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Poetry

Original Hebrew / Aramaic / Greek connected to this term

How to read this: there is rarely one magic “true meaning” hidden behind an English word. A lexicon records a word’s semantic range. The intended meaning is narrowed by grammar, sentence, author, historical usage and context.

HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H2088

זֶה

zeh — this

1) this, this one, here, which, this...that, the one...the other, another, such 1a) (alone) 1a1) this one 1a2) this...that, the one...the other, another 1b) (appos to subst) 1b1) this 1c) (as predicate) 1c1) this, such 1d) (enclitically) 1d1) then 1d2) who, whom 1d3) how now, what now 1d4) what now 1d5) wherefore now 1d6) behold here 1d7) just now 1d8) now, now already 1e) (poetry) 1e1) wherein, which, those who 1f) (with prefixes) 1f1) in this (place) here, then 1f2) on these conditions, herewith, thus provided, by, through this, for this cause, in this matter 1f3) thus and thus 1f4) as follows, things such as these, accordingly, to that effect, in like manner, thus and thus 1f5) from here, hence, on one side...on the other side 1f6) on this account 1f7) in spite of this, which, whence, how

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HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H2063

זֹאת

zot — this

1) this, this one, here, which, this...that, the one...the other, such 1a) (alone) 1a1) this one 1a2) this...that, the one...the other, another 1b) (appos to subst) 1b1) this 1c) (as predicate) 1c1) this, such 1d) (enclitically) 1d1) then 1d2) who, whom 1d3) how now, what now 1d4) what now 1d5) wherefore now 1d6) behold here 1d7) just now 1d8) now, now already 1e) (poetry) 1e1) wherein, which, those who 1f) (with prefixes) 1f1) in this (place) here, then 1f2) on these conditions, herewith, thus provided, by, through this, for this cause, in this matter 1f3) thus and thus 1f4) as follows, things such as these, accordingly, to that effect, in like manner, thus and thus 1f5) from here, hence, on one side...on the other side 1f6) on this account 1f7) in spite of this, which, whence, how

545 tagged verse occurrences · see every occurrence →

GREEK · G1438

ἑαυτοῦ

heautou — themself

ἑαυτοῦ, -ῆς, -οῦ, dative -ῷ, etc., accusative -όν, etc., pi. -ῶν, etc. (Att. contr. αὑτοῦ, etc); reflex pron.; 1. prop, of 3rd person (Lat. sui, sibi, se), of himself, herself, itself, etc.: Mat.27:42, Mrk.15:31, Luk.23:35, al.; added to a middle verb, διεμερίσαντο ἑαυτοῖς, Jhn.19:24; to an active verb, Act.14:14 (M, Pr., 157); ἀφ᾽ ἑαυτοῦ, Luk.12:57 21:30, Jhn.5:19, al. (see: ἀπό); δι᾽ ἑαυτοῦ, Rom.14:14; ἐν ἑ., Mat.3:9, Mrk.5:30, al.; εἰς ἑ., Luk.15:17; καθ᾽ ἑαυτόν, Act.28:16, Jas.2:17; παρ᾽ ἑαυτῷ, at his own house, 1Co.16:2; πρὸς ἑ., with, to himself, Luk.18:11; as poss. pron. (with emphasis weakened; see M, Pr., 87f.), τ. ἑαυτῶν νεκρούς, Luk.9:60. 2. As reflexive 1st and 2nd of person(s) (so also frequently in cl., chiefly poetry), Mat.23:31, Mrk.9:50, Rom.8:23, 1Th.2:8, al. 3. In pl., for reciprocal pron., ἀλλήλων, -οις, -ους, of one another, etc.: Mat.21:38, Mrk.16:3, Eph.5:19, al. (AS)

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GREEK · G688

Ἀραβία

Arabia — Arabia

Arabia , (Herdotus Historicus), poetry Ἀρραβία, (Theocritus Poeta Bucolicus) (ML)

2 tagged verse occurrences · see every occurrence →

GREEK · G6081

συμπίπτω

sumpiptō — be downcast

1. to fall together, meet in battle, come to blows , Lat. concurrere, (Homer): ς. ἐς νείκεα (Herdotus Historicus): to encounter , κλύδωνι (Euripides); νηί (Thucydides) 2. generally, to fall in with, meet with accidents, misfortunes, with dative, (Herdotus Historicus) 3. of ailments, events, to fall upon, happen to , with dative pers., (Aeschulus Tragicus); also ἔς τινα (Herdotus Historicus) 4. absolute to happen or fall out at the same time, concur , (Herdotus Historicus) 5. with part, like τυγχάνω, τόδε συνέπεσε γενόμενον (Herdotus Historicus) 6. impersonal, συνέπεσε, it happened, fell out, came to pass , with infinitive, (Herdotus Historicus); ξυνέπεσεν εἰς τοῦτο ἀνάγκης ὥστε . . matters came to such a pass that . ., (Thucydides); or with accusative et infinitive, (Thucydides) 7. to coincide, agree or be in accordance with , τινί (Herdotus Historicus): absolute to agree exactly , (Herdotus Historicus); ἐμοὶ σὺ συμπέπτωκας ἐς ταὐτὸν λόγου have come to exactly the same point with me, (Euripides) 8. to fall together , i. e. fall in, collapse , of a house, Lat. concidere, (Euripides); σῶμα συμπεσόν a frame having collapsed from disease, (Plato Philosophus) 9. συμπίτνω poetry for συμπίπτω, when the penultimate is to be short 10. to fall or dash together , of waves, (Aeschulus Tragicus) 11. to concur , (Aeschulus Tragicus); with dative, (Euripides) (ML)

