Lexical Definition

‎δίκη‎ díkē (dee'-kay) condemnation ^G:N-F
probably from ‎δεικνύω‎

judgment, punish, vengeance.

• right (as self-evident), i.e. justice (the principle, a decision, or its execution)

Abbott-Smith

δίκη, -ης, ἡ [in LXX for נקם, ריב, etc. ;]
1. custom.
2. right.
3. a judicial hearing; hence its result, the execution of a sentence, punishment: δ. τίνειν, II Th 1:9; δ. υπεχειν, Ju 7.
4. Personified (cf. Lat. Justitia), justice, vengeance: Ac 28:4.†

Abbott-Smith References

Liddell-Scott-Jones

δίκη [ῐ], ἡ,

custom, usage, αὕτη δ. ἐστὶ βροτῶν this is the way of mortals, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; ἡ γὰρ δ., ὁππότε.. this is always the way, when.., [Refs 2nd c.AD+]; δίκαν ἐφέπειν τινός to imitate him, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; δ. ἐπέχειν τινός to be like.., [Refs 1st c.AD+]; normal course of nature, ἐκ τουτέων ὁ θάνατος οὐ γίνεται κατά γε δίκην, οὐδ᾽ ἢν γένηται [Refs 5th c.BC+]

__2 adverbial in accusative δίκην, in the way of, after the manner of, with genitive, λύκοιο [Refs 5th c.BC+]; in later Prose, [δίκην ὕδατος, ἀγγείου, 4th-5th c.BC: Aeschylus Tragicus “Septem contra Thebas” 85 (Lyric poetry), 5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Phaedrus” 235d. ">Refs 5th c.BC+]
__II order, right, μή τι δίκης ἐπιδευές nothing short of what is fit, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; opposed to σχέτλια ἔργα, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; Truth, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__II.2 δίκη ἐστί, ={δίκαιόν ἐστι}, [Refs 4th c.BC+]
__II.3 Adverb. usages, δίκῃ duly, rightly, [δίκην 5th c.BC: Herodotus Historicus 7.35, 5th c.BC: Euripides Tragicus “Troades” 888, etc.; μετὰ δίκης 5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Leges” 643e; πρὸς δίκης 5th c.BC: Sophocles Tragicus “Oedipus Tyrannus” 1014, “El.” 1211 (but πρὸς δίκας">Refs 8th c.BC+] on the score of justice, [δίκης 3rd c.BC: Herodas Mimographus 4.77: opposed to παρὰ δίκαν 5th c.BC: Pindarus Lyricus “O.” 2.18, etc.; ἄνευ δίκης 4th-5th c.BC: Aeschylus Tragicus “Eumenides” 554; πέρα δίκης [prev. author] “Pr.” 30; βίᾳ δίκης [prev. author] “Supp.” 430 (Lyric poetry)">Refs 5th c.BC+]; δίχα δίκης without trial, [Refs 1st c.AD+]; πρὸ δίκης in preference to legal proceedings, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__III judgement, δίκην ἰθύντατα εἰπεῖν give judgement most righteously (compare ἰθύς), [δίκην 4th-5th c.BC: Aeschylus Tragicus “Eumenides” 433. ">Refs 8th c.BC+]
__IV after [Refs 8th c.BC+], of proceedings instituted to determine legal rights, hence,
__IV.1 lawsuit, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; properly private suit or action, opposed to γραφή (which see), [Refs 5th c.BC+]; οἱ δίκην ἔχοντες the parties to a suit, [Refs 1st c.AD+]
__IV.2 trial of the case, πρὸ δίκης [δίκην γενέσθαι 5th c.BC: Thucydides Historicus 2.53 ">Refs 5th c.BC+]; court by which it was tried, ἐν ὑμῖν ἐστι καὶ τῇ δίκῃ [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__IV.2.b δίκην εἰπεῖν to plead a cause, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__IV.3 the object or consequence of the action, atonement, satisfaction, penalty, δίκην ἐκτίνειν, τίνειν, [Refs 5th c.BC+]: adverbially in accusative, τοῦ δίκην πάσχεις τάδ; [Refs 4th c.BC+]; frequently δίκην or δίκας διδόναι suffer punishment, i. e. make amends (but δίκας δ., in [Refs 4th c.BC+], to grant arbitration); δίκας διδόναι τινί τινος [δίκην 5th c.BC: Sophocles Tragicus “Electra” 538, etc.">Refs 5th c.BC+]; also ἀντί or ὑπέρ τινος, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; also δίκην διδόναι ὑπὸ θεῶν to be punished by.., [Refs 5th c.BC+]; but δίκας ἤθελον δοῦναι they consented to submit to trial, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; δίκας λαμβάνειν sometimes ={δ. διδόναι}, [δίκην ἀξίαν ἐλάμβανες 5th c.BC: Euripides Tragicus “Bacchae” 1312, “Heracl.” 852 ">Refs 5th c.BC+]; more frequently its correlative, inflict punishment, take vengeance, [δίκην παρά τινος 4th c.BC: Demosthenes Orator 21.92, compare 9.2, etc.">Refs 5th c.BC+]; so δίκην ἔχειν to have one's punishment, [Refs 5th c.BC+] have satisfaction, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; δίκας or δίκην ὑπέχειν stand trial, [δίκην παρασχεῖν 5th c.BC: Euripides Tragicus “Hippolytus” 50 ">Refs 5th c.BC+]; θανάτου δίκην ὀφλεῖν ὑπό τινος to incur the death penalty, [δίκης τυχεῖν παρά τινος [prev. work]142; δίκην ὀφείλειν, ὀφλεῖν, [prev. author] 21.77, 47.63; ἐρήμην ὀφλεῖν τὴν δ. 5th c.BC: Antipho Orator 5.13 ">Refs 5th c.BC+]; δίκην φεύγειν try to escape it, be the defendant in the trial (opposed to διώκειν prosecute), [Refs 4th c.BC+]; δίκας αἰτέειν demand satisfaction, τινός for a thing, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; τινός for a thing, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; δίκας ἑλεῖν, see at {ἔρημος} 11; δίκην τείσασθαι, see at {τίνω} 11; δὸς δὲ δίκην καὶ δέξο παρὰ Ζηνί [Refs]; δίκας διδόναι καὶ λαμβάνειν παρ᾽ ἀλλήλων, of communities, submit causes to trial, [δίκην δοῦναι καὶ λαβεῖν ἐν τῷ δήμῳ 5th-6th c.BC: Xenophon Historicus “Respublica Atheniensium” 1.18, etc.">Refs 5th c.BC+]; δίκας δοῦναι καὶ δέξασθαι submit differences to a peaceful settlement, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__V [Refs 4th c.BC+] name for three, [Refs 1st c.AD+]; for five, [Refs]diś-, diśā 'direction', 'quarter of the heavens'.)