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The formation of primitive verbs (372) is treated in 496-529, 607-624, 722-743.
Denominative verbs are formed from the stems of nouns (substantives or adjectives). Verbs lacking such a noun-stem are made on the model of the ordinary denominative verb. The principal terminations are as follows:
1. -αω : derived chiefly from words with ᾱ stems (a few from words of the second declension). Verbs in -αω denote to do, to be , or to have, that which is expressed by the stem.
τῑμά-ω honour (τῑμή, stem τῑμᾱ-), ἀ̄ριστά-ω breakfast (ἄ̄ριστο-ν breakfast), τολμά-ω dare (τόλμα daring, stem τολμᾱ-), κομά-ω wear long hair (κόμη hair). κοιμά-ω, lull to sleep, has no primitive noun.
On -ιαω and -αω denoting a desire or a bodily condition, see 868 b.
2. -εω : derived chiefly from όε- stems (834 f), and thence extended to all kinds of stems. Verbs in -εω denote a condition or an activity, and are often intransitive.
οἰκέ-ω dwell (οἶκο-ς house, οἰκόε-), φιλέ-ω love (φίλο-ς dear, φιλόε-), ὑπηρετέω serve (ὑπηρέτης servant, ὑπηρετᾱ-), εὐτυχ-έ-ω am fortunate (εὐτυχής fortunate, εὐτυχεσ-), μῑσ-έ-ω hate (μῖσος hate, μῑσεσ-), σωφρον-έ-ω am temperate (σώφρων), μαρτυρ-έ-ω bear witness (μάρτυς, -υρ-ος).
a. Some εω-verbs from εσ-stems have older forms in -είω (624 a).
3. -οω : chiefly derived from ο-stems. Verbs in -οω are usually factitive, denoting to cause or to make.
δηλό-ω manifest, make clear (δῆλο-ς), δουλό-ω enslave (δοῦλο-ς), ζηλό-ω emulate (ζῆλο-ς emulation), ζημιο´-ω punish (ζημίᾱ damage), μαστῑγό-ω whip (μάστιξ, -ῑγος whip). ἀρόω plough has no primitive.
On the formation of the present stem of verbs in -αω, -εω, -οω, see 522.
4. -ευω : derived from substantives from ευ-stems (607) and thence extended to other stems. ευω-verbs usually denote a condition, sometimes an activity.
βασιλεύ-ω am king, rule (βασιλεύ-ς), βουλεύ-ω counsel (βουλή), κινδῡνεύ-ω venture, incur danger (κίνδῡνο-ς), παιδεύ-ω educate (παῖς boy, girl), θεραπεύ-ω attend (θεράπων attendant).
5. -ῡω (rare): from υ-stems, as δακρύ̄-ω weep (δάκρυ tear). Cp. 608.
6. -οζω, -ιζω: derived originally from stems in δ or γ (as ἐλπίζω hope = ἐλπιδ-ῖω, ἁρπάζω seize = ἁρπαγ-ιω), and thence widely extended to other stems (cp. 623 δ, γ). Such verbs denote action.
γυμνάζω exercise (γυμνάς, -άδ-ος stripped, naked); ἀναγκάζω compel (ἀνάγκη necessity); ἀτῑμάζω dishonour (ἄτῑμος); βιάζομαι use force (βίᾱ force); θαυμάζω wonder (θαῦμα); φροντίζω take care (φροντίς); ὑβρίζω insult (ὕβρι-ς outrage); νομίζω consider (νόμο-ς custom, law); τειχίζω fortify (τεῖχ-ος wall, stem τειχεσ-); χαρίζομαι do a favour (χάρις, -ιτος favour).
a. Verbs in -ιζω and -ιαζω derived from proper names express an adoption of language, manners, opinions, or politics:
ἑλληνίζω speak Greek (Ἕλλην), βακχιάζω act like a bacchante (βακχιάς), λακωνίζω imitate Laconian manners (Λάκων), μηδίζω side with the Medes (Μῆδος).
b. Verbs in -εζω, -οζω, and -υζω are rare (πιέζω press, poet. δεσπόζω am lord, κοκκύζω cry cuckoo).
7. -αινω : originally from stems in -αν + [ιγλιδε]ω (518), but usually extended to other stems. See 620, III.
μελαίνω blacken (μέλᾱς black, μελαν-), εὐφραίνω gladden (εὔφρων glad, εὐφρον-), σημαίνω signify (σῆμα, σήματ-ος sign), χαλεπαίνω am angry (χαλεπό-ς hard, angry).
8. -ῡνω : from stems in υν + ῖω (519). The primitive words often show stems in υ. See 620, III.
βαθύ̄νω deepen (βαθύ-ς deep), ταχύ̄νω hasten (ταχύ-ς swift), αἰσχύ̄νω disgrace (αἶσχ-ος shame), θαρρύ̄νω encourage (θάρρ-ος courage).
9. On other denominatives in λω, νω, ρω, see 620, III; on inceptives see 526-528.
10. Parallel formations are frequent, often with different meanings.
ἀ̄ριστάω take a midday meal, ἀ̄ριστίζω give a midday meal; ἀτιμάω, (poet.) ἀτῑμόω, ἀτῑμάζω dishonour; δουλόω enslave, δουλεύω am a slave; εὐδαιμονέω am happy, εὐδαιμονίζω account happy, congratulate; θαρρέω am courageous, θαρρύ̄νω encourage; ὁρκόω, ὁρκίζω make one swear an oath; ὁρμάω urge on, ὁρμαίνω (poet.) ponder; ὁρμέω lie at anchor, ὁρμίζω anchor trans. (ὅρμος anchorage); πολεμέω (πολεμίζω Epic) wage war, πολεμόω make hostile; σκηνάω put in shelter, mid. take up one's abode, σκηνέω am in camp, σκηνόω encamp, go into quarters; σωφρονέω am temperate, σωφρονίζω chasten; τυραννέω, τυραννεύω am absolute ruler, τυραννίζω take the part of absolute ruler, τυραννιάω (late) smack of tyranny. Cp. 531.
Frequentatives and Intensives.—These are mostly poetical. -αω in στρωφάω turn constantly (στρέφω turn), τρωχάω gallop (τρέχω run), ποτάομαι, πωτάομαι, and ποτέομαι, fly about (πέτομαι fly). -στρεω in ἐλαστρέω drive (ἐλάω, ἐλαύνω). -ταω in σκιρτάω spring (σκαίρω skip). -ταζω in ἑλκυστάζω drag about (ἕλκω drag). With reduplication, often with change of the stem-vowel, in ποιπνύω puff (πνέω breathe, πνυ-), πορφύ̄ρω gleam darkly (φύ̄ρω mix), παμφαίνω shine brightly (φαίνω bring to light, make appear).
Desideratives express desire. Such verbs end in -σειω, -ιαω, and rarely in -αω . Thus, πολεμησείω desire to wage war (πολεμέω), ἀπαλλαξείω wish to get rid of (ἀλλάττω exchange), γελασείω wish to laugh (γελάω); στρατηγιάω wish to be general (στρατηγός); φονάω wish to shed blood (φόνος murder).
a. Verbs in -ιαω and -αω are formed from substantives. Those in -σειω may come from the future stem.
b. -ιαω and -αω may denote a bodily affection: ὀφθαλμιάω suffer from ophthalmia (ὀφθαλμίᾱ), βραγχάω am hoarse (βραγχός hoarse). Some verbs in -ωττω (-ωσσω) have a similar meaning: τυφλώττω am blind (τυφλός), and even λῑμώσσω am hungry (λῑμός hunger).