ῥόπτον

ῥόπτον

operating-table: neut nom /voc /acc sg

ῥόπτον

operating-table: neut nom /voc /acc sg

ῥόπτον, τό,

A operating-table, IG42(1).122.41 (Epid., iv B.C.).

Grammatical information: v.

Meaning: `to decline, to descend', esp. of the balance (scales), `to sway down, to turn out, to gain the upper hand', w. prefix also trans. `to lower, to let tilt' (Il.).

Other forms: Rare fut. ῥέψω and aor. ῥέψαι (IA.).

Compounds: Also w. prefix, e.g. ἐπι-, ἀντι-, κατα-.

Derivatives: 1. ῥοπή f. `lowering, tilting (of the scales), swing' (Alc., IA.), to which a.o. ἀντί-ρροπος `equipoising, counterweighing', also connected with ῥέπω (Att.), with ἀντιρροπ-ίη (v. l. -ή) f. `counterweight' (Hp.). 2. περί-ρρεψις f. `tilting' (Hp.). 3. ῥόπαλον n. `bludgeon, mace' (Il.) [but Chantraine, Form. 246 calls connection with ῥέπω doubtful; I think that the word is rather Pre-Greek]with ῥοπάλ-ιον n. (hell. inscr. a. pap.), - ωτός `equipped with a club-like rounding' (D. C.), - ώδης `(pulsing) like a club', of the pulse, - ωσις f. des. of a hairdisease (medic.), - ικός `club-like', as des. of a verse (gramm.), - ίζει στρέφει, κινεῖ ὡς ῥόπαλον H. with - ισμοί pl. (Ar. Lys.); on the meaning of ῥόπαλον cf. below. 4. ῥόπτρον n. `the wood in a trap, knocker, ring at the door, tamboutine' (Archil., Att.); with dissim. ῥόπτον meaning unclear (Epid. IV<sup>a</sup>), - τίον κλειδίον H. 5. περι-, ἐπι-, κατα-ρρεπής `tilting etc.' (IA.), ἑτερο-ρρεπής prop. "tilting to (one or) the other side", `indecisive, unbiased' (A. in lyr., Hp.). 6. ῥεπτικός `tilting' ( Stoik.).

Origin: XX [etym. unknown]

Etymology: Beside the full grade root-present ῥέπω one assumes as zero grade ῥάπτω, ῥαπίζω (IE *u̯rep-: u̯r̥p-?), also with lengthened grade ῥώψ, but see s.v. As the main semantic denominator one posits `turn (together), wind, bend', but it is impossible to indicate in every case the connections. For ῥέπω one would like to assume a meaning `bow (away) from the straight position, divert', first of the scales. A basic meaning `turn', from where `throw' (cf. Lat. torqueō `turn, throw') one wanted to find in ῥόπαλον, ῥόπτρον (cf. WP. 1, 276 with Curtius a.o.); for the in that case to be assumed meaning `throwing stick' (cf. καλαῦροψ) there is however not the slightest indication. A direct connection with ῥαπίζω, ῥαπίς (prop. `rod, staff'; Persson Beitr. 1, 499) lies formally farther than direct connection with ῥέπω, ῥοπή. So ῥόπαλον prop. "the (for the blow) lowered, falling down (club)" like ῥόπτρον of the wood falling down ? Cf. ξύλον καθῆκε (E. HF 993) of the on the head of a boy downcoming club of Heracles. -- Cf. ῥέμβομαι w. references.

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