Lexical Definition

‎λύω‎ lýō (loo'-o) to loose ^G:V
a primary verb

break (up), destroy, dissolve, (un-)loose, melt, put off.

• to "loosen" (literally or figuratively)

Abbott-Smith

λύω, [in LXX for פּתח, נתר hi., etc.;]
1. to loose, unbind, release: of things, Mk 1:7, Lk 3:16, al.; of beasts, Mt 21:2, Lk 13:15, al.; of persons, Jo 11:44, Ac 22:30; of Satan, Re 20:3, 7; metaph., of the marriage tie, I Co 7:27; of one diseased, Lk 13:16; of release from sin, Re 1:5, WH, R, txt. (v.s. λούω).
2. To resolve a whole into its parts, loosen, dissolve, break up, destroy: Jo 2:19, Ac 27:41, Re 5:2; metaph., II Pe 3:11; of an assembly, to dismiss: Ac 13:43; τ. μεσότοιχον τ. φραγμοῦ, Eph 2:14; τ. στοιχεῖα, II Pe 3:10; οὐρανοί, II Pe 3:12; τ. ἔργα τ. διαβόλου, I Jo 3:8; τ. ὠδῖνας τ. θανάτου, Ac 2:24; of laws, etc., to break, annul, cancel (MM, xvi): ἐντολήν, Mt 5:19; τ. νόμον, Jo 7:23; τ. σάββατον, Jo 5:18; τ. γραφήν, Jo 10:35. (Cf. ἀνα-, ἀπο-, δια-, ἐκ-, ἐπι-, κατα-, παρα-λύω.)

Abbott-Smith References

Liddell-Scott-Jones

λύω,

poetry imperative λῦθι [Refs 5th c.BC+]future λύσω [ῡ] [Refs 8th c.BC+]: aorist ἔλῡσα [Refs]: perfect λέλῠκα [Refs 5th c.BC+], etc.:— passive, perfect λέλῠμαι [Refs 8th c.BC+], etc.: pluperfect ἐλελύμην [ῠ] [Refs 8th c.BC+], etc.: aorist ἐλύθην, Epic dialect λύθην [ῠ] [Refs 5th c.BC+]: future λῠθήσομαι [Refs 5th c.BC+]aorist passive λύμην [ῠ] [Refs 8th c.BC+]; λύτο [ῠ[Refs]; λύντο [Refs]: also 3rd.pers. singular optative perfect λελῦτο [Refs 8th c.BC+]:—middle, future λύσομαι [Refs 8th c.BC+]: aorist ἐλυσάμην [Refs]perfect passive λέλῦμαι in middle sense, [λύω): ">Refs 4th c.BC+]future λύσομαι in passive sense, (δια-) [Refs 5th c.BC+]—Homer uses all tenses except perfect active, present and future passive [In present and imperfect ῡ always in Attic dialect, ῠ mostly in Epic dialect, though [Refs 8th c.BC+] has ῡ twice, ἔλῡεν [Refs 8th c.BC+]; also in compounds, ἀλλῡεσκεν [Refs]future and aorist 1 ῡ always: in other tenses ῠ always, except in the forms λελῦτο, λῦτο (see. above).] (Cf. Latin luo (pay), re-luo, solvo (for se-luo), solūtus, etc.):—loosen:

