# σπάω
## Ancient Greek
### Alternative forms

* σπᾰ́ζω (spắzō)

### Etymology

García-Ramón suggests that the term is cognate with Vedic Sanskrit पा (pā, “to rise against, be hostile”) and Hittite [script needed] (pippa-, “to overturn”), and reconstructs Proto-Indo-European *(s)peh₂- (“to draw, set in motion”). See also σπᾰ́θη (spắthē, “broad blade, spathe”).
An older theory by Klingenschmitt connects the Greek verb with Old Armenian հանեմ (hanem, “to draw or pull out”).

### Pronunciation

* IPA: /spá.ɔː/ → /ˈspa.o/ → /ˈspa.o/
* (5th BCE Attic) IPA: /spá.ɔː/
* (1st CE Egyptian) IPA: /ˈspa.o/
* (4th CE Koine) IPA: /ˈspa.o/
* (10th CE Byzantine) IPA: /ˈspa.o/
* (15th CE Constantinopolitan) IPA: /ˈspa.o/

### Verb

σπᾰ́ω • (spắō)
* to draw a sword
* (of other things) to draw
* (of violent actions) to pluck off or out
* to tear, rend, especially of ravenous animals
* to wrench, sprain, twist
* to snatch, tear or drag away
* (figuratively) to carry away, draw aside
* to cause convulsion or spasm
* to draw in, suck in, involve
* to draw tight, pull the reins
* to derive

#### Derived terms

* ἀνᾰσπᾰ́ω (anăspắō)
* ἀντῐσπᾰ́ω (antĭspắō)
* ἀποσπᾰ́ω (apospắō)
* δῐᾰσπᾰ́ω (dĭăspắō)
* ἐκσπᾰ́ω (ekspắō)
* ἐπῐσπᾰ́ω (epĭspắō)
* κᾰτᾰσπᾰ́ω (kătăspắō)
* μετᾰσπᾰ́ω (metăspắō)
* πᾰρᾰσπᾰ́ω (părăspắō)
* περῐσπᾰ́ω (perĭspắō)
* σπᾰ́δῐον (spắdĭon)
* σπᾰδών (spădṓn)
* σπᾰ́δων (spắdōn)
* σπᾰ́σῐς (spắsĭs)
* σπᾰ́σμᾰ (spắsmă)
* σπᾰσμός (spăsmós)
* σπᾰστῐκός (spăstĭkós)
* σῠσπᾰ́ω (sŭspắō)
* ὑποσπᾰ́ω (hupospắō)

#### Descendants

* Greek: σπάζω (spázo), σπάω (spáo), σπάνω (spáno)

### References

* ↑ Beekes, Robert S. P. (2010) “σπάω, σπάομαι”, in Etymological Dictionary of Greek (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 10), with the assistance of Lucien van Beek, Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, page 1378

### Further reading

* “σπάω”, in Liddell & Scott (1940) A Greek–English Lexicon, Oxford: Clarendon Press
* “σπάω”, in Liddell & Scott (1889) An Intermediate Greek–English Lexicon, New York: Harper & Brothers
* “σπάω”, in Autenrieth, Georg (1891) A Homeric Dictionary for Schools and Colleges, New York: Harper and Brothers
* σπάω in Bailly, Anatole (1935) Le Grand Bailly: Dictionnaire grec-français, Paris: Hachette
* σπάω in Cunliffe, Richard J. (1924) A Lexicon of the Homeric Dialect: Expanded Edition, Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, published 1963

## Greek
### Alternative forms

* σπω (spo) (uncommon)

### Etymology

From Byzantine Greek σπῶ (spô) / σπάω (spáō), from Ancient Greek σπάω (spáō), of Proto-Indo-European origin. Also see σπάζω (spázo).

### Pronunciation

* IPA: /ˈspa.o/
* Hyphenation: σπά‧ω

### Verb

σπάω • (spáo) (imperfect έσπαγα, past έσπασα, passive —, ppp σπασμένος)
* Alternative form of σπάζω (spázo) (active voice only)
** (transitive) to break
** (intransitive) to break (into two or more pieces that cannot easily be reassembled)
** (slang) to split, to leave
** (colloquial) to irritate
    Μου τη σπάει πολύ αυτός ο καθηγητής.Mou ti spáei polý aftós o kathigitís.This professor really gets on my nerves.

#### Derived terms

* μου τη σπάει (mou ti spáei, “it irritates me”) (colloquial only)
* σπάω στο ξύλο (spáo sto xýlo, “to beat someone up”)

#### Related terms

* ξεσπάω (xespáo) / ξεσπώ (xespó)
* and see: σπάζω (spázo)