Lexical Definition

‎ἄρχομαι‎ árchomai (ar'-khom-ahee) to rule/begin ^G:V
middle voice of ‎ἄρχω‎ (through the implication, of precedence)

(rehearse from the) begin(-ning).

• to commence (in order of time)

Abbott-Smith

ἄρχω, [in LXX for חלל, משׁל, etc.;]
1. to begin.
2. to rule (v. DCG, ii, 538b.): c. gen., Mk 10:42, Ro 15:12. Mid., to begin: seq. ἀπό, Mt 16:21 20:8, Lk 14:18 23:5 24:27, 47, Jo 8:9, Ac 1:22 8:35 10:37, I Pe 4:17; c. inf., an Aramaic pleonasm, Mk 1:45 2:23 5:17, Lk 3:8, al. (v. M, Pr., 14 f.; Dalman, Words, 27; MM, s.v.).

Abbott-Smith References

Liddell-Scott-Jones

form of: ἄρχω

ἄρχομαι,

Epic dialect infinitive ἀρχέμεναι[Refs 8th c.BC+]imperfect ἦρχον[Refs]; Doric dialect ἆρχον[Refs 5th c.BC+]: future ἄρξω[Refs 8th c.BC+]aorist ἦρξα, Epic dialect ἄρξα[Refs 8th c.BC+]: perfect ἦρχα[Refs 1st c.AD+]:—middle, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; non-thematic participle ἄρχμενος[Refs 3rd c.BC+]: imperfect, [Refs 8th c.BC+]future ἄρξομαι (in middle sense, see below) [Refs 8th c.BC+]; Doric dialect ἀρξεῦμαι[Refs 3rd c.BC+]: aorist ἠρξάμην[Refs 8th c.BC+] —passive, perfect ἦργμαι only in middle sense, see below [Refs]: aorist ἤρχθην, ἀρχθῆναι[Refs 5th c.BC+]:—to be first,

__I in Time, begin, make a beginning, active and middle (in [Refs 8th c.BC+]to be the aggressor, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; π. ἄρχεσθαι to begin one's operations, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἄρχειν τοῦ λόγου to open a conversation, [Refs]; ἄρχεσθαι τοῦ λόγου to begin one's speech, [Refs]
__I.1 mostly with genitive, make a beginning of, ἄρχειν πολέμοιο[Refs 8th c.BC+]; ἄρχειν χειρῶν ἀδίκων, ἄρχειν τῆς πληγῆς, strike the first blow, [Refs 5th c.BC+] — in middle in religious sense, = {ἀπάρχεσθαι}, ἀρχόμενος μελέων beginning with the limbs, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; but active, σπονδαῖσιν ἄρξαι[Refs 5th c.BC+]
__I.2 with genitive, begin from or with.., ἐν σοὶ μὲν λήξω σέο δ᾽ ἄρξομαι[Refs 8th c.BC+]; πόθεν ἄρξωμα; [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἄρχεσθαι, ἦρχθαι ἔκ τινος, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; ἀπό τινος frequently in Prose, ἀρξάμενοι αὐτίκα ἀπὸ παιδίων even from boyhood, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; but more commonly ἐκ παίδων, ἐκ παιδός, etc., [Refs 5th c.BC+] —ἀπό in non-temporal relations, ἀρξάμενος ἀπὸ σοῦ. i.e. including yourself, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἀφ᾽ ἱερῶν ἠργμένη ἀρχή[Refs 5th c.BC+]
__I.3 with genitive of things et dative person, ἄρχε θεοῖς δαιτός begin a banquet to the gods, [Refs 8th c.BC+]
__I.4 with accusative, ἄρχειν ὁδόν τινι, show him the way, [Refs 8th c.BC+] lead the way, [Refs 8th c.BC+]: with other accusatives, ἄρχειν ὕμνον[Refs 5th c.BC+]
__I.5 of actions, σέο δ᾽ ἕξεται ὅττι κεν ἄρχῃ[Refs 8th c.BC+]infinitive, τοῖσιν δ᾽ ἦρχ᾽ ἀγορεύειν among them, [Refs 8th c.BC+]: with participle, of continued action or condition, ἦρχον χαλεπαίνων[Refs 8th c.BC+]
__I.6 absolutely, ἄρχε take the lead! [Refs 8th c.BC+]: generally, begin, ἄρχειν [τὴν ἐκεχειρίαν] τήνδε τὴν ἡμέραν Indut. cited in [Refs 5th c.BC+]; τὸ ἄρχον, opposed to τὸ ἑπόμενον, [Refs 5th c.AD+]: participle ἀρχόμενος at first, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; at the beginning, ἀρχομένου δὲ πίθου καὶ λήγοντος[Refs 8th c.BC+]
__I.7 Grammars, of a word, ἄ. ἀπὸ φωνήεντος[Refs 2nd c.BC+]; ἡ ἄρχουσα (i.e. συλλαβή) [Refs 2nd c.AD+]
__II in point of Place or Station, rule, govern, command,
__II.1 mostly with genitive, rule, be leader of.., Βοιωτῶν[Refs 8th c.BC+]
__II.2 less frequently with dative, ἀνδράσιν ἦρξα[Refs 8th c.BC+]; also ἐν δ᾽ ἄρα τοῖσιν ἦρχ᾽ held command among them, [Refs 8th c.BC+]infinitive added, ἄρχε Μυρμιδόνεσσι μάχεσθαι led them on to fight, [Refs 8th c.BC+]
__II.3 absolutely, rule, ὅσον τό τ᾽ ἄρχειν καὶ τὸ δουλεύειν δίχα[Refs 4th c.BC+]; especially hold a magistracy, ὁκοῖόν τε εἴη ἄρχειν μετὰ τὸ βασιλεύειν[Refs 5th c.BC+]; at Athens, etc., to be archon, [Refs 4th c.BC+]; ἀρχάς, ἀρχὴν ἄρχειν, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἄρχειν τὴν ἐπώνυμον (with or without ἀρχήν) [Refs]
__II.4 passive, with future ἄρξομαι[Refs 5th c.BC+]:—to be ruled, governed, etc., ὑπό τινος[Refs 6th c.BC+]subjects, [Refs 5th c.BC+]