μή — Cambridge Greek Lexicon

μήneg.advIn gener., μή is used in expressing a neg. opinion, wish or command, by contrast w. οὐ, which is used to negate a fact or statement. The difference betw. the simple negs. holds true for their cpds. (οὐδέ, μηδέ, οὐδείς, μηδείς, etc.), and several of the cpds. in μη- are treated in the corresponding entries for οὐ-.For μὴ οὐ see below; for οὐ μή see under οὐ.Aw. individual wordsnegating a noun or adj., esp. w.art., in generalising phrs.notTrag.τὰ μὴ δίκαιαwhat is not justA. E. Plu.ὁ μὴ ἰατρόςthe man who is not a doctorPl.Bin independent clausesin a prohibition, 2sg.pl., usu. w.pres.imperatv. or aor.subj.notHom.μὴ βοηθήσητε τῷ πεπονθότι δεινά, μὴ εὐορκεῖτεdo not support the victim of maltreatment, do not keep your oathD.w. pres. or aor.inf. for imperatv.οἷς μὴ πελάζεινdo not go near themA.in an exhortation, 1 or 3sg.pl., w. pres. or aor.imperatv. or subj.Hom.μὴ λαθέτωlet it not escape noticePi. X.μὴ διώκωμενlet us not pursueHdt. in a wish, w.opt.Hom.ὃ μὴ τελέσειε Κρονίωνmay the son of Kronos not bring this aboutOd.in an unfulfilled wish, w. past tenses of indic.Hom.μὴ ὄφελον νικᾶνI wish I had not been victoriousOd.εἴθ’ ἐξ ἀγῶνος τήνδε μὴ ’λαβές ποτεI wish you had never won her in the competitionE.in an oath or asseveration, w.indic.Hom.μὰ τὴν Ἀφροδίτην ... μὴ ’γώ σ’ ἀφήσωby Aphrodite ... I shall not let you goAr.in a cautious statement, as if w. ellipse of an introductory vb. expressing apprehensionPl.μὴ ἀγροικότερον ᾖ τὸ ἀληθὲς εἰπεῖνI fear thatit may be too uncivil to speak the truthPl.in a q., usu. expecting a neg. answer, freq. after ἆρα or ἦ, w.indic.Hom.μή τί σοι δοκῶ ταρβεῖν;do I seem to you to be afraidi.e. I don't, do I?A.in a deliberative q., w.subj.τί μὴ ποήσω;what should I not do?S.colloq., w. ellipse of imperatv.μὴ σύ γεdon't do that!S. E. Pl.μή μοι πρόφασινno excuses!Ar. contradictoryμὴ ἀλλάμἀλλάnodon't say thatbutratherA. E.cj. Ar. Pl.ἄπελθε νύν μοι. —μἀλλά μοι δὸς ἓν μόνονPlease go away. —No, but give me just one thingAr. Cin dependent constructionsin final cls., w.subj. or opt., usu. after conj. ἵνα, ὅπως, ὄφρα, or sim.notHom.ὡς μὴ πάντες ὄλωνταιin order that all may not dieIl.without conj.ἀπόστιχε, μή τι νοήσῃ Ἥρηgo away, so that Hera does not notice anythingIl.in protasis of conditional cls., and in temporal cls. w. conditional senseHom.