ψοφάω

• ψοφώ (psofó) (less frequent variant)

ψοφ(ώ) (psof(ó)) + -άω (-áo). From Ancient Greek ψοφῶ (psophô), contracted form of ψοφέω (psophéō, “to make loud noise; (Koine) to die (of an animal)”), from ψόφος (psóphos, “loud noise”). From the noise made by someone literally dropping dead.

• IPA^(key): /psoˈfa.o/
• Hyphenation: ψο‧φά‧ω

ψοφάω • (psofáo) / ψοφώ (past ψόφησα, passive —)

1. (intransitive) to die (of an animal)

   Τα πρόβατα ψόφησαν από το κρύο.

   Ta próvata psófisan apó to krýo.

   The sheep died from the cold.

2. (intransitive, derogatory) to die (of a person, see below)

   Έχει ψοφήσει ακόμα ο παλιόγερος;

   Échei psofísei akóma o paliógeros?

   Has that old bastard died yet?

3. (intransitive, figuratively) to be worn out, to die (of the cold, etc)

   Έχω ψοφήσει από τη δουλειά.

   Écho psofísei apó ti douleiá.

   Work has killed me.

4. (intransitive, figuratively) to have a strong desire for, to have a thirst for (of the cold, etc)

   Η αδερφή μου ψοφάει για κουτσομπολιό.

   I aderfí mou psofáei gia koutsompolió.

   My sister is crazy about gossip.

5. (transitive) to kill (an animal)

   Ψόφησε το σκυλί της από την πείνα.

   Psófise to skylí tis apó tin peína.

   She killed her dog by starving it.

6. (transitive, figuratively) to wear out, exhaust

   Μας έχει ψοφήσει στις πρόβες, μέχρι να μάθουμε ολόκληρο το κομμάτι.

   Mas échei psofísei stis próves, méchri na máthoume olókliro to kommáti.

   He's exhausting us with practice, until we learn the entire piece.

When used of a person instead of an animal, it is quite dysphemistic and carries the implication that either:

• the person was horrible, undesirable or bad and deserved it, or
• they died in an unseemly or ungraceful manner.

Also attested, a rare passive perfect participle ψοφισμένος (psofisménos)

• πεθαίνω (pethaíno) (a person)
• ξεραίνομαι (xeraínomai) (a plant)
• ξεψυχώ (xepsychó) (euphemistic)
• σβήνω (svíno) (euphemistic)