Lexical Definition

‎ἔπος‎ épos (ep'-os) a word ^G:N-N
from ‎ἔπω‎

X say.

• a word

Abbott-Smith

ἔπος, -εος (-ους), τό [in LXX: Za 7:3, Si 44:5 * ;]
a word: ὡς ἔ. εἰπεῖν (cl.), so to speak: He 7:9.†
SYN.: λόγος, reasoned speech; ῥῆμα, mere articulated utterance; ἔ., the articulated expression of a thought

Abbott-Smith References

Liddell-Scott-Jones

ἔπος,

older ϝέπος [Refs], etc., εος, τό (Sanskrit vácas 'word', 'hymn', compare εἶπον):

__I word, παύρῳ ἔπει in short utterance, [Refs 5th c.BC+]: generally, that which is uttered in words, speech, tale, ἔπος ἐρέειν [Refs 8th c.BC+]; joined with μῦθος, [Refs 8th c.BC+] —Special uses,
__I.1 song or lay accompanied by music, [Refs]
__I.2 pledged word, promise, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; τελέσαι ἔπος fulfil, keep one's word,[Refs 4th c.BC+]
__I.3 word in season, counsel, [Refs 8th c.BC+]
__I.4 word of a deity, oracle, [Refs 8th c.BC+]
__I.5 saying, proverb, τὸ παλαιὸν ἔπος [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__I.6 word, opposed to deed, ἔπε᾽ ἀκράαντα words of none effect, opposed to ἔτυμα, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; opposed to ἔργον, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; opposed to βίη, [Refs 8th c.BC+]
__I.7 subject of a speech, message, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__II later usages,
__II.1 joined with ἔργον or πρᾶγμα [ἔπος τε καὶ ἔργον ἐποίεε 5th c.BC: Herodotus Historicus 3.134; χρηστὰ ἔργα καὶ ἔπεα ποιέειν [prev. author] 1.90. ">Refs 5th c.BC+]
__II.2 κατ᾽ ἔπος word by word, κατ᾽ ἔ. βασανιεῖν φησι τὰς τραγῳδίας [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__II.3 πρὸς ἔπος at the first word, [Refs 2nd c.AD+]
__II.3.b word in exchange for word, ἀμείβεσθαι, ἀποκρίνεσθαι, of an oracle, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__II.3.c οὐδὲν πρὸς ἔ. to no purpose, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; also, nothing to the purpose, ἐὰν μηδὲν πρὸς ἔ. ἀποκρίνωμαι [Refs 5th c.BC+]; τί πρὸς ἔπο; [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__II.4 ὡς ἔπος εἰπεῖν almost, practically, qualifying a too absolute expression, especially with πᾶς and οὐδείς (not with metaphors), [Refs 5th c.BC+]; opposed to ὄντως or ἀκριβεῖ λόγῳ, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; in Trag., ὡς εἰπεῖν ἔ. [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__II.5 ἑνὶ ἔπει in one word, briefly, ἑνὶ ἔπεϊ πάντα συλλαβόντα λέγειν [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__III of single words, especially with reference to etymology or usage, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ὀρθότης ἐπῶν,=ὀρθοέπεια (which see), [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__IV in plural, epic poetry, opposed to μέλη (lyric poetry), ἰαμβεῖα, διθύραμβοι, etc., ῥαπτῶν ἐπέων ἀοιδοί [ἔπος “IG” 3.1020; ποητὴς ἐπῶν [prev. work]7.3197.9 (Orchom. \_Boeotian dialect\_),compare “OGI” 51.37 (Egypt, 3rd c.BC). ">Refs 5th c.BC+]
__IV.b generally, poetry, even lyrics, [Refs 7th c.BC+]
__IV.c lines, verses, especially of spoken lines in the drama, [Refs 5th c.BC+]: singular, verse, line of poetry, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; group of verses, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__IV.d lines of writing, μυρίων ἐπῶν μῆκος [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἐν ὅλοις ἑπτὰ ἔπεσι παραδραμεῖν, of a historian, [Refs 2nd c.AD+]