Lexical Definition

‎λέγω‎ légō (leg'-o) to say ^G:V
a primary verb

ask, bid, boast, call, describe, give out, name, put forth, say(-ing, on), shew, speak, tell, utter.

• properly, to "lay" forth, i.e. (figuratively) relate (in words (usually of systematic or set discourse
• whereas ‎ἔπω‎ and ‎φημί‎ generally refer to an individual expression or speech respectively
• while ‎ῥέω‎ is properly to break silence merely, and ‎λαλέω‎ means an extended or random harangue))
• by implication, to mean

Abbott-Smith

λέγω, [in LXX very freq., chiefly for אמר; λέγει for נְאֻם, Ge 22:16, al.;]

1. in Hom., to pick out, gather, reckon, recount.
2. In Hdt. and Att., to say, speak, affirm, declare: absol., Ac 13:15 24:10; seq. orat. dir., Mt 9:34, Mk 3:11, Jo 1:29, al.; seq. ὅτι recit., Mk 3:21, Lk 1:24, Jo 6:14, al.; acc. et. inf., Lk 11:18, Jo 12:29, al.; after another verb of speaking, προσφωνεῖν κ. λέγειν, Mt 11:17, al.; ἀπεκρίθη (ἐλάλησεν) λέγων (καὶ λέγει; Dalman, Words, 24 ff.), Mt 25:9, Mk 3:33, 7:28, Lk 24:6, 7, al.; of unspoken thought, λ. ἐν ἑαυτῷ, Mt 3:9, Lk 3:8, al.; of writing, II Co 8:8, Phl 4:11, al.; λέγει ἡ γραφή, Ro 4:3, Ja 2:23, al.; c. acc. rei, Lk 8:8 9:33, Jo 5:34, al.; σὺ λέγεις (a non-committal phrase; Swete, Mk., 359, 369 f.), Mt 27:11, Mk 15:2, Lk 23:3, Jo 18:37; c. dat. pers., seq. orat. dir., Mt 8:20, Mk 2:17, al. mult.; id. seq. ὅτι, Mt 3:9, al.; c. prep., πρός, μετά, περί, etc., Mk 4:41, Jo 11:56, He 9:5, al.; to mean (cl.), Mk 14:71, Jo 6:71, I Co 10:29, al.; to call, name, Mk 10:18; pass., Mt 9:9, Mk 15:7, al (cf. ἀντι-, δια- (-μαι), προ-, συλ-λέγω).
SYN.: λαλέω, which refers to the utterance, as λέγω to the meaning of what is said, its correspondence with thought (Tr., Syn., Ixxvi; Thayer, s.v. λαλέω).

