λαμβάνω
Ancient Greek
Alternative forms
Etymology
From Proto-Hellenic *hlagʷ-, probably from a Proto-Indo-European *(s)leh₂gʷ-, with cognates including Old English læċċan (English latch). This etymology is supported by the form ΛΗΑΒΩΝ (lhabōn, aorist participle) found in an inscription in Corfu indicating initial voiceless /l̥/, which would have developed from a Proto-Indo-European *sl- cluster. Also see λάζομαι (lázomai) and λάφυρον (láphuron).
The present stem λαμβάνω (lambánō) has zero-grade of the PIE root with nasal infix and suffix, like λανθάνω (lanthánō, “do secretly”) and τυγχάνω (tunkhánō, “happen”). The second aorist ἔλᾰβον (élabon) has zero-grade and no further modifications, like ἔλαθον (élathon) and ἔτυχον (étukhon). The forms with eta, such as future λήψομαι (lḗpsomai), have e-grade, like λήσω (lḗsō) and τεύξομαι (teúxomai). The e-grade perfect εἴληφα (eílēpha) derives from reduplication of the original stem in *sl- (*sesl- > *εἱλ- (*heil-) regularly followed by unexpected loss of aspiration), but the change from β (b) to φ (ph) is irregular.
Pronunciation
- (5th BCE Attic) IPA(key): /lam.bá.nɔː/
- (1st CE Egyptian) IPA(key): /lamˈba.no/
- (4th CE Koine) IPA(key): /lamˈba.no/
- (10th CE Byzantine) IPA(key): /lamˈba.no/
- (15th CE Constantinopolitan) IPA(key): /lamˈba.no/
Verb
λᾰμβᾰ́νω • (lambánō)
- I take
- I take hold of, grasp, seize
- (of emotions) I seize
- I catch, overtake
- I catch, discover, detect
- I bind (under oath)
- 429 BCE, Sophocles, Oedipus the King 276:
- ὥσπερ μ᾽ ἀραῖον ἔλαβες, ὧδ᾽, ἄναξ, ἐρῶ.
- hṓsper m᾽ araîon élabes, hôd᾽, ánax, erô.
- As you have bound me under oath, my king, I will speak.
- ὥσπερ μ᾽ ἀραῖον ἔλαβες, ὧδ᾽, ἄναξ, ἐρῶ.
- I keep
- I take (food or drugs)
- Diocl., Fr. 121:
- τὸν σικυόν φησι μετὰ σιτίων ἐν πρώτοις λαμβανόμενον ἐνοχλεῖν
- tòn sikuón phēsi metà sitíōn en prṓtois lambanómenon enokhleîn
- [he] says that cucumber, if it is taken with the sium in the first course, makes the eater uncomfortable
- τὸν σικυόν φησι μετὰ σιτίων ἐν πρώτοις λαμβανόμενον ἐνοχλεῖν
- I perceive, understand
- I undertake
- 460 BCE – 420 BCE, Herodotus, Histories 3.71.3:
- […] ἐπιχείρησιν ταύτην μὴ οὕτω συντάχυνε ἀβούλως, ἀλλ᾽ ἐπὶ τὸ σωφρονέστερον αὐτὴν λάμβανε
- […] epikheírēsin taútēn mḕ hoútō suntákhune aboúlōs, all᾽ epì tò sōphronésteron autḕn lámbane
- don not hurry this undertaking without thinking, but take it up more prudently
- […] ἐπιχείρησιν ταύτην μὴ οὕτω συντάχυνε ἀβούλως, ἀλλ᾽ ἐπὶ τὸ σωφρονέστερον αὐτὴν λάμβανε
- I take hold of, grasp, seize
- I receive, get
- 429 BCE, Sophocles, Oedipus the King :
- τίς οὗτος ἔσται, τίς παραρρίψει, τέκνα, τοιαῦτ᾽ ὀνείδη λαμβάνων
- tís hoûtos éstai, tís pararrhípsei, tékna, toiaût᾽ oneídē lambánōn
- who shall be the man, my daughters, to risk suffering reproach […]
- τίς οὗτος ἔσται, τίς παραρρίψει, τέκνα, τοιαῦτ᾽ ὀνείδη λαμβάνων
- I receive hospitably
- I receive in marriage
- I conceive
- I receive hospitably
- I admit
- 522 BCE – 443 BCE, Pindar, Olympian Ode 1.81:
- ὁ μέγας δὲ κίνδυνος ἄναλκιν οὐ φῶτα λαμβάνει.
