δάπτω

Forms

δᾰ́πτω (dáptō) ^[1] Future δάψω, aorist ἔδαψα, poetic and Pindaric δάψα.^[2][3]

Etymology

The origin is disputed.^[4] If δάπτω is built on a root δαπ- (dap-), it can be compared with Latin daps (“sacrificial meal”) and perhaps with Tocharian A tāp- (“to eat”), although a Tocharian /t/ from Indo-European /d/ is a difficulty.^[4][5] Further comparisons have been made with damnum (“expenditure, loss”), Old Norse tafn (“sacrificial animal, meal”) and Old Armenian տօն (tōn, “feast”).^[4][1] Chantraine sets this stem beside the Latin and Tocharian words and, without the labial, beside δατέομαι (datéomai); the DGE reconstructs a present *dapi̯ō from the zero grade of the root that it also finds in δαίομαι (daíomai) and δῆμος (dêmos).^[5][6] LIV lists a root Proto-Indo-European *deh₂p- (“to partition”).^[7] Beekes finds that the proposed cognates do not convince on the semantic side, and he considers a Pre-Greek origin for the stem, especially if δεῖπνον (deîpnon) belongs here.^[4] He rejects any link with Sanskrit दापयति (dāpayati, “to divide”), a productive Sanskrit causative.^[4]

The Etymologicum Magnum explains it as “to eat” and “to tear with the mouth”.^[8]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first found in Homer, of wild beasts that devour their prey, of fire consuming bodies and of a spear that tears flesh.^[3][2]

Semantic evolution

It stayed a poetic verb, which fell out of use and has few derivatives of its own.^[5] Pindar and Aeschylus use it of tearing one's cheeks in mourning, of moths and worms eating gold, and figuratively of envy or care that gnaws at a person.^[3][2] Empedocles has men devouring one another.^[2][3]

Its two important offshoots shifted from “devour” to “spend”: δαπάνη (dapánē, “cost, expenditure”), already in Hesiod, with the verb δαπανάω (dapanáō, “to spend”), and the adjective δαψιλής (dapsilḗs, “abundant”), formed on the aorist stem.^[4][5] Latin dapinō is a loan from δαπανάω.^[4] δαπάνη, δαπανηρός and δαπανῶ survive in Modern Greek.^[5]

Timeline

• Homer – The Iliad uses it of wolves rending a stag, of fire and of a spear.^[3][2]
• Before the 6th century BC – Hesiod has the derivative δαπάνη “expenditure”.^[4][5][6]
• 6th–5th century BC – Aeschylus uses it of a mourner tearing her cheek.^[2][3][6]
• 5th century BC – Empedocles uses it of people devouring one another.^[2][3][6]
• 4th century BC – Lycophron uses the agent noun δάπτης of gnats.^[5][6]

Meanings

Verb

1. Of wild beasts, to devour or rend prey.^[3][2]
2. Of fire, to consume.^[3][2]
3. Of a spear or a mourner's nails, to tear flesh.^[3][2]
4. (figurative) Of envy, grief or anxious thoughts, to gnaw at, torment a person.^[2][3]

Word family

• δαπάνη (dapánē)
• δαψιλής (dapsilḗs)
• διαδάπτω (diadáptō)
• καταδάπτω (katadáptō)
• ἀποδάπτω (apodáptō)
• δάπτης (dáptēs)
• δαπανάω (dapanáō)
• δαπανηρός (dapanērós)

Related words

• δαρδάπτω (dardáptō)
• Latin daps

References

1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Diggle, James, et al., eds. (2021), The Cambridge Greek Lexicon, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Liddell, Henry George; Scott, Robert; Jones, Henry Stuart (1940), A Greek-English Lexicon, 9th ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press
4. ^ a b c d e f g h Beekes, Robert S. P. (2010), Etymological Dictionary of Greek, with the assistance of Lucien van Beek, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 10, Leiden; Boston: Brill
5. ^ a b c d e f g Chantraine, Pierre (2009), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue grecque: histoire des mots, new ed. with a supplement (Chroniques d'étymologie grecque 1–10), Paris: Klincksieck
6. ^ a b c d e Rodríguez Adrados, Francisco, et al., eds. (1980–), Diccionario Griego-Español, Madrid: CSIC, http://dge.cchs.csic.es/xdge
7. ^ Rix, Helmut, et al. (2001), Lexikon der indogermanischen Verben, 2nd ed., Wiesbaden: Reichert
8. ^ Gaisford, Thomas, ed. (1848), Etymologicum Magnum, Oxford: Oxford University Press