I.a dog or bitch, Hom., etc.; most commonly of hounds, id=Hom., etc.; the Laconian breed was famous, Soph.;— νή or μὰ τὸν κύνα was the favourite oath of Socrates, Plat.: cf. τραπεζεύς.
II.as a word of reproach, to denote shamelessness or audacity in women, rashness, recklessness in men, Hom.
2.at Athens a nickname of the Cynics, Arist., Anth.
III.the Trag. apply the term to the ministers of the gods; the eagle is Διὸς πτηνὸς κύων Aesch.; the griffins Ζηνὸς ἀκραγεῖς κύνες id=Aesch.; the Bacchantes Λύσσης κ. Eur., etc.
IV.a sea-dog, mentioned as a fish in Od.
V.the dog-star, i. e. the dog of Orion, placed among the stars with its master, Il.