- ho mégas dè kíndunos ánalkin ou phôta lambánei.
- Great danger does not admit of a coward.
- ὁ μέγας δὲ κίνδυνος ἄναλκιν οὐ φῶτα λαμβάνει.
- (of emotions)
- 406 BCE, Sophocles, Oedipus at Colonus 729:
- ὁρῶ τιν᾽ ὑμᾶς ὀμμάτων εἰληφότας φόβον νεώρη τῆς ἐμῆς ἐπεισόδου
- horô tin᾽ humâs ommátōn eilēphótas phóbon neṓrē tês emês epeisódou
- I see from your eyes that you feel a sudden fear at my coming
- ὁρῶ τιν᾽ ὑμᾶς ὀμμάτων εἰληφότας φόβον νεώρη τῆς ἐμῆς ἐπεισόδου
- (middle voice) I take hold of
Inflection
number | singular | dual | plural | ||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
first | second | third | second | third | first | second | third | ||||||
active | indicative | ἐλᾰ́μβᾰνον | ἐλᾰ́μβᾰνες | ἐλᾰ́μβᾰνε(ν) | ἐλᾰμβᾰ́νετον | ἐλᾰμβᾰνέτην | ἐλᾰμβᾰ́νομεν | ἐλᾰμβᾰ́νετε | ἐλᾰ́μβᾰνον | ||||
middle/ passive |
indicative | ἐλᾰμβᾰνόμην | ἐλᾰμβᾰ́νου | ἐλᾰμβᾰ́νετο | ἐλᾰμβᾰ́νεσθον | ἐλᾰμβᾰνέσθην | ἐλᾰμβᾰνόμεθᾰ | ἐλᾰμβᾰ́νεσθε | ἐλᾰμβᾰ́νοντο | ||||
Notes: | This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.
|
number | singular | dual | plural | ||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
first | second | third | second | third | first | second | third | ||||||
middle | indicative | λήψομαι | λήψῃ, λήψει |
λήψεται | λήψεσθον | λήψεσθον | ληψόμεθᾰ | λήψεσθε | λήψονται | ||||
optative | ληψοίμην | λήψοιο | λήψοιτο | λήψοισθον | ληψοίσθην | ληψοίμεθᾰ | λήψοισθε | λήψοιντο | |||||
passive | indicative | ληφθήσομαι | ληφθήσῃ | ληφθήσεται | ληφθήσεσθον | ληφθήσεσθον | ληφθησόμεθᾰ | ληφθήσεσθε | ληφθήσονται | ||||
optative | ληφθησοίμην | ληφθήσοιο | ληφθήσοιτο | ληφθήσοισθον | ληφθησοίσθην | ληφθησοίμεθᾰ | ληφθήσοισθε | ληφθήσοιντο | |||||
middle | passive | ||||||||||||
infinitive | λήψεσθαι | ληφθήσεσθαι | |||||||||||
participle | m | ληψόμενος | ληφθησόμενος | ||||||||||
f | ληψομένη | ληφθησομένη | |||||||||||
n | ληψόμενον | ληφθησόμενον | |||||||||||
Notes: | This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.
