κάθομαι

Ancient Greek

Alternative forms

Etymology

Medieval verb of the 10th century in synchronic use with Ancient Greek κάθημαι (káthēmai, to sit, to sit down, to be idle).[1]

Pronunciation

 

Verb

κάθομαι • (káthomai)

  1. (Ancient Greek)
  2. (Byzantine)
    1. to sit or be at a place
    2. to stay, reside, to be at a place
    3. to remain at a place
    4. (military) to camp
    5. to be at a state, condition of
      • 16th.17th century Θρῆνος τῶν τεσσάρων Πατριαρχείων. [Lament of the four Patriarchates] Ed: Karl Krumbacher.
        κάθομαι εἰς λύπηνkáthomai eis lúpēnI am sad (literally, “I sit in sadness)”)
    6. to associate with people
      • 12th century Σπανέας. [Spaneas] B.212. (didactic poem in the vernacular)
        ὅταν μέ φίλους κάθεσαι, μνήσκου τούς ἀποδήμους
        hótan mé phílous káthesai, mnḗskou toús apodḗmous
        when you are among friends, remember the ones absent (who are at far away places)
    7. to be occupied with
      • 12th century Σπανέας. [Spaneas] Α.45. (didactic poem in the vernacular)
        κάθου κι ἀνάγνωθέ τους
        káthou ki anágnōthé tous
        (please add an English translation of this usage example)
        (literally, “sit and read to them”)
    8. to remain idle
      • 15th century Λεόντιος Mαχαιρᾶς [Leontios Machaeras], Ἐξήγησις τῆς γλυκείας χώρας Kύπρου... 36815. Ed. R.M. Dawkins, Recital concerning the sweet land of Cyprus entitled “Chronicle”, Oxford 1932
        νά κουρσεύγουν τό νησίν κι ἐμείς νά καθούμεθαν
        ná kourseúgoun tó nēsín ki emeís ná kathoúmethan
        they plunder the island and us; we’re sitting idle

Derived terms

  • κάθοντας (káthontas, while sitting) (passive present participle, indeclinable)
  • κατακείτομαι (katakeítomai, to be comfortably lying)

Descendants

  • Greek: κάθομαι (káthomai)

References

  1. ^ κάθομαιKriaras, Emmanuel (1969-) Επιτομή του Λεξικού της Μεσαιωνικής Ελληνικής Δημώδους Γραμματείας (Epitomí tou Lexikoú tis Mesaionikís Ellinikís Dimódous Grammateías) [Concise Dictionary of the Kriaras' Dictionary of Medieval Vulgar Greek Literature (1100–1669) Vols. 1–14. Vols 15- under I. Kazazes.)] (in Greek), Thessaloniki: Centre for the Greek language Online edition (abbreviations) Printed edition 2022: 22 vols.)

Greek

Alternative forms

  • κάθουμαι (káthoumai) (idiomatic)

Etymology

Inherited from Byzantine Greek κάθομαι (I stay, reside) from Ancient Greek κάθημαι (káthēmai, to sit, to sit down, to be idle).[1]

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈkaθome/
  • Hyphenation: κά‧θο‧μαι

Verb

κάθομαι • (káthomai) deponent (past κάθισα/έκατσα)

  1. (at space) to sit, sit down
    1. to remain standing
      Synonyms: στέκομαι (stékomai), στήνομαι (stínomai)
    2. to stay, reside
  2. (of activity, state of mind)
    1. (+ να) to be occupied with
    2. to remain idle, to be bored, doing nothing
    3. to accept, be patient
  3. to retreat, to become sedimented (of things)
    Synonyms: καθιζάνω (kathizáno), κατακάθομαι (katakáthomai)
  4. (idiomatic) to be of less efficiency, worsened results
  5. (idiomatic) to happen by fluke

Conjugation

Synonyms

  See definitions

Derived terms

Derived terms from κάθομαι
  • καθήμενος (kathímenos, seated) (archaic passive present participle) & derivatives
  • καθισμένος (kathisménos, passive perfect participle)
  • κάθοντας (káthontas, passive present participle, indeclinable)
  • καθούμενα (kathoúmena, idiomatic passive present participle plural) (in expression στα καλά καθούμενα (sta kalá kathoúmena))
Derived compounds:
  • ανακάθομαι (anakáthomai, to sit up)
  • επικάθομαι (epikáthomai, to lie upon something) & επικάθημαι (epikáthimai)
  • καλοκάθομαι (kalokáthomai, remain comfortably, more time than expected)
  • κατακάθομαι (katakáthomai, to retreat, become sediment)
  • παρακάθομαι (parakáthomai, sit in formal dinner, remain more time than expected)
  • στρογγυλοκάθομαι (strongylokáthomai, remain more time than expected in annoying way)

Derived expressions:
  • κάθομαι με σταυρωμένα χέρια (káthomai me stavroména chéria, to sit on one's hands, literally to sit with crossed arms)
  • κάθομαι σ’ αναμμένα κάρβουνα (káthomai s’ anamména kárvouna, await anxiously, literally to sit on hot coals)
  • κάθομαι στ’ αβγά μου (káthomai st’ avgá mou, to not interfere, literally to sit on one's eggs)
  • κάθομαι στ’ αγκάθια (káthomai st’ agkáthia, await anxiously, literally to sit on thorns)
  • κάθομαι στα καρφιά (káthomai sta karfiá, await anxiously, literally to sit on nails)
  • κάθομαι στο λαιμό (káthomai sto laimó, cannot be tolareted, literally sit on the throat)
  • κάθομαι στο σβέρκο (káthomai sto svérko, to suppress, literally sit on the neck)
  • κάθομαι στο σκαμνί (káthomai sto skamní, to answer, be accountable, literally to sit on the stool)
  • κάθομαι στο στομάχι (káthomai sto stomáchi, to be disliked, not tolerated, literally sit on the stomach)
  • κάτσε να δεις (kátse na deis, pay attention and understand!, literally sit and see!)
  • όχι, θα κάτσω να σκάσω (óchi, tha kátso na skáso, no, I will not give damn, literally no, I will not sit to explode)
  • σήκω σήκω, κάτσε κάτσε (síko síko, kátse kátse, handling an obsequious person, literally stand! stand! sit! sit!)
  • στα καλά καθούμενα (sta kalá kathoúmena, opposite to expected, literally (when) all was standing well)

References

  1. ^ κάθομαι, in Λεξικό της κοινής νεοελληνικής [Dictionary of Standard Modern Greek], Triantafyllidis Foundation, 1998 at the Centre for the Greek language