νείφω

νείφω, fut. νείψω Epic. ap. Plu. Frig. 2.949b: aor. ἔνειψα (κατ-) Ar. Ach. 138:—Pass. (v. infr.), aor. ἐνείφθην (κατ-) D.H. 12.8:—

• snow, sts. person., ὅτε ὤρετο Ζεὺς νειφέμεν (Ep. inf.) Il. 12.280; ὅταν νείφῃ ὁ θεός X. Cyn. 8.1; ἔνειφεν ὁ Ζεύς Babr. 45; imper. νεῖφε (sc. Ζεῦ) AP 5.63 (Asclep.); ὁπόταν σχολάζῃς, νεῖψον Pherecr. 20: metaph., χρυσῷ νείφων falling in a shower of gold, Pi. I. 7(6).5.
• • • 2 impers., νείφει it snows, Ar. Ach. 1141, cf. V. 773; νειφέτω ἀλφίτοις let it snow with barley-meal, Nicopho 13.
    • 3 Med. = Act., νιφάδος νειφομένας when the snow is falling, A. Th. 213 (lyr.); also ὑρίχους νειφομένους σύκων ὁμοῦ τε μύρτων Ar. Fr. 569.5.
    • 4 Pass., to be snowed on, Hdt. 4.31, Ar. Ach. 1075, X. HG 2.4.3, Plb. 16.12.3; χιόνι πολλῇ νείφεται D.S. 5.25: metaph., πολιῷ γήραϊ νειφόμενος AP 6.198 (Antip. Thess.); Παναθηναίοισιν ἐλαίου νειφόμενον δώροις Inscr.Cos 58.10.
  • II rain, Nonn. D. 22.283:—Pass., to be rained on, τῶν ὑπὲρ Μέμφιν μηδὲ νειφομένων παράπαν Ph. 2.99.
  • III trans., θεὸς ν. τροφὰς ἀπʼ οὐρανοῦ Id. 1.617:—Pass., τὸ νειφόμενον, i.e. manna, Id. 2.114. [νίφω, ἔνιψα, etc. (μακρὰ ἡ πρώτη συλλαβή Phot.) freq. in codd., but the true early spelling is νείφω, ἔνειψα, etc., Inscr.Cos l.c., Hdn.Gr. 2.430, 554, sts. in codd., as Nicopho l.c.; νιφ- is correct in derivs., which have short ι.] (I.-E. sneigṷh- and snǐgṷh-, cf. Lat. nix, nivis, ninguit, Lith. sniẽga ‘it snows’, Goth. snaiws ‘snow’, etc.)