__I of things, unbind, unfasten, especially clothes and armour, λῦσε δέ οἱ ζωστῇρα, θώρηκα, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; λ. παρθενίην ζώνην loose the maiden-girdle, of the husband after marriage, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; of the wife, λύοι χαλινὸν ὑφ᾽ ἥρωϊ παρθενίας [Refs 5th c.BC+]; frequently of the tackling of ships, λ. πρυμνήσια, ἱστία, λαῖφος, etc., [Refs 8th c.BC+]; λ. πρύμνας, νεῶν πόδα, [Refs 5th c.BC+], of ships, set sail, λῦε, κυβερνήτα [Refs]; ἀσκὸν λ. untie a skin (used as a bag), [Refs 8th c.BC+]; λ. ἡνίαν slacken the rein, [Refs]; κλῄθρων λυθέντων when the gates have been opened, [Refs 4th c.BC+]; λ. γράμματα, δέλτον, open a letter, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; λ. πέδας, δεσμά, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἀρτάνας.. δέρης ἔλυσαν loosed it from my neck,[Refs 5th c.BC+] —middle, ἀπὸ στήθεσφιν ἐλύσατο κεστὸν ἱμάντα undid her belt, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; but λύοντο τεύχεα they undid the armour for themselves, i.e. stripped it off (others), [Refs]; later λυσαμένα πλοκαμῖδας unbinding her hair, [Refs 2nd c.BC+]
__I.b in various phrases, στόμα λ. open the mouth, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; λ. βλεφάρων ἕδραν wake up, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; λ. ὀφρύν unfold the brow, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__I.2 of living beings,
__I.2.a of horses, etc., unyoke, unharness, opposed to ζεύγνυμι, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; ἐξ ὀχέων, ὑπὲξ ὀχέων, [Refs 8th c.BC+] unyoke our horses, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; λύε μώνυχας ἵππους loosed them, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; λ. κύνα let him loose, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__I.2.b of men, release, deliver, especially from bonds or prison, and so, generally, from difficulty or danger, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; ὁ λύσων he that shall deliver, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; also λ. δόμους ἁβρότατος rob the house of.., [Refs 5th c.BC+]; λ. τινὰ τῆς ἀρχῆς depose him from.., [Refs 1st c.BC+]:—middle, properly get one loosed or set free, λύσασθαί τινα δυσφροσυνάων [Refs 8th c.BC+]:—passive, λυθῆναι τὰς πέδας [Refs 1st c.BC+]; λέλυται γὰρ λαὸς ἐλεύθερα βάζειν, ὡς ἐλύθη ζυγὸν ἀλκᾶς has been let loose to speak, since the yoke was loosed, [Refs 4th c.BC+]
__I.2.c of prisoners, release on receipt of ransom, admit to ransom, release, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; Σαρπηδόνος ἔντεα καλὰ λύσειαν would give them up, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; ἀνὴρ ἀντ᾽ ἀνδρὸς λυθείς [Refs 5th c.BC+]:—middle, release by payment of ransom, get a person released, redeem, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; ἑαυτοὺς λ. pay their own ransom, [Refs]; buy from a pimp, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__I.2.d λελύσθαι τῶν νόμων, = Latin legibus solvi, [Refs 2nd c.AD+]
__I.3 give up, [θρόνον] λῦσον ἄμμιν [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__II resolve a whole into its parts, dissolve, break up, λ. ἀγορήν dissolve the assembly, [Refs 8th c.BC+]:—passive, λῦτο δ᾽ ἀγών [Refs 8th c.BC+]; πρὶν [ἂν].. ἡ ἀγορὰ (market) λυθῇ [Refs 2nd c.BC+]
__II.2 of concrete objects, σπάρτα λέλυνται, i. e. have rotted, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; λ. τὴν σχεδίην break it up, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; [τὴν γέφυραν] [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__II.3 especially of physical strength, loosen, i. e. weaken, relax, λῦσε δὲ γυῖα made his limbs slack or loose, i. e. killed him, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; but οἵ μοι καμάτῳ.. γούνατ᾽ ἔλυσαν made my knees weak with toil, [Refs 8th c.BC+] —passive, λύντο δὲ γυῖα, etc., as the effect of death, sleep, weariness, fear, [Refs 8th c.BC+]
__II.3.b λύει βλέφαρα closes her eyes in sleep, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__II.3.c metaphorically, λ. τὴν ἐν ταῖς ψυχαῖς πρὸς μάχην παρασκευήν [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__II.4 undo, bring to naught, destroy, πολίων κάρηνα [Refs 8th c.BC+]: generally, put an end to, νείκεα [Refs 8th c.BC+]; βίον, i.e. die, [Refs]; αἰῶν᾽ ἔλυσε, i.e. died, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; μαχας [Refs 5th c.BC+]; forgive, ἁμαρτήματα [LXX]
__II.4.b in Prose, λ. νόμους repeal or annul laws, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; οὐθὲν τῶν περὶ τὴν πολιτείαν[Refs 4th c.BC+]; ἐπεὶ ἐκεῖνοι ἔλυσαν τὰς σπονδὰς λελύσθαι μοι δοκεῖ ἡ ἐκείνων ὕβρις καὶ ἡ ἡμετέρα ὑποψία [Refs 5th c.BC+]; rescind a vote, ψῆφον λύει ὁ νόμος [Refs 4th c.BC+]; revoke a will, διαθήκην [Refs 4th c.BC+] (but in passive, to be opened, of a will, [Refs 2nd c.AD+]; unbind a spell, [Refs 4th c.AD+] —passive, λέλυται πάντα all ties are broken, all is in confusion, [Refs 4th c.BC+]
__II.4.c as a technical term, solve a difficulty, a problem, a question, λύεται ἡ ἀπορία [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__II.4.d refute an argument, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__II.4.e unravel the plot of a tragedy, opposed to πλέκειν, [Refs]
__II.4.f λ. τὴν φάσιν, of the Moon, pass out of, [Refs]
__II.5 break a legal agreement or obligation, τὸν νόμον [Refs 5th c.BC+]; σίς κε τὰς ϝρήτας τάσδε λύση whoso breaks this agreement, [Refs]
__II.6 in physical sense, dissolve, λύθεν, opposed to πάγεν, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; τὸ θερμὸν λύει, opposed to πήγνυσι, [Refs 4th c.BC+]; ἀμμωνιακὸν ὄξει λύσας [Refs 2nd c.AD+]; melt, παγείσας χιόνας [Refs 2nd c.AD+]
__II.7 of medicines, λ. τὴν κοιλίαν [Refs 5th c.BC+]; so of the effects of terror, [Refs 4th c.BC+]
__II.8 resolve [musical notation] into [musical notation], in passive, [Refs 1st c.AD+]
__III solve, fulfil, accomplish, τὰ τοῦ θεοῦ μαντεῖα [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__IV atone for, make up for, τὰς πρότερον ἁμαρτίας [Refs 5th c.BC+]:—middle, τῶν πάλαι πεπραγμένων λύσασθ᾽ αἷμα.. δίκαις [Refs 4th c.BC+]
__V μισθὸν λύειν pay wages in full, quit oneself of them, used only in cases of obligation, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__V.2 τέλη λύειν, ={λυσιτελεῖν}, pay, profit. avail, ἔνθα μὴ τέλη λύει φρονοῦντι where it boots not to be wise, [Refs 5th c.BC+], construed like{λυσιτελεῖ}, absolutely, λύει δ᾽ ἄλγος [Refs 5th c.BC+]infinitive, πῶς οὖν λύει.. ἐπιβάλλει; [Refs]; ἐμοί τελύειτοῖσιμέλλουσιν τέκνοις τὰ ζῶντ᾽ ὀνῆσαι it is good for me to benefit my living children by means of those to come,[Refs 2nd c.BC+]infinitive, λύει γὰρ ἡμᾶς οὐδέν, οὐδ᾽ ἐπωφελεῖ,.. θανεῖν it is not expedient that we should die (οὐδ᾽ ἐπωφελεῖ being parenthetic), [Refs 5th c.BC+]; compare λυσιτελέω.

_{LSJ Scripture Refs: LXX.Job.42.9}