φρέ-αρ, epigram
φρεῖαρ [
Refs 2nd c.BC+],
contraction φρητός [
Refs 1st c.AD+], Hdn.Gr.1.409;
Epic dialect dative φρέᾰτι [
Refs 3rd c.BC+];
plural φρέᾱτα, also φρῆτα [
Refs 3rd c.BC+];
Epic dialect plural φρείᾰτα (see. below):—
an artificial well (thus distinguished from κρήνη,[
Refs 5th c.BC+]; but φ. ἀσφάλτον naphtha-
spring, [
LXX+8th c.BC+]; the stem φρεατ - first in [
Refs]
2) later,
tank, cistern, reservoir, [
Refs 5th c.BC+], etc; εἰς φ. καταβαίνειν καὶ κολυμβᾶν [
Refs 5th c.BC+]: generally,
pit, φ. διαφθορᾶς [
LXX]
2.b) perhaps
oil-jar, [
Refs 5th c.BC+]
3)
metaphorically, εἰς φρέατά τε καὶ πᾶσαν ἀπορίαν ἐμπίπτων [
Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἡ περὶ τὸ φ. ὄρχησις, proverbial of persons 'on the brink of a volcano', [
Refs 1st c.AD+]; λύκος περὶ φ. χορεύει proverbial cited in [
Refs 5th c.AD+]; πίνειν ἐξ ἀργυροῦ φρέατος, i.e. a large wine-cup, [
Refs 2nd c.AD+]. [
Attic dialect genitive φρέᾱτος [
Refs 5th c.BC+]
genitive frhvṇτος, cf. Armenian
albiur 'well', Goth. and O[
Refs 5th c.BC+]
brunna 'stream, burn', Latin
ferveo,
defrutum.)