|
number | singular | dual | plural | ||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
first | second | third | second | third | first | second | third | ||||||
middle | indicative | λᾰ́ψομαι | λᾰ́ψεαι | λᾰ́ψεται | λᾰ́ψεσθον | λᾰ́ψεσθον | λᾰψόμεθᾰ | λᾰ́ψεσθε | λᾰ́ψονται | ||||
optative | λᾰψοίμην | λᾰ́ψοιο | λᾰ́ψοιτο | λᾰ́ψοισθον | λᾰψοίσθην | λᾰψοίμεθᾰ | λᾰ́ψοισθε | λᾰψοίᾰτο | |||||
middle | |||||||||||||
infinitive | λᾰ́ψεσθαι | ||||||||||||
participle | m | λᾰψόμενος | |||||||||||
f | λᾰψομένη | ||||||||||||
n | λᾰψόμενον | ||||||||||||
Notes: | Dialects other than Attic are not well attested. Some forms are based on conjecture. Use with caution. For more details, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.
|
number | singular | dual | plural | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
first | second | third | second | third | first | second | third | ||
middle | indicative | λᾰ́μψομαι | λᾰ́μψῃ, λᾰ́μψει |
λᾰ́μψεται | λᾰ́μψεσθον | λᾰ́μψεσθον | λᾰμψόμεθᾰ | λᾰ́μψεσθε | λᾰ́μψονται |
optative | λᾰμψοίμην | λᾰ́μψοιο | λᾰ́μψοιτο | λᾰ́μψοισθον | λᾰμψοίσθην | λᾰμψοίμεθᾰ | λᾰ́μψοισθε | λᾰ́μψοιντο | |
middle | |||||||||
infinitive | λᾰ́μψεσθαι | ||||||||
participle | m | λᾰμψόμενος | |||||||
f | λᾰμψομένη | ||||||||
n | λᾰμψόμενον |
number | singular | dual | plural | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
first | second | third | second | third | first | second | third | ||
middle | indicative | λήμψομαι | λήμψῃ, λήμψει |
λήμψεται | λήμψεσθον | λήμψεσθον | λημψόμεθᾰ | λήμψεσθε | λήμψονται |
optative | λημψοίμην | λήμψοιο | λήμψοιτο | λήμψοισθον | λημψοίσθην | λημψοίμεθᾰ | λήμψοισθε | λήμψοιντο | |
middle | |||||||||
infinitive | λήμψεσθαι | ||||||||
participle | m | λημψόμενος | |||||||
f | λημψομένη | ||||||||
n | λημψόμενον |
number | singular | dual | plural | ||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
first | second | third | second | third | first | second | third | ||||||
active | indicative | λᾰ́βον | λᾰ́βες | λᾰ́βε(ν) | λᾰ́βετον | λᾰβέτην | λᾰ́βομεν | λᾰ́βετε | λᾰ́βον | ||||
middle | indicative | λᾰβόμην | λᾰ́βεο | λᾰ́βετο | λᾰ́βεσθον | λᾰβέσθην | λᾰβόμε(σ)θᾰ | λᾰ́βεσθε | λᾰ́βοντο | ||||
passive | indicative | λᾰ́φθην | λᾰ́φθης | λᾰ́φθη | λᾰ́φθητον | λᾰφθήτην | λᾰ́φθημεν | λᾰ́φθητε | λᾰ́φθησᾰν, λᾰ́φθεν | ||||
Notes: | Dialects other than Attic are not well attested. Some forms are based on conjecture. Use with caution. For more details, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.
