Bible Lexicons

ὀφρῦς, ύος, ἡ,

acc. ὀφρῦν, in late Poets ὀφρύα, AP 12.186 (Strat.), Opp. C. 4.405, Q.S. 4.361: acc. pl. ὀφρύας (in the fourth foot) Od. 9.389; but ὀφρῦς (before caesura) Il. 16.740, and so in Att. (v. infr.). [ ῡ in nom. and acc., which are accented ὀφρῦς, -ῦν by Hdn.Gr. 2.937: the accentuation ὀφρύς, ὀφρύν may be admitted in late writers: compds. have ῠ, εὔοφρυς, λεύκοφρυς, etc.] (Cf. Skt. bhrûs, gen. bhruvas, Slav. br[ucaron]v[icaron], O E. brú 'brow'.): —

I

1. brow, eyebrow, τὸν.. ὑπ' ὀφρύος οὖτα Il. 14.493; ἡ ὀ. ἡ δεξιά, ἡ ἀριστερά, Arist. PA 671b32, cf. Pr. 878b28: elsewh. in pl., ὑπ' ὀφρύσι δάκρυα λεῖβον Il. 13.88, al.; ὑπ' ὀ. πῦρ ἀμάρυσσεν Hes. Th. 827, etc.: freq. of signs, ἐπ' ὀφρύσι νεῦσε Κρονίων, i.e. ἐπένευσε ὀφρύσι, nodded assent, Il. 1.528, etc.; ἡ δ' ἄρ' ἐπ' ὀ. νεῦσε nodded to him to do a thing, Od. 16.164; ἀνὰ δ' ὀφρύσι νεῦον ἑκάστῳ made a sign not to do, 9.468; ὀφρύσι νευστάζων 12.194: in various phrases expressing emotions, τὰς ὀ. ἀνασπᾶν, in token of grief, τὰς ὀφρῦς ἀνεσπακώς, ὥσπερ τι δεινὸν ἀγγελῶν Ar. Ach. 1069; ἀνασπάσας τις τὰς ὀφρῦς οἴμοι λαλεῖ Men. 556.3; of pride (cf. ὀφρυόομαι), D. 19.314; οἱ τὰς ὀφρῦς αἴροντες Men. 39; ὀφρῦν ἐπαίρειν E. Fr. 1040, cf. Amphis 13; τὰς ὀ. ἔχειν ἐπάνω τῆς κορυφῆς Alex. 16.6; ὑπὲρ αὐτοὺς κροτάφους ὑπεραίρειν Luc. Am. 54; ὀφρῦς ἔχειν Ar. Ra. 925; ὀφρῦν ἐφέλκεσθαι AP 7.440.6 (Leon., interpol.?); ἐρύσσαι ib. 5.215 (Agath.); ἀνελκταῖς ὀφρύσι σεμνός Cratin. 355: contrariwise, τὰς ὀφρῦς συνάγειν knit the brows, frown, Ar. Nu. 582, Pl. 756, etc.; τὰς ὀ. συνέλκειν Antiph. 307; συσπᾶν Luc. Vit.Auct. 7; κατεσπακώς Alciphr. 3.3: on the other hand, καταβαλεῖν, λῦσαι, μεθεῖναι τὰς ὀ. or τὴν ὀ., let down or unknit the brow, become calm or cheerful again, E. Cyc. 167, Hipp. 290, IA 648; ὀ. μὴ καθειμένη Zeno Stoic. 1.58; σχάζεσθαι τὰς ὀ. Pl.Com. 32; καθέσθαι Plu. 2.1062f: the brow was also the seat of smiles and joy, ἀγανᾷ χλοαρὸν γελάσσαις ὀφρύϊ Pi. P. 9.38, cf. h.Cer. 358; or gravity, στυγνὸν ὀφρύων νέφος E. Hipp. [172]; ὁρᾶτε ὡς σπουδαῖαι μὲν αὐτοῦ αἱ ὀφρύες X. Smp. 8.3; on their physiognomical character, v. Arist. HA 491b14, Phgn. 812b26.

2. ὀφρῦς alone, scorn, pride, AP 7.409 (Antip.), 9.43 (Parmen.), 10.122 (Lucill.), etc.

II from like ness of shape, brow of a hill, crag, Il. 20.151, Pi. O. 13.106; embankment, ὀ. ἀπότομος Plb. 36.8.3; overhanging bank of a river, Id. 2.33.7, etc.; ἐπ' ὀφρύων ποταμοῦ PAmh. 2.68.9 (i A. D.); of the sea, A.R. 1.178, etc.; of a ditch, Str. 5.3.7 (cf. ὀφρύη); of the rim of joint-cavities, Gal. UP 1.15, al.; of the woodwork enclosing the bore of a torsion-engine, Ph. Bel. 57.7: in Archit., architrave, Procop.Gaz. p.157 B.

III a plant, Plin. HN 26.164.