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ἀκμή

ἀκμή, a point, edge

ἀκμή, ἡ, (cf. ἀκή A)
  • point, edge: prov., ἐπὶ ξυροῦ ἀκμῆς on the razorʼs edge (v. sub ξυρόν); ἀ. φασγάνου, ὅπλων, Pi. P. 9.81, Plb. 15.16.3 (pl.); ὀδόντων Pi. N. 4.63, etc.; λόγχης ἀκμή E. Supp. 318; κερκίδων ἀκμαί S. Ant. 976; ἀμφιδέξιοι ἀ. both hands, Id. OT 1243; ποδοῖν ἀ. feet, ib. 1034; ἔμπυροι ἀκμαί pointed flames, E. Ph. 1255, cf. πυρὸς ἀκμαί Epicr. 6 codd.
    • II highest or culminating point of anything, flower, prime, zenith, esp. of manʼs age, ἀκμὴ ἥβης S. OT 741; ἐν τῇδε τοῦ κάλλους ἀκμῇ Cratin. 195; σώματός τε καὶ φρονήσεως Pl. R. 461a; μέτριος χρόνος ἀκμῆς 460e; ὀξυτάτη δρόμου ἀ. ibid.; ἀ. βίου X. Cyr. 7.2.20, etc.; ἐν ταύταις ταῖς ἀ. Isoc. 7.37; ἐν ἀκμῇ εἶναι, of corn, to be ripe, Th. 4.2; ἀκμὴν ἔχειν τῆς ἄνθης Pl. Phdr. 230b; τοσοῦτον τῆς ἀ. ὑστερῶν Isoc. Ep. 6.4; τῆς ἀ. λήγειν begin to decline, Pl. Smp. 219a:—in various relations, ἀ. ἦρος spring-prime, Pi. P. 4.64; ἀ. θέρους mid-summer, X. HG 5.3.19; βραχεῖα ἀ. πληρώματος Th. 7.14; ἀ. τοῦ ναυτικοῦ flower of their navy, Id. 8.46; ἀ. τῆς δόξης Id. 2.42; ἡ ἀ. τῆς Σπάρτης, τῶν νέων Demad. 12; ἀ. νούσου crisis of disease, Hp. Acut. 38:—generally, strength, vigour, ἐν χερὸς ἀκμᾷ Pi. O. 2.63, cf. A. Pers. 1060; ἀ. ποδῶν swiftness, Pi. I. 8(7).41, cf. A. Eu. 370; φρενῶν Pi. N. 3.39; συμπεσεῖν ἀκμᾷ βαρύς cj. Id. I. 4(3).51: periphr. like βία, ἀκμὴ Θησειδᾶν S. OC 1066.
      • 2 Rhet., ἀκμὴ λόγου supreme effort, culmination, climax, Hermog. Inv. 4.4, Id. 1.10; pl., ib. 11, cf. Philostr. VS 1.25.7.
    • III of Time, like καιρός, the time, i.e. best, most fitting time, freq. in Trag., ἡνίκʼ ἂν δὴ πρὸς γάμων ἥκητʼ ἀκμάς S. OT 1492; ἔργων, λόγων, ἕδρας ἀκμή time for doing, speaking, sitting still, Id. El. 22, Ph. 12, Aj. 811: c. inf., κοὐκέτʼ ἦν μέλλειν ἀ. A. Pers. 407, cf. Ag. 1353; ἀπηλλάχθαι δʼ ἀ. S. El. 1338; σοὶ . . ἀ. φιλοσοφεῖν Isoc. 1.3; ὁ καιρὸς ἔστʼ ἐπʼ αὐτῆς τῆς ἀκμῆς Ar. Pl. 256; ἐπʼ ἀκμῆς εἶναι, c. inf., to be on point of doing, E. Hel. 897; εἰς ἀκμὴν ἐλθὼν φίλοις in the nick of time, E. HF 532; ἐπʼ αὐτὴν ἥκει τὴν ἀκμήν it is come to the critical time, D. 4.41; ἀκμὴν εἴληφεν have reached a critical moment, Isoc. Ep. 1.1, cf. Plu. Sol. 12, 15, QConv. 656f.
    • IV eruption on face, Cass. Pr. 13, Aët. 7.110, 8.13 (f.l. ἀκνάς, whence mod. acne).

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