|
number | singular | dual | plural | ||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
first | second | third | second | third | first | second | third | ||||||
passive | indicative | ἐλᾰ́φθην | ἐλᾰ́φθης | ἐλᾰ́φθη | ἐλᾰ́φθητον | ἐλᾰφθήτην | ἐλᾰ́φθημεν | ἐλᾰ́φθητε | ἐλᾰ́φθησᾰν | ||||
subjunctive | λᾰφθῶ | λᾰφθῇς | λᾰφθῇ | λᾰφθῆτον | λᾰφθῆτον | λᾰφθῶμεν | λᾰφθῆτε | λᾰφθῶσῐ(ν) | |||||
optative | λᾰφθείην | λᾰφθείης | λᾰφθείη | λᾰφθεῖτον, λᾰφθείητον |
λᾰφθείτην, λᾰφθειήτην |
λᾰφθεῖμεν, λᾰφθείημεν |
λᾰφθεῖτε, λᾰφθείητε |
λᾰ́φθειεν, λᾰφθείησᾰν | |||||
imperative | λᾰ́φθητῐ | λᾰφθήτω | λᾰ́φθητον | λᾰφθήτων | λᾰ́φθητε | λᾰφθέντων | |||||||
passive | |||||||||||||
infinitive | λᾰφθῆναι | ||||||||||||
participle | m | λᾰφθείς | |||||||||||
f | λᾰφθεῖσᾰ | ||||||||||||
n | λᾰφθέν | ||||||||||||
Notes: | Dialects other than Attic are not well attested. Some forms are based on conjecture. Use with caution. For more details, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.
|
number | singular | dual | plural | ||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
first | second | third | second | third | first | second | third | ||||||
middle/ passive |
indicative | λέλημμαι | λέληψαι | λέληπται | λέληφθον | λέληφθον | λελήμμεθᾰ | λέληφθε | λελήφᾰται | ||||
subjunctive | λελημμένος ὦ | λελημμένος ᾖς | λελημμένος ᾖ | λελημμένω ἦτον | λελημμένω ἦτον | λελημμένοι ὦμεν | λελημμένοι ἦτε | λελημμένοι ὦσῐ(ν) | |||||
optative | λελημμένος εἴην | λελημμένος εἴης | λελημμένος εἴη | λελημμένω εἴητον/εἶτον | λελημμένω εἰήτην/εἴτην | λελημμένοι εἴημεν/εἶμεν | λελημμένοι εἴητε/εἶτε | λελημμένοι εἴησᾰν/εἶεν | |||||
imperative | λέληψο | λελήφθω | λέληφθον | λελήφθων | λέληφθε | λελήφθων | |||||||
middle/passive | |||||||||||||
infinitive | λελῆφθαι | ||||||||||||
participle | m | λελημμένος | |||||||||||
f | λελημμένη | ||||||||||||
n | λελημμένον | ||||||||||||
Notes: | Dialects other than Attic are not well attested. Some forms are based on conjecture. Use with caution. For more details, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.
|
number | singular | dual | plural | ||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
first | second | third | second | third | first | second | third | ||||||
middle/ passive |
indicative | λέλᾰμμαι | λέλᾰψαι | λέλᾰπται | λέλᾰφθον | λέλᾰφθον | λελᾰ́μμεθᾰ | λέλᾰφθε | λελᾰ́φᾰται | ||||
subjunctive | λελᾰμμένος ὦ | λελᾰμμένος ᾖς | λελᾰμμένος ᾖ | λελᾰμμένω ἦτον | λελᾰμμένω ἦτον | λελᾰμμένοι ὦμεν | λελᾰμμένοι ἦτε | λελᾰμμένοι ὦσῐ(ν) | |||||
optative | λελᾰμμένος εἴην | λελᾰμμένος εἴης | λελᾰμμένος εἴη | λελᾰμμένω εἴητον/εἶτον | λελᾰμμένω εἰήτην/εἴτην | λελᾰμμένοι εἴημεν/εἶμεν | λελᾰμμένοι εἴητε/εἶτε | λελᾰ́μμενοι εἰησᾰ́ν/εἰεν | |||||
imperative | λέλᾰψο | λελᾰ́φθω | λέλᾰφθον | λελᾰ́φθων | λέλᾰφθε | λελᾰ́φθων | |||||||
middle/passive | |||||||||||||
infinitive | λελᾰ́φθαι | ||||||||||||
participle | m | λελᾰμμένος | |||||||||||
f | λελᾰμμένη | ||||||||||||
n | λελᾰμμένον | ||||||||||||
Notes: | Dialects other than Attic are not well attested. Some forms are based on conjecture. Use with caution. For more details, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.
