1. to roll up, pack close, Lat. conglobare, κατὰ τείχεα λαὸν ἐέλσαι to roll up the host and force it back to the walls, (Iliad by Homer); Ἀχαιοὺς ἐπὶ πρύμνηισιν ἐείλεον (Iliad by Homer); εἰλεῖν ἐν μέσσοισι to coop up or hem in on all sides, (Iliad by Homer); θῆρας ὁμοῦ εἰλεῖν to drive game together, (Odyssey by Homer):—;Pass. to be cooped or huddled up , εἰς ἄστυ ἄλεν (for ἄλησαν) (Odyssey by Homer); νηυσὶν ἐπὶ γλαφυρῆισιν ἐελμένοι (Odyssey by Homer):—;metaphorically, Διὸς βουλῆισιν ἐελμένος straitened, held in check by the counsels of Zeus, (Odyssey by Homer)

2. to smite , νῆα κεραυνῶι Ζεὺς ἔλσας having smitten the ship with lightning, (Odyssey by Homer)

3. to collect : Pass. ἀλὲν ὕδωρ water collected, ponded , (Iliad by Homer)

4. Pass. also, to draw oneself up, shrink up , ἀλῆναι ὑπ᾽ ἀσπίδι (Iliad by Homer); Ἀχιλῆα ἀλεὶς μένεν collecting himself he waited the attack of Achilles, (Iliad by Homer)

5. Pass. also, to go to and fro , like Lat. versari, (Herdotus Historicus)

6. to wind, turn round :—; Pass. to turn round, revolve , ἰλλομένων ἀρότρων moving to and fro , (Sophocles Tragicus); ἕλιξ εἰλεῖται is twined round , (Theocritus Poeta Bucolicus) (ML)