeschylus, Prometheus Bound, 331
    • Aeschylus, Seven Against Thebes, 281
    • Aeschylus, Seven Against Thebes, 442
    • Aeschylus, Seven Against Thebes, 438
    • Aeschylus, Suppliant Maidens, 198
    • Aeschylus, Suppliant Maidens, 762
    • Aristophanes, Wasps, 338
    • Demosthenes, Olynthiac 1, 18
    • Euripides, Iphigeneia in Taurus, 628
    • Herodotus, Histories, 2.173
    • Herodotus, Histories, 3.120
    • Herodotus, Histories, 7.10
    • Plato, Sophist, 231b
    • Plato, Timaeus, 40d
    • Sophocles, Antigone, 1339
    • Sophocles, Oedipus at Colonus, 780
    • Sophocles, Trachiniae, 565
    • Sophocles, Trachiniae, 940
    • Sophocles, Trachiniae, 863
    • Sophocles, Trachiniae, 888
hide Display Preferences
Greek Display:
Arabic Display:
View by Default:
Browse Bar: