δέω

δέω¹ bind

Pronunciation

• 5th-century BC Attic: /dé.ɔː/^[4]
• 4th-century AD Koine: /ˈðe.o/^[4]
• 10th-century Byzantine: /ˈðe.o/^[4]

Forms

δέω (déō) ^[4] Reduplicated present δίδημι (dídēmi) in Homer and Boeotian.^[5][3] Mycenaean perfect participle Mycenaean Greek de-de-me-no bound, tied.^[6][7]

Etymology

The verb for “to bind” is inherited from Proto-Hellenic *déyō,^[4] inherited from Proto-Indo-European *dh₁yéti, from the root Proto-Indo-European *deh₁- (“to bind”).^[4][1][5] The vowel ⟨ε⟩ of δέω, δετός (detós, “bound”) and δέσις (désis) is the zero grade *dh₁-, beside the full grade of the future δήσω (dḗsō) and the aorist ἔδησα (édēsa).^[1][8] The reduplicated present δίδημι (dídēmi) is probably a new formation on the model of τίθημι (títhēmi), though LIV counts it as a fairly old one.^[1][8][5]

Cognate with Sanskrit द्यति (dyati, “binds”) and Albanian duaj (“sheaf”), and Sanskrit also has a participle “bound” and a noun “band” that match the verbal adjective and the second part of ὑπόδημα (hupódēma).^[1][8][4][6]

Earliest recorded meaning

Mycenaean tablets from Pylos and Knossos already have the perfect participle, “bound, fastened”.^[7][6] In Homer it means to tie something in place, to bind sheaves, to tether, and to put someone in bonds.^[9][3]

Semantic evolution

From Homer on it was the ordinary verb for tying and fettering: Hephaestus binds Ares in his net in the Odyssey, and in Attic law it meant to put in prison.^[2][3] It was used figuratively of a tongue bound by poverty or a soul bound by grief, and later of binding by spells, which the curse tablets record.^[2][3] In the middle it meant to tie something on oneself, sandals for instance, and Hippocratic medicine used it for bracing the body.^[2]

In the New Testament it is used of tying things and of binding and imprisoning people, and figuratively in Luke of a crippled woman “whom Satan had bound”.^[10][11] Many derivatives come from it: δεσμός (desmós, “bond”), διάδημα (diádēma, “diadem”) and ὑπόδημα (hupódēma, “sandal”).^[1][8]

The modern verb δένω (déno) was made in medieval or late Greek from the aorist ἔδησα, as φθάνω (ftháno) stands beside ἔφθασα.^[12][13]

Timeline

• Mycenaean period – Tablets from Pylos and Knossos record the participle Mycenaean Greek de-de-me-no.^[7][6]
• Homer – The Iliad uses it of tying yokes and sheaves and of binding captives.^[9][3]
• 5th century BC – Thucydides and the orators use it of imprisonment.^[3][2]
• 1st century AD – The New Testament uses it of binding prisoners and of a sick woman bound by Satan.^[10]
• Byzantine period – The new present δένω (déno) replaces δέω.^[12][13]

Meanings

Verb

1. To bind, tie, fasten: sheaves, blocks of stone, a rope to something.^[3][2]
2. To tether an animal or moor a ship.^[3]
3. To put in bonds, fetter; to imprison.^[3][2]
4. (figurative) To bind, enchain; later, to bind by spells.^[2][3]
5. With the genitive: to hinder someone from something.^[2][3]
6. (medicine) To brace up, harden.^[2]
7. (middle) To tie on oneself, put on: sandals, greaves.^[2]

Word family

• ἄδετος (ádetos)
• ἀμαλλοδετήρ (amallodetḗr)
• ἀμφιδέω (amphidéō)
• ἀναδέω (anadéō)
• δέμα (déma)
• δέσις (désis)
• δεσμός (desmós)
• διαδέω (diadéō)
• ἐκδέω (ekdéō)
• ὑπόδημα (hupódēma)
• διάδημα (diádēma)
• δεσμώτης (desmṓtēs)