κάκιστ’ ἀπολοίμην, Ξανθίαν εἰ μὴ φιλῶmay I die in utter misery, if I don't love XanthiasAr.οὐκ ἔστι λαθεῖν ὅτε μὴ χρῄζων θεὸς ἐκκλέπτειit is not possible to hide, unless a willing god spirits one awayE.in relatv.cls. expressing a condition or generalityHom.ὃς δὲ μὴ εἶδέ κω τὴν καννάβιδαanyone who has not yet seen the hemp-plantHdt.in ptcpl.cls. expressing a condition, cause, generality, characteristic, or sim.οὐδείς, σάφ’ οἶδα, μὴ μάτην φλύσαι θέλωνno one, I am sure, unless wishing to talk empty nonsenseA.καὶ τίς πρὸς ἀνδρὸς μὴ βλέποντος ἄρκεσις;and what helpcan there befrom a man who cannot see?S.w.inf., as the regular neg.Hom.for οὐ w.inf. see οὐ C 5in indir.q. introduced by εἰ or εἴτεἤρετό με ... εἰ μὴ μέμνημαιhe asked me if I did not rememberAeschin.after vbs. of fear or apprehension, w.subj., opt. or indic.lest, that, in caseHom.δείδω μὴ δὴ πάντα θεὰ νημερτέα εἴπῃI fear that everything the goddess said may be trueOd.in indir.q., where fear or apprehension is impliedπερισκοπῶ μή πού τις ἡμῖν ἐγγὺς ἐγχρίμπτει βροτῶνI look around to see whether anyone is coming near meS.Dw. duplication or as pleonasmfollowed by cpd.neg.Hom.ὁμολογία γίγνεται ὥστε ... μὴ ἀποθανεῖν μηδέναan agreement is made that no one should be killedTh.pleon., w.inf., after vbs. of denying, doubting, disputingHom.ἠρνοῦντο μὴ πεπτωκέναιthey denied that they had fallenAr. μὴ οὐneg.advsw. separate force, after vbs. of fear or apprehensionHom.δείδω μὴ οὔ τίς τοι ὑπόσχηται τόδε ἔργονI fear that no one will undertake this task for youIl.see μή C 7 without introductory vb.μή νύ τοι οὐ χραίσμωσιν ὅσοι θεοί εἰσ’ ἐν ὈλύμπῳI fear thatall the gods on Olympos will not protect youIl.in a cautious statementἀλλὰ μὴ οὐ τοῦτ’ ᾖ χαλεπόνbutI suspect thatthis may not be difficultPl.see μή B 6w. single neg. force, after a neg. expressed or implied, w.inf.οὐκέτι ἀνεβάλλοντο μὴ οὐ τὸ πᾶν μηχανήσασθαιthey no longer hesitated to try every measureHdt.τί δῆτα μέλλει μὴ οὐ παρουσίαν ἔχειν;then why does he hesitate to show his presence?S.occas. w.ptcpl.δυσάλγητος γὰρ ἂν εἴην τοιάνδε μὴ οὐ κατοικτίρων ἕδρανI would be unfeeling if I did not pity such a supplicationS.exceptionally, w.sb.πόλεις ... χαλεπαὶ λαβεῖν ... μὴ οὐ χρόνῳ καὶ πολιορκίᾳcities difficulti.e. not easyto capture, except by a lengthy siegeD.