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GREEK · G20008

ἀγέρωχος

agerōchos — arrogant

1. poetry adjective high-minded, lordly , (Homer), etc.; in (Pindar) of noble actions. 2. in bad sense, haughty, arrogant, insolent , (Archilochus Lyricus): so adverb -χως, [variant datesAnthology Palantina (ML)

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GREEK · G20936

περιβόητος

periboētos — utter frantic cries

1. poetry περί-βωτος, noised abroad, much talked of, famous , (Thucydides) 2. in bad sense, notorious, scandalous , (Demosthenes Orator):—;adverb -τως, notoriously , (Aeschines Orator) 3. with or amid shouts , epithet of Ares, (Sophocles Tragicus) (ML)

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GREEK · G6294

ἀναμίγνυμι

anamignumi — to intermingle

1. to mix up, mix together , (Odyssey by Homer), etc.:—;Pass. to be mixed with others, (Herdotus Historicus), attic: to have intercourse , (Plutarch) 2. ἀναμίσγω, poetry and ionic for ἀναμίγνυμι, only in present and imperfect 3. to mix one thing with another, τί τινι (Odyssey by Homer): —;Pass. to have intercourse , τινι (Herdotus Historicus) (ML)

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GREEK · G7283

ἑξάκις

hexakis — six times

six times , Lat. sexies, (Plato Philosophus), etc.: poetry ἑξάκι, [variant datesAnthology Palantina (ML)

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GREEK · G8065

κόνυζα

konuza — a briar

a strong-smelling plant, fleabane, pulicaria , poetry κνύζα, (Theocritus Poeta Bucolicus) (ML)

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GREEK · G8144

κώπη

kōpē — an oar

1. any handle: 2. the handle of an oar , and generally an oar , (Odyssey by Homer), attic; νερτέρᾳ προσήμενος κώπῃ, = θαλαμίτης, metaphorically of a man of low rank, (Aeschulus Tragicus); παραπέμπειν ἐφ᾽ ἕνδεκα κώπαις, a proverb of dubious origin, meaning "to escort with all the honours, " (Aristophanes Comicus):—;poetry to express ships, σὺν κώπᾳ χιλιοναύτᾳ, of Agamemnon's fleet, (Euripides) 3. the handle of a sword, the haft, hilt , Lat. capulus, (Homer) 4. the handle of a key , (Odyssey by Homer) 5. the haft of a torch , (Euripides) (ML)

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GREEK · G8779

πέταλον

petalon — a leaf

1. a leaf , mostly in plural, (Homer):—; poetry, νεικέων πέταλα contentious votes (compare πεταλισμός); (Pindar) 2. a leaf of metal , (Lucian) (ML)

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GREEK · G8907

προπίπτω

propiptō — to fall down

1. to fall or throw oneself forward , as in rowing, προπεσόντες ἔρεσσον, like Lat. incumbere remis, (Odyssey by Homer):—;of suppliants, to fall prostrate , (Euripides) 2. to rush forward, rush headlong , (Sophocles Tragicus) 3. to move forwards, advance before the rest, (Polybius Historicus): to project , (Polybius Historicus) 4. προπίτνω poetry for προπίπτω 5. to fall prostate , ἐς γᾶν (Aeschulus Tragicus) (ML)

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GREEK · G9184

στίχος

stichos — a row

1. a row or file of soldiers, (Xenophon Historicus) 2. a line of poetry, a verse , (Aristophanes Comicus) (ML)

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GREEK · G9676

φυή

phuē — development

1. growth, stature , especially fine growth, noble stature , (Homer); Νέστορι εἶδός τε μέγεθός τε φυήν τt ἄγχιστα ἐῴκει he was like Nestor both in shape and size and stature (or growth) , (Iliad by Homer) 2. poetry for φύσις, one's natural powers, nature, genius , (Pindar) 3. the flower or prime of age , (Pindar) (ML)

