νικάω
Etym. νίκη
I. absol. "to conquer, prevail, vanquish", Hom., etc.; ὁ νικήσας "the conqueror", ὁ νικηθείς "the conquered", Il.; ἐνίκησα καὶ δεύτερος καὶ τέταρτος ἐγενόμην "I won the first prize", Thuc.; νικᾶν ἐπὶ πᾶσι κριταῖς in the opinion of all the judges, Ar.; c. acc. cogn., πάντα ἐνίκα "he won" all the bouts, Il.; παγκράτιον Thuc.; ν. Ὀλύμπια "to be conqueror" in the Ol. games, id=Thuc., etc.
2. of opinions, "to prevail, carry the day", Hom., etc.; ἐκ τῆς νικώσης [γνώμης] according to "the prevailing opinion, vote of the majority", Xen.:—impers., ἐνίκα (sc. ἡ γνώμη) "it was resolved", Lat. visum est, c. inf., ἐνίκα μὴ ἐκλιπεῖν τὴν πόλιν "it was carried" not to leave the city, Hdt.; ἐνίκησε λοιμὸν εἰρῆσθαι "it was the general opinion that" λοιμός was the word, Thuc.
3. as law-term, ν. τὴν δίκην "to win" one's cause, Eur., Ar.
II. c. acc. pers. "to conquer, vanquish", Hom., etc.; μὴ φῦναι τὸν ἅπαντα νικᾶι λόγον not to be born is best, Soph.; νίκης νικᾶν τινα "to win" victory over one, Od.
2. generally of passions, etc., "to conquer, to overpower", Il.; βαρεῖαν ἡδονὴν νικᾶτέ με "ye force" me to grant you pleasure against my will, Soph.; c. inf., μηδ᾽ ἡ βία σε νικησάτω μισεῖν let not force "prevail on" thee to hate, id=Soph.
3. Pass., νικᾶσθαί τινος, like ἡττᾶσθαι, to be "inferior to, give way, yield to", id=Soph., Eur.; ἢν τοῦτο νικηθῆις ἐμοῦ Ar.