ἐμβάλλω

Forms

ἐμβά̆λλω (embállō) ^[1] Homer has the unaugmented aorist ἔμβαλον and the future infinitive ἐμβαλέειν.^[2] The passive is mostly supplied by ἐμπίπτω (empíptō).^[3]

Etymology

It is formed from Ancient Greek ἐμ- (em-, “in, into”) + βάλλω (bállō, “to throw”).^[1][3] Inscriptions and papyri often spell it with the unassimilated prefix, ⟨ἐνβ-⟩.^[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

Homer uses it for throwing someone into the sea and for putting something into a place: a god lets a man fall into Achilles' hands, and a bit is put into a horse's mouth.^[3][2] The Iliad also speaks of “throwing” longing, strength or strife into people, that is, puts it into their minds.^[3][2]

Semantic evolution

Classical Greek used it for putting in all kinds of things: votes into an urn, a bar into a door, a word or a letter into a text in Plato.^[3] Hippocratic medicine used it for setting a dislocated limb, and Demosthenes for grafting a tree.^[3] Inscriptions use it for paying in money and for intercalating a month.^[3]

Used intransitively, with an army understood, it meant to invade, already in Aeschylus, and in general to burst in or to embark on something.^[3] In naval warfare it was the regular verb for ramming an enemy ship with the beak, as in Herodotus and Thucydides; the ram itself was the ἔμβολος (émbolos).^[3] In the New Testament it is used of being thrown into Gehenna.^[4] Today Modern Greek εμβάλλω (emvállo) is a learned verb, used mostly figuratively, for putting an idea or a suspicion into someone's head.^[5]

Timeline

• Homer – The Iliad uses it for throwing into the sea and for putting longing or strength into someone.^[3][2]
• 6th century BC – Theognis uses it for putting bridles on horses.^[3]
• 6th–5th century BC – Aeschylus uses it with an army as object for invading.^[3]
• 5th century BC – Herodotus uses it for ramming a ship.^[3]
• 5th century BC – The Hippocratic writings use it for setting a dislocated limb.^[3]
• 5th–4th century BC – Plato uses it for inserting a word or a letter.^[3]
• 4th century BC – Demosthenes uses the passive for grafting a tree.^[3]
• Modern Greek – εμβάλλω (emvállo) survives as a learned word.^[5]

Meanings

Verb

1. To throw in or into; to put someone into prison, into someone's hands, into misfortune.^[3][2][4]
2. To put a thing in or on: a bridle, reins, votes into an urn.^[3]
3. To put a feeling or thought into someone's mind, to inspire: longing, strength, strife.^[3][2]
4. To throw something at or upon someone.^[3]
5. (medicine) To set a broken or dislocated limb; to make an incision.^[3]
6. To graft a tree; to plant.^[3]
7. To insert a word or a letter.^[3]
8. To pay, contribute money.^[3]
9. To intercalate a month.^[3]
10. (intransitive) To invade; to attack.^[3]
11. (intransitive) To burst or rush in; to embark on something.^[3]
12. (naval) To ram a ship.^[3]
13. (of water) To dash against something.^[3]

Word family

• ἐμβολή (embolḗ)
• ἔμβολος (émbolos)

Related words

• βάλλω (bállō)
• ἐμπίπτω (empíptō)

References

1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g Rodríguez Adrados, Francisco, et al., eds. (1980–), Diccionario Griego-Español, Madrid: CSIC, http://dge.cchs.csic.es/xdge
3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z 27 28 29 Liddell, Henry George; Scott, Robert; Jones, Henry Stuart (1940), A Greek-English Lexicon, 9th ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press
4. ^ a b Bauer, Walter; Danker, Frederick W., et al. (2000), A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, 3rd ed., Chicago: University of Chicago Press
5. ^ a b Ινστιτούτο Νεοελληνικών Σπουδών (Ίδρυμα Μανόλη Τριανταφυλλίδη) (1998), Λεξικό της κοινής νεοελληνικής, Thessaloniki: Aristotle University of Thessaloniki