Abbott-Smith References

Liddell-Scott-Jones

meaning of: λέγω

λέγω,

__B pick up, etc.: tenses for signification 1 and 11, future λέξω [Refs 8th c.BC+]: aorist ἔλεξα [Refs 4th c.BC+]:—middle, future in passive sense λέξομαι [Refs 5th c.BC+]: aorist ἐλεξάμην [Refs 8th c.BC+]; Epic dialect ἐλέγμην [Refs 8th c.BC+]:—passive, aorist ἐλέχθην [Refs 8th c.BC+]-; post-[Refs 8th c.BC+]perfect εἴλοχα (κατ-, συν-), passive εἴλεγμαι, in these senses rarely λέλεγμαι (see. the compounds); also future λεγήσομαι (συλ-): aorist 2 ἐλέγην (κατ-, συν-):—gather, pick up, ὀστέα.. λέγωμεν [Refs 8th c.BC+]; αἱμασιάς τε λέγων picking out stones for building walls, [Refs 8th c.BC+]:—middle, gather for oneself, ἐπὶ δὲ ξύλα πολλὰ λέγεσθε [Refs 8th c.BC+]
__B.2 middle, choose for oneself, pick out, λέξαιτο.. ἄνδρας ἀρίστους [Refs 8th c.BC+]:—passive, to be chosen, εἰ.. λεγοίμεθα πάντες ἄριστοι [Refs]
__B.II count, tell, ἐν δ᾽ ἡμέας λέγε κήτεσιν he counted us among the seals, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; and in aorist middle, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; ἐγὼ πέμπτος μετὰ τοῖσιν ἐλέγμην I reckoned myself.., [Refs 8th c.BC+]; λέκτο δ᾽ ἀριθμόν he told him over the number, [Refs]:—passive, μετὰ τοῖσιν ἐλέχθην I was counted among these, [Refs 8th c.BC+]
__B.II.b so, but not frequently, after [Refs 8th c.BC+]; also καὶ σὲ δ᾽ ἐν τούτοις λέγω count you among.., [Refs 4th c.BC+]; λ. τινὰ οὐδαμοῦ count him as naught, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; κέρδος λ., εἰ.. count it gain, that.., [Refs]:—middle, λέξατο πάντας [ναύτας] [Refs 5th c.BC+]:—passive, λέγεσθαι ἐν τοῖς ἱππικωτάτοις [Refs 5th c.BC+]: future middle in passive sense, ἐν τοῖς οὐκέτ᾽ οὖσι λέξομαι [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__B.II.2 recount, tell over, οὔ τι διαπρήξαιμι λέγων ἐμὰ κήδεα [λέγων 12.165; ὅσα τ᾽ αὐτὸς.. ἐμόγησε, πάντ᾽ ἔλεγ᾽ 23.308: so in Trag., λ. τύχας, πάθη, μόχθους, etc., 4th-5th c.BC: Aeschylus Tragicus “Prometheus Vinctus” 633, “Pers.” 292, “Ag.” 555, etc.">Refs 8th c.BC+]; also Ἀγαμέμνονι.. λέγ᾽ ὀνείδεα repeated reproaches against him, [Refs 8th c.BC+] —middle, τί σε χρὴ ταῦτα λέγεσθα; why need'st thou tell the tale thereof? [Refs 8th c.BC+]; and so, μηκέτι ταῦτα λεγώμεθα νηπύτιοι ὥς[Refs 8th c.BC+]
__B.III say, speak, first in [Refs 8th c.BC+]: future λέξω [Refs 5th c.BC+]: aorist ἔλεξα [Refs 6th c.BC+] and the Orators, common in some dialects, as Boeotian, [Refs 5th c.BC+]perfect λέλεχα [Refs 2nd c.AD+]:—passive, future λεχθήσομαι [Refs 5th c.BC+]: also future middle in passive sense, [Refs 5th c.BC+]aorist ἐλέχθην (never ἐλέγην in this sense) [Refs 5th c.BC+]: perfect λέλεγμαι [Refs 5th c.BC+] in this sense only in compound δι-): rare in compounds (only ἀντιλέγω, ἐπιλέγω, καταλέγω, προλέγω), the present in most compounds being supplied by ἀγορεύω, the future by ἐρῶ, the aorist by εἶπον, the perfect by εἴρηκα:
__B.III.1 say, speak, never in [Refs 8th c.BC+] and Trag. downwards; of all kinds of oral communications, ἐκέλευε λέγειν εἴ τι θέλοι [Refs 5th c.BC+]; so λέγοις ἄν speak, say on, [Refs 5th c.BC+] (so in passive, λόγος λέλεκται πᾶς [Refs 5th c.BC+]; of oracles, say, declare, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ὥσπερ τοὔνομα λέγει indicates, [Refs 6th c.BC+]; ὑπέρ τινος in his defence, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; κατά τινος against him, [Refs 6th c.BC+]; λ. ἐπί τισι εὐχὰς ἀγαθάς express good wishes for them, [Refs 4th c.BC+]; λ. τά τινος take his part, [Refs 4th c.BC+]; λ. πρός τι in reference or in answer to.., [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__B.III.2 with accusative et infinitive, say that.., [Refs 5th c.BC+], and usually in later Gr., [LXX+NT+5th c.BC+]participle, λ. Οἰδίπουν ὀλωλότα speak of him as dead, [Refs 5th c.BC+]:—passive, λέξεται ἔχων [Refs 4th c.BC+]
__B.III.3 λέγειν τινά τι say something of another, especially κακὰ λ. τινά speak ill of him, revile him, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; τὰ ἔσχατα, τὰ ἀπόρρητα λ. ἀλλήλους, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; also εὖ or κακῶς λ. τινά, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__B.III.4 call by name, ἃς τρέμομεν λ. [Refs 5th