|
number | singular | dual | plural | ||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
first | second | third | second | third | first | second | third | ||||||
active | indicative | λελᾰ́βηκᾰ | λελᾰ́βηκᾰς | λελᾰ́βηκε(ν) | λελᾰβήκᾰτον | λελᾰβήκᾰτον | λελᾰβήκᾰμεν | λελᾰβήκᾰτε | λελᾰβήκᾱσῐ(ν) | ||||
subjunctive | λελᾰβήκω | λελᾰβήκῃς | λελᾰβήκῃ | λελᾰβήκητον | λελᾰβήκητον | λελᾰβήκωμεν | λελᾰβήκητε | λελᾰβήκωσῐ(ν) | |||||
optative | λελᾰβήκοιμῐ, λελᾰβηκοίην |
λελᾰβήκοις, λελᾰβηκοίης |
λελᾰβήκοι, λελᾰβηκοίη |
λελᾰβήκοιτον | λελᾰβηκοίτην | λελᾰβήκοιμεν | λελᾰβήκοιτε | λελᾰβήκοιεν | |||||
imperative | λελᾰ́βηκε | λελᾰβηκέτω | λελᾰβήκετον | λελᾰβηκέτων | λελᾰβήκετε | λελᾰβηκόντων | |||||||
active | |||||||||||||
infinitive | λελᾰβηκέναι | ||||||||||||
participle | m | λελᾰβηκώς | |||||||||||
f | λελᾰβηκυῖᾰ | ||||||||||||
n | λελᾰβηκός | ||||||||||||
Notes: | This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.
|
number | singular | dual | plural | ||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
first | second | third | second | third | first | second | third | ||||||
active | indicative | εἰλήφειν, εἰλήφη |
εἰλήφεις, εἰλήφης |
εἰλήφει(ν) | εἰλήφετον | εἰληφέτην | εἰλήφεμεν | εἰλήφετε | εἰλήφεσᾰν | ||||
middle/ passive |
indicative | εἰλήμμην | εἴληψο | εἴληπτο | εἴληφθον | εἰλήφθην | εἰλήμμεθᾰ | εἴληφθε | εἰλήφᾰτο | ||||
Notes: | This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For conjugation in dialects other than Attic, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.
|
number | singular | dual | plural | ||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
first | second | third | second | third | first | second | third | ||||||
active | indicative | λελᾰβήκειν, λελᾰβήκη |
λελᾰβήκεις, λελᾰβήκης |
λελᾰβήκει(ν) | λελᾰβήκετον | λελᾰβηκέτην | λελᾰβήκεμεν | λελᾰβήκετε | λελᾰβήκεσᾰν | ||||
Notes: | Dialects other than Attic are not well attested. Some forms are based on conjecture. Use with caution. For more details, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal conjugation.
|
Along with a few others (ἐλθέ (elthé), ἰδέ (idé), εὑρέ (heuré), εἰπέ (eipé)), the aorist imperative has an irregular accent: λαβέ (labé) and not **λάβε. This is not the case in compounds, however.
