Lexical Definition

‎ἑλκύω‎ helkýō (hel-koo'-o) to draw/persuade ^G:V
probably akin to ‎αἱρέομαι‎

draw.

• to drag (literally or figuratively)

Abbott-Smith

ἕλκω (Hellenistic form ἑλκύω in Jo, ll. c., Ac 16:19), [in LXX for מָשַׁךְ, etc. ;]
to draw: c. acc rei, Jo 18:10 21:6; c. acc pers., seq. ἔξω, Ac 21:30; εἰς, Ac 16:19, Ja 2:6. Metaph., to draw, lead, impel: Jo 6:44 12:32. (For discussion of ἕ. in Oxyrh. Log., v. Deiss., LAE, 437 ff.)†

Abbott-Smith References

Liddell-Scott-Jones

ἕλκω

(ἑλκύω late, [Refs 8th c.BC+], imperfect

__A εἷλκον [Refs 4th c.BC+], Epic dialect ἕλκον [Refs 8th c.BC+]: future ἕλξω [Refs 5th c.BC+]: aorist εἵλκῠσα [Refs 5th c.BC+], Trag. and Attic dialect, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; later εἷλξα, poetry ἕλξα [Refs 2nd c.AD+]: perfect εἵλκῠκα [Refs 4th c.BC+]; perfect participle ἑολκώς probably in [Refs 5th c.BC+] —middle, future -ύσομαι (ἐφ-) [Refs 2nd c.AD+]aorist εἱλκυσάμην (ἀφ-) variant in [Refs 5th c.BC+], subjunctive ἀφελκύσωμαι [Refs 5th c.BC+]:—passive, future ἑλκυσθήσομαι [Refs 4th c.BC+]: aorist εἱλκύσθην [Refs 5th c.BC+]; later εἵλχθην [Refs 1st c.AD+]: perfect εἵλκυσμαι [Refs 5th c.BC+]: pluperfect εἵλκυστο [Refs 5th c.BC+] —In _Attic dialect_, ἕλκω, ἕλξω were alone used in present and future, while the other tenses were formed from ἑλκυ-; compare ἑλκέω (which see), ἑλκυστάζω. In [Refs 8th c.BC+] rejected the augment (Cf. Latin sulcus, Lithuanian velkù 'drag'):— draw, drag, with collateralnotion of force or exertion, ὣς εἰπὼν ποδὸς ἕλκε began to drag [the dead body] by the foot, [ἕλκωσι θύραζε 8th c.BC: Odyssea Homerus Epicus “Odyssey” 16.276; τινὰ τῆς ῥινός 2nd c.AD: Lucianus Sophista “Herm.” 73; Ἕκτορα.. περὶ σῆμ᾽ ἑτάροιο ἕλκει 8th c.BC: Ilias Homerus Epicus “Illiad” 24.52 ">Refs 8th c.BC+]; drag away a prisoner, [Refs]; draw ships down to the sea, [Refs], etc.; draw along a felled tree, [Refs]; of mules, draw a chariot, [Refs]; ἑλκέμεναι νειοῖο.. πηκτὸν ἄροτρον draw the plough through the field, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; περιβαλόντας σχοινία ἕ. haul at them, [Refs]
__A.2 draw after one, ἐν δ᾽ ἔπεσ᾽ Ὠκεανῷ.. φάος ἠελίοιο, ἕλκον νύκτα μέλαιναν [Refs 8th c.BC+]; πέδας ἕ. trail fetters after one, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἕ. χλανίδα let one's cloak trail behind, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__A.3 tear in pieces (used by [Refs 8th c.BC+]; worry, τὰς κύνας ὥλαφος ἕλκοι [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__A.3.b metaphorically, carp at, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__A.4 draw a bow, ἕλκε.. γλυφίδας τε λαβὼν καὶ νεῦρα βόεια [Refs 8th c.BC+]
__A.5 draw a sword, [Refs 5th c.BC+]:—middle, ἕλκετο δ᾽ ἐκ κολεοῖο.. ξίφος [Refs 8th c.BC+]
__A.6 ἕ. ἱστία hoist sails, [Refs 8th c.BC+]:—also in middle,[Refs]
__A.7 lift up scales, so as to poise them, ἕλκε δὲ μέσσα λαβών [Refs 8th c.BC+]
__A.II after [Refs 8th c.BC+]
__A.II.1 pull a barge-pole, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__A.II.2 tow a ship, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__A.II.3 drag into court, ἕλκω σε κλητεύσοντα [Refs 5th c.BC+]; εἰς ἀγοράν [NT]; drag about, especially with lewd violence, ἕλκει καὶ βιάζεται [Refs 5th c.BC+]; also ἥλκυσμαι λαμπαδάρχης I have been compelled to serve as λ., [Refs]