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GREEK · G9795

ψιλός

psilos — bare

1. bare , 2. of land, ψιλὴ ἄροσις a bare corn-field, (Iliad by Homer); πεδίον μέγα τε καὶ ψιλόν (Herdotus Historicus): with genitive, γῆ ψιλὴ δενδρέων land bare of trees, (Herdotus Historicus):—; ψιλὴ γεωργία the tillage of land for corn , opposite to γ. πεφυτευμένη (for vines and olives) , (Aristotle Philosopher) 3. of animals, stript of hair or feathers, bare, smooth , δέρμα (Odyssey by Homer); ἶβις ψιλὴ κεφαλήν bald on the head, (Herdotus Historicus) 4. generally, bare, uncovered , ψιλὸν ὡς ὁρᾷ νέκυν (Sophocles Tragicus):—;with genitive bare of, separated from , ψιλὴ σώματος οὖσα [ ἡ ψυχή] (Plato Philosophus) b. bare, stript of appendages , ψιλὴ τρόπις the bare keel with the planks torn from it, (Odyssey by Homer); ψ. θρίδαξ a lettuce with the side-leaves pulled off , (Herdotus Historicus); ψ. μάχαιραι swords without other arms , (Xenophon Historicus) 5. οἱ ψιλοί (i.e. τῶν ὅπλων); soldiers without heavy armour, light troops , such as archers and slingers, opposite to ὁπλῖται, (Herdotus Historicus), etc.; τὸ ψιλόν, opposite to τὸ ὁπλιτικόν, (Xenophon Historicus); ψ. ἔχων τὴν κεφαλήν bare-headed, without helmet , (Xenophon Historicus) 6. ψιλὸς λόγος bare language, i. e. prose , as opposite to poetry which is clothed in metre, (Plato Philosophus); also, ψ. λόγος is a mere speech, a speech unsupported by evidence , (Demosthenes Orator) 7. ψιλὴ ποίησις mere poetry, without music , i. e. epic poetry, as opposite to lyric , (Plato Philosophus):—;but, ψιλὴ μουσική instrumental music unaccompanied by the voice , (Aristotle Philosopher) 8. Oedipus seems to call Antigone his ψιλὸν ὄμμα, as being the one poor eye left him, (Sophocles Tragicus) 9. adverb ψιλῶς, merely, only , (Plutarch) (ML)

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Historical dictionary entry

Has been well defined as “the measured language of emotion.” Hebrew poetry deals almost exclusively with the great question of man’s relation to God. “Guilt, condemnation, punishment, pardon, redemption, repentance are the awful themes of this heaven-born poetry.” In the Hebrew scriptures there are found three distinct kinds of poetry, (1) that of the Book of Job and the Song of Solomon, which is dramatic; (2) that of the Book of Psalms, which is lyrical; and (3) that of the Book of Ecclesiastes, which is didactic and sententious. Hebrew poetry has nothing akin to that of Western nations. It has neither metre nor rhyme. Its great peculiarity consists in the mutual correspondence of sentences or clauses, called parallelism, or “thought-rhyme.” Various kinds of this parallelism have been pointed out: (1.) Synonymous or cognate parallelism, where the same idea is repeated in the same words (Ps. 93:3; 94:1; Prov. 6:2), or in different words (Ps. 22, 23, 28, 114, etc.); or where it is expressed in a positive form in the one clause and in a negative in the other (Ps. 40:12; Prov. 6:26); or where the same idea is expressed in three successive clauses (Ps. 40:15, 16); or in a double parallelism, the first and second clauses corresponding to the third and fourth (Isa. 9:1; 61:10, 11). (2.) Antithetic parallelism, where the idea of the second clause is the converse of that of the first (Ps. 20:8; 27:6, 7; 34:11; 37:9, 17, 21, 22). This is the common form of gnomic or proverbial poetry. (See Prov. 10-15.) (3.) Synthetic or constructive or compound parallelism, where each clause or sentence contains some accessory idea enforcing the main idea (Ps. 19:7-10; 85:12; Job 3:3-9; Isa. 1:5-9). (4.) Introverted parallelism, in which of four clauses the first answers to the fourth and the second to the third (Ps. 135:15-18; Prov. 23:15, 16), or where the second line reverses the order of words in the first (Ps. 86:2). Hebrew poetry sometimes assumes other forms than these. (1.) An alphabetical arrangement is sometimes adopted for the purpose of connecting clauses or sentences. Thus in the following the initial words of the respective verses begin with the letters of the alphabet in regular succession: Prov. 31:10-31; Lam. 1, 2, 3, 4; Ps. 25, 34, 37, 145. Ps. 119 has a letter of the alphabet in regular order beginning every eighth verse. (2.) The repetition of the same verse or of some emphatic expression at intervals (Ps. 42, 107, where the refrain is in verses, 8, 15, 21, 31). (Comp. also Isa. 9:8-10:4; Amos 1:3, 6, 9, 11, 13; 2:1, 4, 6.) (3.) Gradation, in which the thought of one verse is resumed in another (Ps. 121). Several odes of great poetical beauty are found in the historical books of the Old Testament, such as the song of Moses (Ex. 15), the song of Deborah (Judg. 5), of Hannah (1 Sam. 2), of Hezekiah (Isa. 38:9-20), of Habakkuk (Hab. 3), and David’s “song of the bow” (2 Sam. 1:19-27).

Scripture references

Source: Easton’s Bible Dictionary (1897). Historical dictionary wording reflects the scholarship and language of its era.

Compare other reference traditions

Look up Poetry in Smith’s Bible Dictionary and ISBE →