πονέω in early Greek only as Dep. absol. to work hard, do work, suffer toil, Hom.; περὶ δόρπα πονέοντο were busied about their supper, Il.; so, πεπόνητο καθʼ ἵππους was busy with the horses, of a charioteer, Il. metaph. to be in distress, to distress oneself, Il.:— to suffer, be sick, Thuc. c. acc. to work hard at, to make or do with pains or care, Hom., Hes. after Hom., the act. form prevails intr. to toil, labour, Theogn., Hdt., Attic; μάτην π. to labour in vain, Soph.; c. acc., τὰ μηδὲν ὠφελοῦντα μὴ πόνει do not labour at things that profit not, Aesch. c. acc. cogn., π. πόνον, μόχθους to go through, suffer them, Trag.; also c. acc. partis, πονεῖν τὰ σκέλη Ar. absol. to labour, be hard-pressed, suffer, Thuc., Xen.: to be worn out, spoilt, Dem. Pass., impers., οὐκ ἄλλως αὐτοῖς πεπόνηται πεπονήκασι, Plat. trans., c. acc. pers. to afflict, distress, Pind.:—Pass. to be worn out, to suffer greatly, Soph., Thuc. Pass., also, to be trained or educated, Arist., Theocr. c. acc. rei, like ἐκπονεῖν, to gain by toil or labour, χρήματα Xen.: Pass. to be won or achieved by toil, Pind.