__A.II.4 draw or suck up, [ἥλιος] ἕλκει τὸ ὕδωρ ἐπ᾽ ἑωυτόν [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἕ. τὸν ἀέρα draw it in, breathe it, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; especially of persons drinking, drink in long draughts, quaff, μέθυ [Refs 5th c.BC+]; τὴν.. τοῦ Πραμνίου [σπονδήν] [Refs 5th c.BC+]; οἶνον ἐκ.. λεπαστῆς Telecl[Refs 4th c.BC+]: with accusative of the cup, δέπας μεστὸν.. ἕλκουσι γνάθοις ἀπαύστοις [Refs 4th c.BC+]; so ἕ. μαστόν suck it, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; inhale, ὀσμήν [Refs 3rd c.BC+]; of roots, draw up nourishment, [Refs 4th c.BC+]
__A.II.5 draw from a receptacle, ἐξ ἑκάστου κιβωτίου πινάκιον ἕν [Refs 4th c.BC+]
__A.II.6 ἕ. βίοτον, ζόαν, drag out a weary life, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; προφάσιας ἕ. keep making excuses, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἕ. χρόνους make long, in prosody, [Refs 3rd c.AD+] that the conflict dragged on, lasted, [Refs 5th c.BC+]:—passive, τῶν ἐγκλημάτων εἱκλυσμένων πλείονα χρόνον [Refs 2nd c.BC+]; also of a person, ἑλκόμενος καὶ μόγις [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__A.II.7 ἕ. κόρδακα dance in long, measured steps, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἓν τουτὶ (σχῆμα) [Refs]
__A.II.8 draw to oneself, attract, of the magnet, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; πείθειν καὶ ἑ. [Refs 5th c.BC+]; draw on, ἐπὶ ἡδονάς [Refs 5th c.BC+]:—passive, to be drawn on as by a spell, ἴυγγι δ᾽ ἕλκομαι ἦτορ [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__A.II.9 of things weighed, ἕ. σταθμὸν τάλαντα δέκα draw down the balance, i.e. weigh ten talents, [Refs 5th c.BC+] whatever it weigh, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; πλεῖον ἕ. [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__A.II.9.b ἕ. τὰς ψήφους cast up the account, [Refs 3rd c.BC+]
__A.II.10 draw or derive from a source, ἐντεῦθεν εἵλκυσεν ἐπὶ τὴν.. τέχνην τὸ πρός φορον αὐτῇ [Refs 5th c.BC+]; assume, μείζω φαντασίαν [Refs 2nd c.BC+]
__A.II.11 ἑλκύσαι πλίνθους make bricks, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἕ. λάγανον Chrysipp. Tyan. cited in [Refs 2nd c.AD+]
__A.II.12 αἱ θυρίδες ἕλκουσι the win dows draw in air, [Refs 4th c.BC+]
__A.II.13 ἕ. ἑαυτόν, expressing some kind of athletic exercise, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__B middle, ἕ. χαίτας ἐκ κεφαλῆς tear one's hair, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; ἀσσοτέρω πυρὸς ἕλκετο δίφρον drew his chair nearer to the fire, [Refs 8th c.BC+]
__B.2 draw to oneself, scrape up, amass, τιμάς, ἄφενος ἕλκεσθαι, [Refs 6th c.BC+]
__B.3 ἕλκεσθαι στάθμας περισσᾶς in [Refs 5th c.BC+], means literal, to drag at too great a line, i.e.grasp more than one's due-- but whence the metaphor is taken remains unexplained.
__C passive, to be drawn or wrenched, νῶτα.. ἑλκόμενα στερεῶς, of wrestlers, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; of the nails, to be curved, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; to close in when the core is removed, of the timber of certain trees, [Refs 4th c.BC+]
__C.2 to be drawn or to flow at a place, of streams, [Refs 3rd c.BC+]
__C.3 to be drawn or contracted, εἱλκύσθη ἐπὶ τὰ δεξιὰ τράχηλος [Refs 5th c.BC+]

_{LSJ Scripture Refs: Acts.16.19}