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Headword:

μή

Headword (normalized):

μή

Headword (normalized/stripped):

μη

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IDX:

26054

URN:

urn:cite2:scaife-viewer:dictionary-entries.atlas_v1:cambridge-greek-lexicon-26055

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Data

{
  "headword": "μή",
  "data": {
    "headword_display": "<b>μή</b>",
    "content": "<FE><HG><HL>μή</HL><PS>neg.adv</PS><FG><Case><Lbl>In gener., <Ref>μή</Ref> is used in expressing a neg. opinion, wish or command, by contrast w. <Ref>οὐ</Ref>, which is used to negate a fact or statement. The difference betw. the simple negs. holds true for their cpds. (<Ref>οὐδέ</Ref>, <Ref>μηδέ</Ref>, <Ref>οὐδείς</Ref>, <Ref>μηδείς</Ref>, etc.), and several of the cpds. in <Gr>μη-</Gr> are treated in the corresponding entries for <Gr>οὐ-</Gr>.</Lbl></Case><Case><Lbl>For <Gr>μὴ οὐ</Gr> see below; for <Gr>οὐ μή</Gr> see under <Ref>οὐ</Ref>.</Lbl></Case></FG></HG><NPS><Lbl><bold>A</bold></Lbl><FG><Tns><Lbl>w. individual words</Lbl></Tns></FG><advS1><Indic>negating a noun or adj., esp. w.art., in generalising phrs.</Indic><Tr>not</Tr><Au>Trag.<NBPlus/></Au><AdvPhr><Gr>τὰ μὴ δίκαια</Gr><TrPhr>what is not just</TrPhr><Au>A. E. Plu.</Au></AdvPhr><AdvPhr><Gr>ὁ μὴ ἰατρός</Gr><TrPhr>the man who is not a doctor</TrPhr><Au>Pl.</Au></AdvPhr></advS1></NPS><NPS><Lbl><bold>B</bold></Lbl><FG><Tns><Lbl>in independent clauses</Lbl></Tns></FG><advS1><Indic>in a prohibition, 2sg.pl., usu. w.pres.imperatv. or aor.subj.</Indic><Tr>not</Tr><Au>Hom.<NBPlus/></Au><AdvPhr><Gr>μὴ βοηθήσητε τῷ πεπονθότι δεινά, μὴ εὐορκεῖτε</Gr><TrPhr>do not support the victim of maltreatment, do not keep your oath</TrPhr><Au>D.</Au></AdvPhr><advS2><Indic>w. pres. or aor.inf. for imperatv.</Indic><AdvPhr><Gr>οἷς μὴ πελάζειν</Gr><TrPhr>do not go near them</TrPhr><Au>A.</Au></AdvPhr></advS2></advS1><advS1><Indic>in an exhortation, 1 or 3sg.pl., w. pres. or aor.imperatv. or subj.</Indic><Au>Hom.<NBPlus/></Au><AdvPhr><Gr>μὴ λαθέτω</Gr><TrPhr>let it not escape notice</TrPhr><Au>Pi. X.</Au></AdvPhr><AdvPhr><Gr>μὴ διώκωμεν</Gr><TrPhr>let us not pursue</TrPhr><Au>Hdt.</Au></AdvPhr></advS1> <advS1><Indic>in a wish, w.opt.</Indic><Au>Hom.<NBPlus/></Au><AdvPhr><Gr>ὃ μὴ τελέσειε Κρονίων</Gr><TrPhr>may the son of Kronos not bring this about</TrPhr><Au>Od.</Au></AdvPhr></advS1><advS1><Indic>in an unfulfilled wish, w. past tenses of indic.</Indic><Au>Hom.<NBPlus/></Au><AdvPhr><Gr>μὴ ὄφελον νικᾶν</Gr><TrPhr>I wish I had not been victorious</TrPhr><Au>Od.</Au></AdvPhr><AdvPhr><Gr>εἴθ’ ἐξ ἀγῶνος τήνδε μὴ ’λαβές ποτε</Gr><TrPhr>I wish you had never won her in the competition</TrPhr><Au>E.</Au></AdvPhr></advS1><advS1><Indic>in an oath or asseveration, w.indic.</Indic><Au>Hom.<NBPlus/></Au><AdvPhr><Gr>μὰ τὴν Ἀφροδίτην ... μὴ ’γώ σ’ ἀφήσω</Gr><TrPhr>by Aphrodite ... I shall not let you go</TrPhr><Au>Ar.</Au></AdvPhr></advS1><advS1><Indic>in a cautious statement, as if w. ellipse of an introductory vb. expressing apprehension</Indic><Au>Pl.