χνόος

A. χνοός Choerob. in Theod. 1.234H.; dat. χνοΐ Thphr. CP 6.10.7, Gal. 13.850:—ἁλὸς χ. incrustation from salt water, ἔκ κεφαλῆς ἔσμηχεν ἁλὸς χνόον, Od. 6.226; wool pulled for stuffing cushions, flock, f.l. for μνοῦς in Hp. Mul. 1.61; used in applying a powder, Gal. l.c.; chaff, LXX Ps. 1.4: powder, prov., [ὄνος] εἰς ἄχυρα καὶ χνοῦν Ar. Fr. 76; dust of the earth, LXX 2 Ki. 22.43, 2 Ch. 1.9; ὡς δοκεῖν τοῦ καλουμένου χνοῦ μεστοὺς εἶναι (sc. τοὺς ὀφθαλμούς) Gal. 16.552.

II. fine down on a flower or in the seed-vessel, Thphr. HP 2.8.4, D.S. 2.59:bloom on fruit, ἐν Καρίᾳ φασὶν ἄπιόν τιν’ ἔχειν χνοῦν ἁλμώδη Thphr. CP 6.10.7; μάλων χνοῦς ἐπικαρπίδιος AP 9.226 (Zon.); the first down on the chin or cheeks, χνοῦς ὥσπερ μήλοισιν ἐπήνθει Ar. Nu. 978 (anap.); κοῦρος ἔτ’ ἀρτιγένειον ἔχων χνόον AP 9.219 (Diod.); θηλείαις οὐδ’ ὅσσον ἐπὶ χνόος ἦλθε παρειαῖς Call. Ap. 37; ἐντίκτει τι χνοῦ ἀνάπλεων Arist. HA 605b15: pl., D.H. Dem. 51.

2. metaph., bloom or film of archaism in writing, ὅ τε πίνος αὐτῇ (i.e. in Plato's style) [καὶ χ.] ὁ τῆς ἀρχαιότητος . . ἐπιτρέχει interpol. in D.H. Dem. 5; ἐπανθεῖ τις . . χνοῦς ἀρχαιοπινής ib.38, cf. Plu. 2.79d; οἱονεὶ τῆς γονίμου φύσεως χ., of χλόη, Porph. Abst. 2.5. (Cf. χνιαρωτέρα, χνίει.)