στέγω; (allied with Latintego, toga, English deck, thatch, etc.; Curtius, § 155 Fick Part 3:590); to cover;

1. to protect or keep by covering, to preserve: Sophocles, Plato, Plutarch, others.

2. to cover over with silence; to keep secret; to hide, conceal: ταμα ἔπη, Euripides, Electr. 273; τόν λόγον, Polybius 8, 14, 5; for other examples see Passow, under the word, 1 b. β.; (Liddell and Scott, under the word, II. 2); μωρός οὐ δυνήσεται λόγον στέξαι, Sir 8:17; hence, ἡ ἀγάπη πάντα στέγει, 1Co 13:7, is explained by some, love covereth (so R. V. marginal reading), i. e. hides and excuses, the errors and faults of others; but it is more appropriately rendered (with other interpreters) beareth. For στέγω means

3. by covering to keep off something which threatens, to bear up against, hold out against, and so to endure, bear, forbear (τάς ἐνδείας, Philo in Flacc. § 9; many examples from Greek authors from Aeschylus down are given by Passow, under the word, 2; (Liddell and Scott, under the word, A. especially 3)): 1Co 9:12; 1Co 13:7; 1Th 3:1; 1Th 3:5.