βᾰφ-ή (baphe)

Where it lives

Agamemnon 3 · 3.7/10k
Libation Bearers 1 · 1.86/10k
De Sensu et Sensibilibus 1 · 1.28/10k
Heracles 1 · 1.28/10k
Judices (cod. Al.) 1 · 0.68/10k
Meditations 1 · 0.34/10k
Republic 2 · 0.23/10k
Politics 1 · 0.15/10k

What it meant — LSJ

dipping, temper, edge, produced thereby, their edge, temper

dipping of red-hot iron in water, S. Aj. 651: hence, temper or edge of a blade or tool produced thereby, τὴν β. ἀφιᾶσιν ὥσπερ ὁ σίδηρος εἰρήνην ἄγοντες Arist. Pol. 1334a8, cf. Plu. Alex. 32, Pyrrh. 24; τὰ σιδήρια τὴν β. ἀνίησι lose their edge, Thphr. HP 5.3.3, cf. CP 1.22.6; χαλκοῦ βαφαί prob. poet. for σιδήρου β. in A. Ag. 612 (v. Sch. ad loc., but cf. βάψις): metaph., temper, τῆς ἀνδρείας οἷον β. τις ὁ θυμός ἐστι καὶ στόμωμα Plu. Bruta anim. 2.988d; of wine, ib. QConv. 650b.

II dye, dyed robe, the arrows dipped

dye, Thphr. HP 4.6.5; πορφυρᾶ β. A. Pers. 317 (metaph. of blood), cf. Pl. R. 430a; κρόκου βαφάς the saffron-dyed robe, A. Ag. 239 (lyr.); βαφαὶ ὕδρας the arrows dipped in the hydraʼs blood, E. HF 1188 (lyr.); χειλέων β. Philostr. Ep. 22: metaph., β. τυραννίδος Plu. Max. cum princip. 2.779c.

III enamelling

enamelling, χαλκοῦ . . βαφῇ κυάνου στίλβοντος ib. Pyth. 395b.

2 gilding, silvering

gilding, silvering, αἱ δύο β. Zos.Alch. p.168B., cf. p.208B.

IV infection

infection, Aret. CD 2.13.

In the wild

βαφὰς · baphas Aeschylus, Agamemnon 239–248
βαφάς · baphas Aeschylus, Agamemnon 611–612
βαφάς · baphas Aeschylus, Agamemnon 959–960
βαφὰς · baphas Aeschylus, Libation Bearers 1012–1013
βαφή · baphē Aristotle, De Sensu et Sensibilibus (DIORISIS sentence 154)
βαφὴν · baphēn Aristotle, Politics 1334a (DIORISIS sentence 2863)

6 of 11 attestations shown. Ask for more.

Where it came from

No etymology authority pointer is recorded for this lemma yet — an honest gap, not an omission. The etymological dictionaries (Beekes, Chantraine, Frisk) are matched incrementally.

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