Lexical Definition

‎δέ‎ dé (deh) then ^G:CONJ
a primary particle (adversative or continuative)

also, and, but, moreover, now (often unexpressed in English).

• but, and, etc.

Abbott-Smith

δέ (before vowels δ’; on the general neglect of the elision in NT, v. WH, App., 146; Tdf., Pr., 96), post-positive conjunctive particle;

1. copulative, but, in the next place, and, now (Abbott, JG, 104): Mt 1:2ff., II Co 6:15, 16, II Pe 1:5-7; in repetition for emphasis, Ro 3:21, 22, 9:30, I Co 2:6, Ga 2:2, Phl 2:8; in transition to something new, Mt 1:18 2:19, Lk 13:1, Jo 7:14, Ac 6:1, Ro 8:28, I Co 7:1 8:1, al.; in explanatory parenthesis or addition, Jo 3:19, Ro 5:8, I Co 1:12, Eph 2:4 5:32, al.; ὡς δέ, Jo 2:9; καὶ . . . δέ, but also, Mt 10:18, Lk 1:76, Jo 6:51, Ro 11:23, al.; καὶ ἐὰν δέ, yea even if, Jo 8:16.
2. Adversative, but, on the other hand, prop., answering to a foregoing μέν (q.v.), and distinguishing a word or clause from one preceding (in NT most freq. without μέν; Bl., §77, 12): ἐὰν δέ, Mt 6:14, 23, al.; ἐγὼ (σὺ, etc.) δέ, Mt 5:22 6:6, Mk 8:29, al.; ὁ δέ, αὐτὸς δέ, Mk 1:45, Lk 4:40, al.; after a negation, Mt 6:19, 20, Ro 3:4, I Th 5:21, al.

Abbott-Smith References

Liddell-Scott-Jones

δέ,

but: adversative and copulative Particle,

__I answering to μέν (which see), τὴν νῦν μὲν Βοιωτίαν, πρότερον δὲ Καδμηίδα γῆν καλουμένην [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__II without preceding μέν,
__II.1 adversative, expressing distinct opposition, αἰεί τοι τὰ κάκ᾽ ἐστὶ φίλα.. μαντεύεσθαι, ἐσθλὸν δ᾽ οὔτε τί πω εἶπας[δέ μοι λέγεις 5th c.BC: Euripides Tragicus “Orestes” 100, compare 5th c.BC: Sophocles Tragicus “Antigone” 85, etc.; τέθνηκεν ἀνδρὸς οὐδενός, θεοῦ δ᾽ ὕπο [prev. author] “Ph.” 334 ">Refs 5th c.BC+]; so in Prose, οὐκ ἐπὶ κακῷ, ἐλευθερώσει δέ.. [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__II.2 copulative,
__II.2.a in explanatory clauses, ξυνέβησαν.. τὰ μακρὰ τείχη ἑλεῖν (ἦν δὲ σταδίων μάλιστα ὀκτώ) [Refs 8th c.BC+]: when a substantive is followed by words in apposition, Ἀρισταγόρῃ τῷ Μιλησίῳ, δούλῳ δὲ ἡμετέρῳ [Refs 5th c.BC+]; so in answers, διπλᾶ λέγειν. —Answ. διπλᾶδ᾽ ὁρᾶν [Refs]
__II.2.b in enumerations or transitions, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; with repetition of a word in different relations, ὣς Ἀχιλεὺς θάμβησεν.., θάμβησαν δὲ καὶ ἄλλοι [Refs 8th c.BC+]; in rhetorical outbursts, οὐκ ἂν εὐθέως εἴποιεν· τὸν δὲ βάσκανον, τὸν δὲ ὄλεθρον, τοῦτον δὲ ὑβρίζειν,—ἀναπνεῖν δέ. [Refs 4th c.BC+]; in a climax, πᾶν γύναιον καὶ παιδίον καὶ θηρίον δέ nay even beast, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; in the combination καὶ δέ [δέ 4th-5th c.BC: Aeschylus Tragicus “Prometheus Vinctus” 973, 5th c.BC: Euripides Tragicus “Electra” 1117, etc., each particle retains its force. ">Refs 8th c.BC+]
__II.2.c answering to τε (which see), ἃ τῶν τε ἀποβαινόντων ἕνεκα ἄξια κεκτῆσθαι, πολὺ δὲ μᾶλλον αὐτὰ αὑτῶν [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__II.3 implying causal connexion, less direct than γάρ, [Refs 8th c.BC+]
__II.4 in questions, with implied opposition, ἑόρακας δ᾽, ἔφη, τὴν γυναῖκ; [δέ, as Μενέλαε, σοὶ δὲ τάδε λέγω.. 5th c.BC: Euripides Tragicus “Orestes” 622, etc.; also in 5th c.BC: Herodotus Historicus, ὦ δέσποτα, ἐγὼ δὲ ταῦτα ἐποίησα 1.115. ">Refs 5th c.BC+]
__II.4.b τί δ; what then? to mark a transition in dialogue; see at {τίς}.
__II in apodosi:
__II.1 after hypothetical clauses, εἰ δέ κε μὴ δώωσιν, ἐγὼ δέ κεν αὐτὸς ἕλωμαι if they will not give it, then I.., [Refs 8th c.BC+]
__II.1.b after temporal or relative clauses, with ἐπεί, ἕως, etc., [Refs 8th c.BC+]; with demonstrative Pronouns or adverbs answering to a preceding relative, οἵηπερ φύλλων γενεή, τοίη δὲ καὶ ἀνδρῶν [Refs 8th c.BC+]: sometimes after a participle, οἰόμενοι.. τιμῆς τεύξεσθαι, ἀντὶ δὲ τούτων οὐδ᾽ ὅμοιοι.. ἐσόμεθα [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__II.2 to resume after an interruption or parenthesis, χρόνου δὲ ἐπιγινομένου καὶ κατεστραμμένων σχεδὸν πάντων..,—κατεστραμμένων δὲ τούτων.. [δέ.. 5th-6th c.BC: Xenophon Historicus “Institutio Cyri (Cyropaedia)” 7.2.23 ">Refs 5th c.BC+]; with an anacoluthon, ἡ δὲ ψυχὴ ἄρα,—οἷ ἂν θεὸς θέλῃ.. τῇ ἐμῇ ψυχῇ ἰτέον, αὕτη δὲ δή.. [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__II.3 to begin a story, ἦμος δ᾽ ἠέλιος.. well, when the sun.., [Refs 8th c.BC+]
__II.4 to introduce a proof, τεκμήριον δέ, σημεῖον δέ, (see entry).
__B POSITION of δέ. It usually stands second: hence frequently between Article and substantive or preposition and case; but also after substantive, or words forming a connected notion, hence it may stand third, γυναῖκα πιστὴν δ᾽ ἐν δόμοις εὕροι [Refs 5th c.BC+]; so in Prose after a negative, οὐχ ὑπ᾽ ἐραστοῦ δέ, to avoid confusion between οὐ δέ and οὐδέ, [Refs 5th c.BC+]