Derived terms
- ἀκανθολᾰ́βος (akantholábos)
- ἄληπτος (álēptos)
- ἀμφῐλαμβᾰ́νω (amphilambánō)
- ἀντῐλαμβᾰ́νω (antilambánō)
- ἀστρολᾰ́βος (astrolábos)
- αὐτόλᾰβος (autólabos)
- δεξιολᾰ́βος (dexiolábos)
- δῐᾰλαμβᾰ́νω (dialambánō)
- ἐκλαμβᾰ́νω (eklambánō)
- ἐλλαμβᾰ́νω (ellambánō)
- ἐπῐλαμβᾰ́νω (epilambánō)
- ἐργόλᾰβος (ergólabos)
- εὐλᾰβής (eulabḗs)
- κᾰτᾰλαμβᾰ́νω (katalambánō)
- λαβάργῠρος (labárguros)
- λαβή (labḗ)
- λῆμμα (lêmma)
- ληπτέος (lēptéos)
- λήπτης (lḗptēs)
- ληπτικός (lēptikós)
- ληπτός (lēptós)
- λῆψις (lêpsis)
- λῐθολᾰ́βος (litholábos)
- μεσολᾰβής (mesolabḗs)
- μεσόλᾰβος (mesólabos)
- μετᾰλαμβᾰ́νω (metalambánō)
- μολὼν λαβέ (molṑn labé)
- ὀξῠλᾰβής (oxulabḗs)
- ὀξῠ́λᾰβος (oxúlabos)
- περιλαμβᾰ́νω (perilambánō)
- προλαμβᾰ́νω (prolambánō)
- προσλαμβᾰ́νω (proslambánō)
- πᾰρᾰλαμβᾰ́νω (paralambánō)
- συλλαμβᾰ́νω (sullambánō)
- χειλολᾰ́βος (kheilolábos)
- χρῡσολᾰβής (khrūsolabḗs)
- ᾰ̓νᾰλαμβᾰ́νω (analambánō)
- ᾰ́πολαμβᾰ́νω (ápolambánō)
- ῠ̔πολαμβᾰ́νω (hupolambánō)
Related terms
Descendants
- Greek: λαμβάνω (lambánō)
References
- “λαμβάνω”, in Liddell & Scott (1940) A Greek–English Lexicon, Oxford: Clarendon Press
- “λαμβάνω”, in Liddell & Scott (1889) An Intermediate Greek–English Lexicon, New York: Harper & Brothers
- “λαμβάνω”, in Autenrieth, Georg (1891) A Homeric Dictionary for Schools and Colleges, New York: Harper and Brothers
- λαμβάνω in Bailly, Anatole (1935) Le Grand Bailly: Dictionnaire grec-français, Paris: Hachette
- Bauer, Walter et al. (2001) A Greek–English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, Third edition, Chicago: University of Chicago Press
- λαμβάνω in Cunliffe, Richard J. (1924) A Lexicon of the Homeric Dialect: Expanded Edition, Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, published 1963
- “λαμβάνω”, in Slater, William J. (1969) Lexicon to Pindar, Berlin: Walter de Gruyter
- G2983 in Strong, James (1979) Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance to the Bible
- λαμβάνω in Trapp, Erich, et al. (1994–2007) Lexikon zur byzantinischen Gräzität besonders des 9.-12. Jahrhunderts [the Lexicon of Byzantine Hellenism, Particularly the 9th–12th Centuries], Verlag der Österreichischen Akademie der Wissenschaften
- Beekes, Robert S. P. (2010) Etymological Dictionary of Greek (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 10), with the assistance of Lucien van Beek, Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN
Greek
Alternative forms
- λαβαίνω (lavaíno)
Verb
λαμβάνω • (lamváno) (past έλαβα, passive λαμβάνομαι)
Conjugation
Synonyms
- (get): παίρνω (paírno)
Related terms
- ανακαταλαμβάνω (anakatalamváno, “to recapture”)
- αντιλαμβάνομαι (antilamvánomai, “to realise”)
- απολαμβάνω (apolamváno, “to enjoy”)
- επαναλαμβάνω (epanalamváno, “to repeat”)
- καταλαβαίνω (katalavaíno, “to understand, to realise, to notice”)
- καταλαμβάνω (katalamváno, “to seize, to acquire sovereignty”)
- λαμβάνω χώρα (lamváno chóra, “take place”)
- Ancient Greek terms inherited from Proto-Hellenic
- Ancient Greek terms derived from Proto-Hellenic
- Ancient Greek terms derived from Proto-Indo-European
- Ancient Greek 3-syllable words
- Ancient Greek terms with IPA pronunciation
- Ancient Greek lemmas
- Ancient Greek verbs
- Ancient Greek paroxytone terms
- Ancient Greek terms with quotations
- grc:Logic
- Greek lemmas
- Greek verbs