1. to frighten, scare, alarm , Lat. terrere, (Iliad by Homer)

2. intransitive to crouch or cower down for fear (compare πτώσσω), properly of animals, (Sophocles Tragicus); of men, (Pindar), attic; πτ. βωμὸν ὕπο (Euripides); also with accusative loci, πτ. βωμόν to flee cowering to the altar, (Euripides)

3. to crouch like a wild beast ready to spring, (Euripides);—;so of men in ambush, ὑπὸ τεύχεσι πεπτηῶτες (Odyssey by Homer)

4. with accusative rei, to crouch for fear of , ἀπειλάς (Aeschulus Tragicus) (ML)