<NBPlus/></Au><AdvPhr><Gr>μὴ ἀγροικότερον ᾖ τὸ ἀληθὲς εἰπεῖν</Gr><TrPhr><Indic><ital>I fear that</ital></Indic>it may be too uncivil to speak the truth</TrPhr><Au>Pl.</Au></AdvPhr></advS1><advS1><Indic>in a q., usu. expecting a neg. answer, freq. after <Ref>ἆρα</Ref> or <Ref>ἦ</Ref>, w.indic.</Indic><Au>Hom.<NBPlus/></Au><AdvPhr><Gr>μή τί σοι δοκῶ ταρβεῖν;</Gr><TrPhr>do I seem to you to be afraid<Expl>i.e. I don't, do I</Expl>?</TrPhr><Au>A.</Au></AdvPhr></advS1><advS1><Indic>in a deliberative q., w.subj.</Indic><AdvPhr><Gr>τί μὴ ποήσω;</Gr><TrPhr>what should I not do?</TrPhr><Au>S.</Au></AdvPhr></advS1><advS1><Indic>colloq., w. ellipse of imperatv.</Indic><AdvPhr><Gr>μὴ σύ γε</Gr><TrPhr>don't do that!</TrPhr><Au>S. E. Pl.<NBPlus/></Au></AdvPhr><AdvPhr><Gr>μή μοι πρόφασιν</Gr><TrPhr>no excuses!</TrPhr><Au>Ar.</Au></AdvPhr></advS1> <advS1><Phr><Indic>contradictory</Indic><Gr>μὴ ἀλλά<Expl><Gr>μἀλλά</Gr></Expl></Gr><TrPhr>no<Prnth>don't say that</Prnth>but<Expl>rather</Expl></TrPhr><Au>A. E.<LblR>cj.</LblR> Ar. Pl.</Au></Phr><AdvPhr><Gr>ἄπελθε νύν μοι. —μἀλλά μοι δὸς ἓν μόνον</Gr><TrPhr>Please go away. —No, but give me just one thing</TrPhr><Au>Ar.</Au></AdvPhr></advS1></NPS> <NPS><Lbl><bold>C</bold></Lbl><FG><Tns><Lbl>in dependent constructions</Lbl></Tns></FG><advS1><Indic>in final cls., w.subj. or opt., usu. after conj. <Ref>ἵνα</Ref>, <Ref>ὅπως</Ref>, <Ref>ὄφρα</Ref>, or sim.</Indic><Tr>not</Tr><Au>Hom.<NBPlus/></Au><AdvPhr><Gr>ὡς μὴ πάντες ὄλωνται</Gr><TrPhr>in order that all may not die</TrPhr><Au>Il.</Au></AdvPhr><AdvPhr><Indic>without conj.</Indic><Gr>ἀπόστιχε, μή τι νοήσῃ Ἥρη</Gr><TrPhr>go away, so that Hera does not notice anything</TrPhr><Au>Il.</Au></AdvPhr></advS1><advS1><Indic>in protasis of conditional cls., and in temporal cls. w. conditional sense</Indic><Au>Hom.<NBPlus/></Au><AdvPhr><Gr>κάκιστ’ ἀπολοίμην, Ξανθίαν εἰ μὴ φιλῶ</Gr><TrPhr>may I die in utter misery, if I don't love Xanthias</TrPhr><Au>Ar.</Au></AdvPhr><AdvPhr><Gr>οὐκ ἔστι λαθεῖν ὅτε μὴ χρῄζων θεὸς ἐκκλέπτει</Gr><TrPhr>it is not possible to hide, unless a willing god spirits one away</TrPhr><Au>E.</Au></AdvPhr></advS1><advS1><Indic>in relatv.cls. expressing a condition or generality</Indic><Au>Hom.<NBPlus/></Au><AdvPhr><Gr>ὃς δὲ μὴ εἶδέ κω τὴν καννάβιδα</Gr><TrPhr>anyone who has not yet seen the hemp-plant</TrPhr><Au>Hdt.</Au></AdvPhr></advS1><advS1><Indic>in ptcpl.cls. expressing a condition, cause, generality, characteristic, or sim.</Indic><AdvPhr><Gr>οὐδείς, σάφ’ οἶδα, μὴ μάτην φλύσαι θέλων</Gr><TrPhr>no one, I am sure, unless wishing to talk empty nonsense</TrPhr><Au>A.</Au></AdvPhr><AdvPhr><Gr>καὶ τίς πρὸς ἀνδρὸς μὴ βλέποντος ἄρκεσις;</Gr><TrPhr>and what help<Prnth>can there be</Prnth>from a man who cannot see?</TrPhr><Au>S.</Au></AdvPhr></advS1><advS1><Indic>w.inf., as the regular neg.</Indic><Au>Hom.