πτώσσω

A. shrink from, shrink, of birds or other animals, π. ὥστε πέρδικα Archil. 106; [ἀκρίδες] πτώσσουσι καθ’ ὕδωρ flee into . ., Il. 21.14; also of men, πτῶσσον ὑπὸ κρημνούς ib.26; τί πτώσσεις; 4.371; τίς τοι ἀνάγκη πτώσσειν . .; 5.634; πτώσσοντας ὑφ’ Ἕκτορι 7.129; κατὰ λαύρας . . πτώσσοντι skulk, slink, Pi. P. 8.87; εἰς ἐρημίαν π. flee cowering into . ., E. Ba. 223; π. ὑπ’ ἀσπίδος crouch beneath it, without any notion of fear, Tyrt. 11.36:—poet. Verb, once in Hdt., πτώσσοντας [ὑμέας εὕρομεν] 9.48.

2. cringe like a beggar, go begging (cf. πτωχός), κατὰ δῆμον Od. 17.227, 18.363: c. acc. loci, π. ἀλλοτρίους οἴκους Hes. Op. 395.

II. c. acc. pers., οὐδ’ ἂν (v.l. ἂρ)ἔτι δὴν ἀλλήλους πτώσσοιμεν we can no longer shirk one another, Il. 20.427; ποῖ καί με φυγᾷ πτώσσουσι μυχῶν; to what corners have they fled to shun me? E. Hec. 1066 (lyr.): c. acc. rei, [ὄρνιθες] νέφεα πτώσσουσαι shrinking from the clouds, Od. 22.304; π. δόρυ, βροντήν, Q.S. 5.300, 7.531.