δέω² lack, need

Pronunciation

• 5th-century BC Attic: /dé.ɔː/^[4]
• 4th-century AD Koine: /ˈðe.o/^[4]
• 10th-century Byzantine: /ˈðe.o/^[4]

Forms

δέω (déō) ^[4] Aeolic and epic δεύω (deúō), δεύομαι (deúomai); impersonal δεῖ (deî).^[1][8]

Etymology

The verb for “to lack” is probably inherited, from a root Proto-Indo-European *dew(s)- (“to miss, want, need”).^[1][4] The forms δέω and Homeric δεύω (deúō) may go back to *δέϝω (*déwō), but are more probably the regular outcome of *δεύσω (*deúsō), and LIV prefers *dews- because of the Aeolic ⟨υ⟩.^[1][5][4] With the ⟨s⟩ it could be related to Sanskrit दोष (doṣa, “lack, fault”), but Mayrhofer and LIV doubt this, since that word belongs to a Vedic family meaning “to spoil”.^[1][5][8] Beekes adds that δυσ- (dus-) may belong here, and Chantraine that δεύτερος (deúteros, “second”) may be a new formation on that verb.^[1][8][5] Chantraine gives the original sense as “lack, inferiority”.^[8]

Earliest recorded meaning

Homer uses this verb almost only in the forms δεύω and δεύομαι, “to lack, fall short”; the Iliad once has the aorist δῆσεν, a doubtful reading.^[2][1][8] The impersonal δεῖ (deî) “it is necessary” first appears in the Iliad (9.337).^[8]

Semantic evolution

In Attic the active meant “to lack, be far from”, above all in the set phrases πολλοῦ δέω “I am far from”, μικροῦ δέω “I nearly”, and in numbers such as “forty lacking two” for thirty-eight.^[2][3] The middle δέομαι meant “to need” and, with the genitive of the person, “to beg, ask”.^[2][8]

The impersonal δεῖ (deî), from the sense “need”, came to mean “it is necessary” and gradually won out over χρή (khrḗ).^[8] Wiktionary, by contrast, takes δεῖ from δέω “to bind”.^[4] Derivatives include δέησις (déēsis, “need, request”) and ἔνδεια (éndeia, “want”).^[1]

In the Septuagint and the New Testament δέομαι is the verb of prayer and entreaty.^[10][14] Medieval Greek kept the middle in the sense “to ask, beg”.^[15][16]

Timeline

• Homer – The Iliad uses δεύομαι “to lack” and has the first impersonal δεῖ.^[8][2]
• 5th century BC – Herodotus uses δέομαι for “to need” and “to beg”.^[2]
• 5th–4th century BC – Plato uses πολλοῦ δέω “I am far from”.^[2][3]
• 1st century AD – The New Testament uses δέομαι of prayer and entreaty.^[10]
• 1100–1669 – Vernacular Greek uses the middle for “to ask, beg”.^[15][16]

Meanings

Verb

1. To lack, miss, be in need of, with the genitive.^[2][3]
2. With πολλοῦ, μικροῦ, παντός: to be far from (doing), to come near (doing).^[3][2]
3. (participle) Lacking, in numbers: δυοῖν δέοντα τεσσεράκοντα, “forty lacking two”, thirty-eight.^[2]
4. (participle, as an adjective) Fitting, proper.^[2]
5. (middle) To be in want; to need, require, with the genitive.^[2][8]
6. (middle) To beg, ask a thing of someone, and in the Koine to pray.^[2][10]
7. (impersonal δεῖ (deî)) It is necessary; there is need of.^[3][8]

Word family

• δεῖ (deî)
• δέησις (déēsis)
• δεητικός (deētikós)
• ἐνδεής (endeḗs)
• ἔνδεια (éndeia)
• ἐπιδεής (epideḗs)