- σφάλλω
- σφάλλω, -ομαιGrammatical information: v.Meaning: `to bring down, to ruin, to mislead', midd. `to go down, to be ruined, to be mistaken' (IA).Other forms: Aor. σφῆλαι (Il.), Dor. σφᾶλαι (Pi.), pass. σφᾰλ-ῆναι (-θῆναι Gal.), intr. -αι (LXX; Schwyzer 756), fut. ?-ῶ, pass. -ήσομαι, perf. midd. ἔσφαλ-μαι (IA.), act. -κα (Plb.).Compounds: Also w. prefix, e.g. ἀπο-, παρα-.Derivatives: 1. σφαλ-ερός `slippery, treacherous, staggering' (IA.). 2. -μα n. `fall, accident, misstep, mistake' (IA.), -μός m. `id.' (Aq.) with -μῆσαι (ἀπο-) `to stumble' (Plb.), σφαλ-μᾳ̃ σκιρτᾳ̃, σφάλλεται H. 3. -σις (ἀνά-, περί-, ἀμφί-) f. `fall, accident' (Hp., Vett. Val.). 4. -της m. des. of Dionysos "he who brings down" (Lyc.). 5. ἀ-σφαλ-ής, ές, -(έ)ως `not falling, not staggering, firm, safe, reliable' (Il.) with -εια f. (Att.), -ίζομαι, -ίζω (hell. a. late), prob. directly from the verb (cf. Schwyzer 513; σφάλος n. only Trag. Oxy. 676, 16 [uncertain]); thus ἐπι-, περι-, ἀρι-σφαλής a.o. -- On ἄσφαλτος s. v. (folketym. adapted?).Origin: IE [Indo-European] [cf. 929] *(s)gʷʰh₂el-Etymology: As with πάλλω, σκάλλω the above system of forms can be understood as a pure Greek creation. -- A certain etymology is missing. Instead of the earlier, semant. very attractive connection with Skt. skhálate, -ti `sumble, stagger, err', Arm. sxalem, -im `id.' (Fick 1. 143. 567, Hübschmann Armen. Gr. 1, 490 f.), which requires IE skʷhel- and is therefore coubtful, P. Wahrmann Glotta 6, 149ff. tries to connect σφάλλω with IE *sp(h)el- `split' in σπολάς, ἀσπάλαξ a.o. (s. vv. w. lit.) assuming an orig. meaning *'throw with sticks, put a stop between the legs v. t.' (details in WP. 2, 678 and Pok. 985); phonetically better, but semant. quite hypothetic. Diff., but also doubtful, Thieme KZ 69, 175. Suppositions on anlaut. σφ- in Hiersche Ten. aspiratae 194 w. lit. Older lit. in Bq; further W.-Hofmann s. fallō. -- Cf. σφαλός, σφέλας. Rix, Hist. Gramm. d. Griech. 31 assumes *sgʷʰh₂el- with Siebs, which seems possible.Page in Frisk: 2,827
Greek-English etymological dictionary (Ελληνικά-Αγγλικά ετυμολογική λεξικό). Robert S.P.. 2010.