A.raised from off the ground, “τάφον ἑωυτῇ κατεσκευάσατο μ.” Hdt.1.187; “σκέλεα δὲ . . κατακρέμαται μ.” Id.4.72; “μ. ἐξεκόμισαν τὰς ἁμάξας” X.An.1.5.8; πῆχυς μ. an arm hanging (without support from a bandage), Hp.Fract.7; μ. αἰωρηθῆναι, of a man, Id.Art.70: freq. of anatomical structures, unsupported, Gal.2.469, al.; τὰ μ. οἰκήματα, opp. τὰ ὑπόγαια, Hdt.2.148; -ότερος . . τῶν σαύρων raised higher than . . , above . . , of the chamaeleon, Arist.HA503a21; of high ground, “τῶν χωρίωντὰ-ότατα” Th.4.32; ἀπὸ τοῦ μ. ib.128, cf. D.55.29 (Comp.); χωρία νέμεσθαι -ότερα, opp. ἑλώδη, Arist.HA596b4; “τὰ -ότατα μέρη” Protagorid.4; κατὰ τὸ μ. τοῦ ποταμοῦ as one looks up the river, Paus.8.30.2.
2. on the surface, “ἀπὸ τοῦ -οτάτου” IG22.1668.8: hence, prominent, of eyes, X.Cyn.4.1; of roots, running along the ground, opp.βαθύρριζος, Thphr.HP3.10.3, CP1.3.4, 5.9.8; ἀλγήματα μ. superficial pains, Hp.Aph.6.7; “τομαί” Id.Loc.Hom.13; πνεῦμα μ. shallow, not deep, Id.Epid.3.1.ζ́, Gal.7.946; -ότερον ἄσθμα more rapid breathing, Phld.Ir.p.27 W.; also μ. ὀχετοί open, surface drains, Arist.Ath.50.2, OGl483.62 (Pergam., ii B.C.).
II. = μετάρσιος, in mid-air, high in air, “ἀνακινῆσαί τινα μ.” Hdt.4.94; “ἆραί τινα μ.” Ar.Eq.1362; “μ. αἴρεσθαι” Id.Pax80; Ἀήρ, ὃς ἔχεις τὴν γῆν μ. poised on high, Id.Nu.264; “ἀφικνεῖ μ. ὑπ᾽ αὔρας” Cratin. 207; τὰ μ. χωρία the regions of air, Ar.Av.818, cf. 690; κρεμασθεὶς καὶ βλέπων μ. looking into mid-air, Pl.Tht.175d; of birds, “μ. ἀεὶ μένειν ἀδύνατον” Arist.IA714a21; of fish, “μ. πέτεσθαι” Id.HA535b28; μ. νεῖν swim near the surface, ib.602b22; τὰ μ. things in the heaven above, astronomical phenomena, Hp.VM1; οὐ γὰρ ἄν ποτε ἐξηῦρον ὀρθῶς τὰ μ. πράγματα, says Socrates, Ar.Nu.228, cf. 1284; τὰ μ. φροντιστής, of Socrates, Pl.Ap.18b; “ἀλαζονεύεται περὶ τῶν μ.” Eup.146b; “τὰ μ. καὶ τὰ ὑπὸ γῆς” Pl.Ap.23d, cf. Epicur.Ep.1p.27U., etc.: Comp., οἶσθα -ότερόν τι τῶν θεῶν; X.Smp.6.7. Adv. -ως Philostr.VA4.21.
2. on the high sea, of ships, “καθορῶσι τὰς . . ναῦς μ.” Th.1.48; “αἱ δὲ μ. ὥρμουν” Id.4.26; “μίαν ναῦν ἀπολλύασι μ.” Id.8.10; of persons, “ὅσοι μὴ μ. ἑάλωσαν” Id.7.71; “μ. πλεῖν” Str.2.3.4.
4. generally, unsettled, fermenting, undigested, “μ. καὶ ἄπεπτα καὶ ἄκρητα” Hp.VM19; inflated, “ὑποχόνδρια” Id.Aph.4.73.
III. metaph., of the mind, buoyed up, in suspense, “Ἑλλὰς ἅπασα μετέωρος ἦν” Th.2.8; “μετεώρῳ <τῇ> πόλει κινδυνεύειν” Id.6.10; “μ. ταῖς διανοίαις” Plb.3.107.6, etc.; μ. ταῖς ἐπιβολαῖς ἐπὶ πόλεμον eager for . . , Id.5.101.2; “πρὸς ἐλπίδας” Id.5.62.1; ἐπί τινος or τινι, Luc.Dem.Enc.28, Merc.Cond.15; “μ. πορεύῃ εἰς Ἀθήνας” Arr.Epict.3.24.75, cf. Jul.Or.3.122d; haughty, puffed up, Plb.3.82.2, LXX 2 Ki.22.28; “γαῦρος καὶ μ.” Luc.Nigr.5; μετέωρε 'proud one', AP5.20 (Rufin.); of style, inflated, opp. ὑψηλός (sublime), Longin.3.2: also in good sense, τὸ μ. καὶ πομπικόν (cf. 11.3) elevation of style, D.H.Is.19.
2. of conditions, uncertain, “τῶν πραγμάτων ὄντων μ.” D.19.122; “ὁπηνίκα ἂν τὰ τῆς βασιλείας μ. ᾖ” Hdn. 2.12.4; unsettled, “χρόνος μ. καὶ κινδυνώδης” Heph.Astr.2.28, cf. 33. Adv. -ρως“, ἔχειν” Plu.Cim.13.
3. of contracts, transactions, suits, etc., in suspense, pending, “δικαστήριον τὸ διαλῦσον τὰ μ. συμβόλαια” Supp.Epigr.1.363.9 (Samos, iii B.C.); “μ. οἰκονομίαι” POxy.238.1 (i A.D.), cf.PFay.116.12 (ii A.D.); “δίκη” Jul.Mis.368a; μετέωρα, τά, unfinished business, PRyl.144.10 (i A.D.).