c.BC+]: with double accusative, call so and so, λέγοιμ᾽ ἂν ἄνδρα τόνδε τῶν σταθμῶν κύνα [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__B.III.5 λ. τινὰ ποιεῖν τι tell, command one to do, [Refs 5th c.BC+]: so with τινι, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; λέγε τὸν ἐρωτῶντα ἵνα.. εἴπῃ σοι.. [λέγων μὴ μοιχεύειν NT.Rom.2.22. ">NT+4th c.BC+]
__B.III.6 λ. τι say something, i.e. speak to the point or purpose, βούλῃ λέγειν τι, καὶ λέγων μηδὲν κλύει; [Refs 5th c.BC+]; λέγω τ; am I right? the answer being λέγεις, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; opposed to οὐδὲν λέγει has no meaning, no authority, οὐδὲν λ. τὸ σωφρόνως τραφῆναι [Refs 5th c.BC+]; οὐδὲν λέγεις nonsense! [Refs]; but οὐδὲν λέγειν, also, say what is not, lie, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; also εὖ γε λέγεις, εὖ λέγεις, εὖ ἂν λέγοις, good news!, that is well!,[Refs]; καλῶς, ὀρθῶς λ., you are right, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; κοὔπω λέγω and what is more, [Refs 3rd c.BC+]; τί λέγει; τὸν ἔποπα παῖ καλεῖ; [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__B.III.7 pleonastic, ἔφη λέγων [λέγων 5th-6th c.BC: Aristophanes Comicus “Aves” 472; ἦ δ᾽ ὃς λέγων [prev. author] “V.” 795; ὡς ἔφη λέγων 5th c.BC: Sophocles Tragicus “Ajax” 757; καὶ λέγων εἶπεν οὕτω πως 4th c.BC: Demosthenes Orator 8.74, etc. ">Refs 5th c.BC+]
__B.III.8 at the beginning of letters or documents, Ἄμασις Πολυκράτεϊ ὧδε λέγει.., Μαρδόνιος τάδε λέγει.., etc., [Refs 5th c.BC+]. ά, etc.; τὰ γράμματα ἔλεγε τάδε [Refs]; γράμμασι λέγον τάδε, of an inscription, [Refs 5th c.BC+]: in roman edicts, Μάρκος Μέττιος Ῥοῦφος.. λέγει [Refs 1st c.AD+]
__B.III.9 wish to say, mean, οὔτοι γυναῖκας ἀλλὰ Γοργόνας λέγω [Refs 4th c.BC+]; τί τοῦτο λέγει, πρὸ Πύλοι; what does πρὸ Πύλοιο mean? [Refs 5th c.BC+]; how do you mean? in what sense do you say this? Ap.[Refs]; ἢ πῶς λέγομε; or what do we mean to say? Grg.[Refs]; πῶς δὴ οὖν αὐτὸ λέγει; [Refs]; ποῖόν τί ποτε ἄρα λέγοντές φασι.. what they can possibly mean by saying.., [λέγω">Refs] you, I mean Cassandra, [λέγω 5th c.BC: Sophocles Tragicus “Trachiniae” 9, compare 1220, “Ph.” 1261, 5th c.BC: Euripides Tragicus “Phoenissae” 987 ">Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἐμὲ λέγων meaning me, [λέγω, τὴν πόλιν λ. 4th c.BC: Demosthenes Orator 18.88: sometimes, however, the word after λέγω">Refs 5th c.BC+] is put in apposition with the word to be explained, Ἀντικλείας.., τῆς σῆς λέγω τοι μητρός [λέγω δὲ Φωκέων 4th c.BC: Demosthenes Orator 19.152; παρ᾽ ὧν.., τούτων τῶν τὴν Ἀσίαν οἰκούντων λέγω [prev. author] 8.24, compare 5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Symposium” 202b: \_absolutely\_, μηδενὸς ὄντος ἐν [τῇ χώρᾳ] λέγω 4th c.BC: Demosthenes Orator 1.27. ">Refs 5th c.BC+]
__B.III.9.b περὶ ἃς (i.e. ἀπολαύσεις) λέγομεν τὸν σώφρονα in regard to which we use the term 'temperate', [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__B.III.10 ὡς λέγουσι as they say, [Refs 5th c.BC+] —passive, λέγεται it is said, c.accusative et infinitive, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; but also πατρὸς λέγεται γενέσθαι.. [Refs]; θανεῖν ἐλέχθη he was said to have been killed, [Refs 5th c.BC+] absolutely, as the saying goes, [Refs 5th c.BC+] the so-called.., [Refs 5th c.BC+]; οἱ λ. ὅτι.. of whom it is said that.., [Refs]
__B.III.11 of orators, speak (emphatically), λέγειν δεινός [Refs 5th c.BC+]; plead one's cause in a court of law, [Refs]; δίκας λέγειν ὑπέρ τινος speak as an advocate for.., [Refs 4th c.BC+]
__B.III.12 boast of, tell of, τὴν ἑαυτοῦ ῥώμην [Refs 5th c.BC+]; in Poets, sing of, θέλω λ. Ἀτρείδας [Refs]
__B.III.13 recite what is written, λαβὲ τὸ βιβλίον καὶ λέγε [Refs 5th c.BC+] and 10, etc.; of lectures, ἀκούσατέ μου σχόλια λέγοντος [Refs 2nd c.AD+] (the sense of Latin lego, read, occurs only in the compounds ἀναλέγομαι, ἐπιλέγομαι).
__B.III.14 say or send word by another, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__B.III.15 maintain as a thesis, οἱ τὰς ἰδέας λέγοντες [Refs 4th c.BC+]
__B.III.16 nominate, Latin dicere [dictatorem], [Refs 2nd c.AD+]. (Cf. Latin lègo, legio, legulus ('olivegatherer').)

_{LSJ Scripture Refs: LXX.Gen.38.22 ☩ Matt.22.23 ☩ Rom.2.22}