μηχᾰν-ή, Dor.
μᾱχᾰνά,ἡ, (μῆχος):
I. contrivance, esp.machinefor lifting weights and thelike,crane, Hdt. 2.125 , IG 11(2).161
A 69 , al. (Delos,iii B. C.);μ. τετράκωλος, δίκωλος, Rev.Phil. 44.251 (Didyma,ii B. C.); μ. λιθαγωγός
Poll. 10.148
;ἰχθυβόλῳ μ., of Poseidon's trident, A. Th. 132 (lyr.);λαοπόροις μ., of Xerxes' bridge of boats, Id. Pers. 114 (lyr.), cf. 722 ; freq. of irrigation machines, POxy. 985
(i A. D.), etc.; also of oil-presses, Wilcken Chr. 176.10
(i/ii A. D.), etc.
2. engineof war, μηχανὰς προσάγειν
Th. 2.76
, etc.; ἑλεῖν μηχαναῖς
Id. 4.13
.
3. theatrical machineby which gods, etc., were made to appear in the air, Pl. Cra. 425d , Clit. 407a ; αἴρειν μ.