σκέλλω

Ancient Greek

Etymology

From Proto-Indo-European *(s)kelh₁- (to parch, wither), related to English shallow, German schal (faint, vapid).[1]

Pronunciation

 

Verb

σκέλλω • (skéllō)

  1. to dry up; to parch
    • 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 23.190-191:
      μὴ ... μένος ἠελίοιο σκήλει᾽ ἀμφὶ περὶ χρόα ἴνεσιν ἠδὲ μέλεσσιν
      mḕ ... ménos ēelíoio skḗlei’ amphì perì khróa ínesin ēdè mélessin
      lest the might of the sun should shrivel his flesh round about on his sinews and limbs

Usage notes

The verb can be used in both transitive and intransitive constructions (generally active vs. passive forms resp.), but the active perfect form has a passive meaning: I am dried up, parched

Conjugation

Derived terms

References

  1. ^ Beekes, Robert S. P. (2010) “σκέλλομαι”, in Etymological Dictionary of Greek (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 10), with the assistance of Lucien van Beek, Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, pages 1345-6

Further reading