A.“ἔσκηψα” E.Hel.834: pf. ἔσκηφα (ἐπ-) D.L.1.117:—Med., fut. “σκήψομαι” Hdt.7.28, Ar.Ec.1027: aor. “ἐσκηψάμην” D.6.13:—Pass., aor. “ἐσκήφθην” IG22.1629.746, (ἐπ-) Pl.Lg.937b: pf. ἔσκημμαι (ἐπ-) Is. 3.12.
I. prop, stay one thing against or upon another:—Pass. and Med., prop oneself or lean upon a staff, of an aged beggar, “πτωχῷ . . ἐναλίγκιον ἠδὲ γέροντι, σκηπτόμενον” Od.17.203; of a wounded man, αὐτῷ σκηπτόμενον (sc. τῷ ἄκοντι) Il.14.457; “βάκτρῳ” A.R.2.198: metaph., lean or depend upon a person or thing, “μάρτυρι” D.34.28, 47.
2. c. acc. rei, put forward by way of support, allege by way of excuse, τὴν βίαν σκήψασ᾽ ἔχεις,= σκήπτεις, E.Hel.834:—in this signf. mo[sdot ]t freq. in Med., allege on one's own behalf, “τὸ σκηπτόμενοι οἱ Πέρσαι . . ” Hdt.5.102; “ς. τὸ μὴ εἰδέναι” Id.7.28; “σκήπτεσθαί τι πρός τινας” Th. 6.18, Pl.Sph.217b; ς. ἀσθένειαν allege, pretend illness, Plb.39.1.11; simply pretend, simulate, προσποιητὴν χαρὰν σκηψαμένη prob. l. in Ps.Plu. Fluv.16.1: c. inf., pretend to be, “ἔμπορος εἶναι σκήψομαι” Ar.Ec. 1027, cf. Pl.904, D.6.13, etc.; ς. εἶναι [φυλῆς τινος] Lys.23.2; “καθ᾽ ἥντινα πρόφασιν ἐσκήψατο εἰς θήρας ἰέναι” Ant.Lib.41.2: c. acc. et inf., allege or pretend that . . , “ς. [τινὰ] παίζοντα λέγειν” Pl.Tht.145c, cf. Is. 6.13; “ς. τοῦτο, ὡς . . ” Aeschin.3.242; “ς. ὅτι . . ” Pl.Smp.217d: abs., ς. ὑπέρ τινος make a defence for another, Id.Lg.864d.