καταλύω

Etymology

From κατά + λύω

Pronunciation

Verb

καταλύω • (katalúō)

1. I destroy

   καὶ τὴν ὑμετέραν καταλῦσαι δύναμιν (Isocrates, De bigis, 40.8-9)

   to destroy our (city's) might

2. I abolish, I do away with

   Αὐτοὶ γὰρ ἡμεῖς δὶς ἤδη τὴν δημοκρατίαν ἐπείδομεν καταλυθεῖσαν καὶ δὶς τῆς ἐλευθερίας ἀπεστερήθημεν (Isocrates, In Lochitem, 10.2-4)

   twice we ourselves have already seen our democracy abolished and twice we have lost our freedom

3. I deprive someone of their authority

   τοὺς τυράννους καταλύσας͵ καὶ τοὺς βαρβάρους καταπολεμήσας (Plutarchus, Timoleon, 39.5)

   having overthrown the tyrants and fought the barbarians

4. I put an end to something

   καταλῦσαι τὸν βίον (to die)

5. (for animals) I unyoke, I unharness

   ἄλλ' εἴπ', ἤ σφωιν καταλύσομεν ὠκέας ἵππους (Homer, Od., 4.28)

   but, tell us, shall we unharness their fast horses?

6. I take down something hung or someone hanged

   Τῶν ἀπαγχομένων καὶ καταλυομένων͵ μηδέπω δὲ τεθνηκότων ... (Hippocrates, Aphorismoi)

   about those who were hanged and taken down but have not died

7. I stay somewhere for one night, I find a lodgement

   (Θεμιστοκλῆς) ἀναγκάζεται κατά τι ἄπορον παρὰ Ἄδμητον τὸν Μολοσσῶν βασιλέα ὄντα αὐτῷ οὐ φίλον καταλῦσαι (Thucydides Hist., 1.136)

   (Themistocles) being in a difficult position had to seek shelter from Admetos, the king of Molossi, though the latter was not a friend of his

References

• καταλύω in Liddell & Scott (1940) A Greek–English Lexicon, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• καταλύω in Liddell & Scott (1889) An Intermediate Greek–English Lexicon, New York: Harper & Brothers
• καταλύω in Autenrieth, Georg (1891) A Homeric Dictionary for Schools and Colleges, New York: Harper and Brothers
• καταλύω in Bailly, Anatole (1935) Le Grand Bailly: Dictionnaire grec-français, Paris: Hachette
• καταλύω in Cunliffe, Richard J. (1924) A Lexicon of the Homeric Dialect: Expanded Edition, Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, published 1963
• G2647 in Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance to the Bible, 1979
• καταλύω 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

Etymology

From Ancient Greek καταλύω (katalúō), equivalent to κατα- (kata-, “down”) +‎ λύω (lýo, “to equip”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /kataˈlio/
• Hyphenation: κα‧τα‧λύ‧ω

Verb

καταλύω • (katalýo) (simple past κατέλυσα)

1. abolish, break down
2. stay (usually for one night)
3. (chemistry) catalyse
4. (religion) break one's fast (resume normal diet after fasting)