ἐπιχειρέω — to attempt · Greek word G2021

A put one’s hand to, οἱ μὲν δείπνῳ ἐπεχείρεον Od. 24.386, cf. 395; πηδαλίοις Ar. Eq. 542.

2 put one’s hand to a work, set to work at, attempt, τῇ διώρυχι Hdt. 2.158; δρησμῷ ἐ. attempt an escape, Id. 6.70; τῇ ὁδῷ Id. 7.43, cf. E. Ba. 819; τοῖσι βασιληΐοισι Hdt. 3.61; τυραννίδι Id. 5.46; ἔργῳ τοσούτῳ Id. 9.27; λόγοις, τέχνῃ, Pl. Phdr. 279a, Grg. 521d, etc.; τοῖς ἀδυνάτοις X. Mem. 2.3.5, cf. Isoc. 5.41, etc.

3 less freq. c. acc., μεγάλα ἔργα Thgn. 75; δίκαιον πρᾶγμα Pl. Cri. 45c, Phlb. 57b:— Pass., to be attempted, Th. 4.55, 6.31, X. Cyr. 6.1.41, etc.; τὸ ἐπιχειρούμενον the thing attempted, Pl. Lg. 746b.

4 c. inf., endeavour, attempt to do, Hdt. 3.38, 65, 9.42, Ar. Ra. 81, Th. 2.40, etc.: c. fut. inf., J. BJ 6.7.3:— Pass., ἃ τὸ πρῶτον ἐπεχειρήθη πραχθῆναι Pl. Ep. 337d, cf. Id. Ti. 53a,al.

5 ἐπειχειρήθη c. dat., an operation was performed, τῇσιν αἱμορροΐσι Hp. Epid. 5.20.

II make an attempt on, attack, τινι Hdt. 1.11, 26, 190, Th. 3.94, Ar. V. 1030, etc.; πρός τινα Th. 7.21; ἐπί τινα Pl. Mx. 241d (but ἐπὶ τὴν τοῦ σώματος διαφθοράν with a view to.., Arist. Pol. 1315a24 ); εἰς τὰς σατραπείας D.S. 14.80: abs., Hdt. 5.72, 8.108, etc.; κτείνων ἢ ἐπιχειρῶν Lexap. And. 1.98:— Pass., Th. 2.11.

b sens. obsc., ἐ. μειρακίοις Jul. Mis. 359d.

III attempt to prove, argue dialectically, Pl. Tht. 205a, Hermog. Inv. 3.4; περί τινος Arist. Top. 101a30; ἔκ τινος from a topic, ib. 115a26; ἔς τι D.L. 4.28; ἐ. ὅτι.. Arist. Top. 128b26: abs., Id. APr. 66a34; λογικώτερον ἔστιν ἐπιχειρεῖν ὧδε Id. Cael. 275b12.