<NBPlus/></Au><XR>for <Ref>οὐ</Ref> w.inf. see <Ref>οὐ</Ref> C 5</XR></advS1><advS1><Indic>in indir.q. introduced by <Ref>εἰ</Ref> or <Ref>εἴτε</Ref></Indic><AdvPhr><Gr>ἤρετό με ... εἰ μὴ μέμνημαι</Gr><TrPhr>he asked me if I did not remember</TrPhr><Au>Aeschin.</Au></AdvPhr></advS1><advS1><Indic>after vbs. of fear or apprehension, w.subj., opt. or indic.</Indic><Tr>lest, that, in case</Tr><Au>Hom.<NBPlus/></Au><AdvPhr><Gr>δείδω μὴ δὴ πάντα θεὰ νημερτέα εἴπῃ</Gr><TrPhr>I fear that everything the goddess said may be true</TrPhr><Au>Od.</Au></AdvPhr></advS1><advS1><Indic>in indir.q., where fear or apprehension is implied</Indic><AdvPhr><Gr>περισκοπῶ μή πού τις ἡμῖν ἐγγὺς ἐγχρίμπτει βροτῶν</Gr><TrPhr>I look around to see whether anyone is coming near me</TrPhr><Au>S.</Au></AdvPhr></advS1></NPS><NPS><Lbl><bold>D</bold></Lbl><FG><Tns><Lbl>w. duplication or as pleonasm</Lbl></Tns></FG><advS1><Indic>followed by cpd.neg.</Indic><Au>Hom.<NBPlus/></Au><AdvPhr><Gr>ὁμολογία γίγνεται ὥστε ... μὴ ἀποθανεῖν μηδένα</Gr><TrPhr>an agreement is made that no one should be killed</TrPhr><Au>Th.</Au></AdvPhr></advS1><advS1><Indic>pleon., w.inf., after vbs. of denying, doubting, disputing</Indic><Au>Hom.<NBPlus/></Au><AdvPhr><Gr>ἠρνοῦντο μὴ πεπτωκέναι</Gr><TrPhr>they denied that they had fallen</TrPhr><Au>Ar.</Au></AdvPhr></advS1></NPS> <Adv><vHG><HL>μὴ οὐ</HL><PS>neg.advs</PS></vHG><advS1><Indic>w. separate force, after vbs. of fear or apprehension</Indic><Au>Hom.<NBPlus/></Au><AdvPhr><Gr>δείδω μὴ οὔ τίς τοι ὑπόσχηται τόδε ἔργον</Gr><TrPhr>I fear that no one will undertake this task for you</TrPhr><Au>Il.</Au></AdvPhr><XR>see <Ref>μή</Ref> C 7</XR></advS1> <advS1><Indic>without introductory vb.</Indic><AdvPhr><Gr>μή νύ τοι οὐ χραίσμωσιν ὅσοι θεοί εἰσ’ ἐν Ὀλύμπῳ</Gr><TrPhr><Indic><ital>I fear that</ital></Indic>all the gods on Olympos will not protect you</TrPhr><Au>Il.</Au></AdvPhr><AdvPhr><Indic>in a cautious statement</Indic><Gr>ἀλλὰ μὴ οὐ τοῦτ’ ᾖ χαλεπόν</Gr><TrPhr>but<Prnth>I suspect that</Prnth>this may not be difficult</TrPhr><Au>Pl.</Au></AdvPhr><XR>see <Ref>μή</Ref> B 6</XR></advS1><advS1><Indic>w. single neg. force, after a neg. expressed or implied, w.inf.</Indic><AdvPhr><Gr>οὐκέτι ἀνεβάλλοντο μὴ οὐ τὸ πᾶν μηχανήσασθαι</Gr><TrPhr>they no longer hesitated to try every measure</TrPhr><Au>Hdt.</Au></AdvPhr><AdvPhr><Gr>τί δῆτα μέλλει μὴ οὐ παρουσίαν ἔχειν;</Gr><TrPhr>then why does he hesitate to show his presence?</TrPhr><Au>S.</Au></AdvPhr><advS2><Indic>occas. w.ptcpl.</Indic><AdvPhr><Gr>δυσάλγητος γὰρ ἂν εἴην τοιάνδε μὴ οὐ κατοικτίρων ἕδραν</Gr><TrPhr>I would be unfeeling if I did not pity such a supplication</TrPhr><Au>S.</Au></AdvPhr><Phr><Indic>exceptionally, w.sb.</Indic><Gr>πόλεις ... χαλεπαὶ λαβεῖν ... μὴ οὐ χρόνῳ καὶ πολιορκίᾳ</Gr><TrPhr>cities difficult<Prnth>i.e. not easy</Prnth>to capture, except by a lengthy siege</TrPhr><Au>D.</Au></Phr></advS2></advS1> </Adv> </FE>",
    "key": "μή"
  },
  "senses": [],
  "citations": [],
  "urn": "urn:cite2:scaife-viewer:dictionary-entries.atlas_v1:cambridge-greek-lexicon-26055"
}