πρόφᾰσ-ις, εως, ἡ, (προφαίνω)
motive or
cause alleged, whether truly or falsely: then,
actual motive or
cause, whether alleged or not:
I)
alleged motive, plea, without implication of truth or falsity, ἐπὶ σμικρῇ π. [
Refs 6th c.BC+]; καὶ ἐπὶ μεγάλῃ καὶ ἐπὶ βραχείᾳ π. whether the
plea put forward be a trifle or a weighty matter, [
Refs 5th c.BC+]; τῆς αἰτίας τὴν π. the
plea in the case, the
basis of the charge, [
Refs 5th c.BC+]; τοιαύτας ἔχοντες π. καὶ αἰτίας
pleas and motives, [
Refs 5th c.BC+]; π. ἐπιεικής[
Refs 4th c.BC+]; προφάσεις ἀληθεῖς λέγοντος
pleading what was in fact true, [
Refs 5th c.BC+]
I.2)
falsely alleged motive (or
cause), pretext, pretence, excuse, π. ἰδίης ἀβουλίης an
excuse for, [
Refs 5th c.BC+]
in pretence, ostensibly, στενάχοντο γυναῖκες Πάτροκλον π, σφῶν δ᾽ αὐτῶν κήδε᾽ ἑκάστη [
Refs 8th c.BC+]; opposed to τὸ ἀληθές, [
Refs 5th c.BC+]; προφάσει τῶν δημοσίων on the
pretence that public debts are owing, [
Refs 1st c.AD+]; προφάσιος [εἵνεκεν], προφάσεως ἕνεκα, [
Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἐκ μικρᾶς π. [
Refs 5th c.BC+]
infinitive, αὕτη γὰρ ἦν σοι π. ἐκβαλεῖν ἐμέ for casting me out, [
Refs 5th c.BC+]; π. τοῖς δειλοῖς ἔχει μὴ ἰέναι gives them an
excuse or
plea for not going, [
Refs 5th c.BC+]; εὑρὼν π. [
Refs 4th c.AD+]
I.2.b) phrases, πρόφασιν διδόναι, ἐνδοῦναι, allow, afford an
excuse, [
Refs 5th c.BC+]; π. μηδεμίαν θέμενος making no
excuse, [
Refs 6th c.BC+]; π. προτεῖναι put forward a
pretext, [
Refs 5th c.BC+]; προφάσιας εἷλκον kept making
pretences, [
Refs 5th c.BC+]; π. τινὰ πρεσβείας πορισάμενοι [
Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἔχει προφάσεις it is excusable,[
Refs 5th c.BC+]
I.2.c) elliptically, μή μοι πρόφασιν no
excuse, no
shuffling, [
Refs 5th c.BC+]
II)
the actual motive, purpose, or
cause, whether alleged or not, οὔτ᾽ εὐνῆς πρόφασιν κεχρημένος οὔτε τευ ἄλλου [
Refs 8th c.BC+]; τὸ ἐκ προφάσεως τῶν. στρατιωτῶν δηληγατευθὲν μέτρον ἐλαίου for the
purpose of, [
Refs 4th c.AD+]; τὴν ἀληθεστάτην π, ἀφανεστάτην δὲ λόγῳ [
Refs 5th c.BC+]: especially as a medical technical term,
external exciting cause, ἐκ πάσης π. ἐκτιτρώσκουσι they miscarry on any
provocation, [
Refs 5th c.BC+]: generally,
cause, σμικρὰ π. ἔξωθεν [
Refs 5th c.BC+]; βραχεῖα π. [
Refs 5th c.BC+]; φανερὴ π. [
Refs 5th c.BC+]; βραχείας προφάσεως ἔδει μόνον ἐφ᾽ ᾗ. δεξόμεθα. it needed but a little
to move us to, [
Refs 5th c.BC+]
II.2)
occasion, θοἰμάτιον δεικνὺς τοδὶ πρόφασιν ἔφασκον, ὦ γύναι, λίαν σπαθᾷς I said
à propos. I
took occasion to say, [
Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἐπὶ τῇ ἐμῇ π.
à propos of me, [
Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἐπὶ τῇ π. τῆς ἐμαυτοῦ ἀρχῆς on the
occasion of my accession, [
Refs 3rd c.AD+]
III)
persuasion, suggestion, uncertain reading in [
Refs 5th c.BC+]
IV)
preface, τὰς σημειώσεις ὑπὸ μίαν ἐκθησόμεθα π. [
Refs 1st c.AD+]