Lexical Definition

‎ὀλίγος‎ olígos (ol-ee'-gos) little/few ^G:A
of uncertain affinity

+ almost, brief(-ly), few, (a) little, + long, a season, short, small, a while.

• puny (in extent, degree, number, duration or value)
• especially neuter (adverbially) somewhat

Abbott-Smith

ὀλίγος, -η, -ον (on οὐχ ὁλ., v. infr.), [in LXX chiefly for מְעַט;]
of number, quantity, size, few, little, small, slight: Mt 9:37 15:34, Mk 6:5 8:7, Lk 10:2 12:48 (sc. πληγάς, opp. to πολλάς), I Ti 5:23, He 12:10, Re 3:4 12:12; οὐκ ὀ. (in the best uncials written οὐκ ὀ.; v. WH, App., 143; M, Pr., 44; Thackeray, Gr., 126 f.), Ac 12:18 14:28 15:2 (c. gen. part.) Ac 17:4, 12 19:23, 24 27:20; pl., absol., Mt 7:14 20:16 (WH, txt., RV, om.) Mt 22:14, Lk 13:23, I Pe 3:20. Neut. sing. (τὸ) ὀ.: Lk 7:47, II Co 8:15; πρὸς ὀλίγον, I Ti 4:8, Ja 4:14; ἐν ὀ., Ac 26:28, 29 (with little effort; v. Page, in l.); id., in brief, Eph 3:3; adverbially, ὀλίγον, of time, Mk 6:31, I Pe 1:6 5:10, Re 17:10; of space, Mk 1:19, Lk 5:3; pl., ὀλίγα, Lk 10:42, Re 2:14; ἐπ’ ὀλίγα, Mt 25:21, 23; δι’ ὀλίγων, in few words, briefly, I Pe 5:12 (cf. Plat., Legg., vi, 778 e).†

Abbott-Smith References

Liddell-Scott-Jones

ὀλίγος [ῐ], η, ον,

later ὀλίος (which see), of Size, little, small, frequently in [Refs 8th c.BC+]; ὀλίγῃ ὀπί with small, low voice, [Refs]; of stature,[Refs 3rd c.BC+]; of Space, ὀ. χῶρος [Refs 8th c.BC+]; of Time, χρόνος [Refs 5th c.BC+]

__2 sometimes in a sense between that of Size and Quantity, ὀ. δόσις [Refs 8th c.BC+]not copious, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ὑποστάσιες ὀλίγαι slight sediments, [Refs]; ὀ. καὶ οὐδέν little or nothing, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__3 of Degree, ὀ. καὶ μέγας of low and high degree, [Refs 7th c.BC+]
__4 weak, ἀθυμοτέρη καὶ ὀλιγωτέρη φύσις [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__II of Number, few, or of Quantity, little, not in [Refs 8th c.BC+], frequently in Attic dialect, [Refs 5th c.BC+], but rare in Trag., as ὀλίγα κακά [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἡ ὑπὸ τῶν ὀ. δυναστεία, αἱ διὰ τῶν ὀ. δυναστεῖαι, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__II.2 with infinitive, ὀλίγους.. στρατιῇ τῇ Μήδων συμβαλεῖν too few to engage.., [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__III neuter ὀλίγον as adverb, a little, slightly, little, with Verbs, ὀ. παρακλίνας [Refs 8th c.BC+]
__III.2 with comparative adjectives, ὀλίγον προγενέστερος [Refs 8th c.BC+]; ὀ. τι πρότερον, variant for{ὀλίγῳ}, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; but ὀλίγῳ is more frequently in Prose, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__IV special Phrases:
__IV.1 ὀλίγου δεῖν almost (see. δεῖ II); ὀλίγου ἐδέησε καταλαβεῖν wanted but little of overtaking, [Refs 5th c.BC+] alone, within a little, allbut, almost, ὀλίγου σεκύνες διεδηλήσαντο [Refs 8th c.BC+]close upon [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ὀ. ἦλθεν ἑλεῖν[Refs 2nd c.AD+]
__IV.2 δι᾽ ὀλίγου at a short distance, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; for (during) a short time, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; within or after a short time, [Refs]; but
__IV.2.b δι᾽ ὀλίγων in few words, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__IV.3 ἐν ὀλίγῳ (χώρῳ is added in [Refs 5th c.BC+] in a small space, within small compass, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; κυκλωθέντων ἐν ὀ.[Refs 4th c.BC+]; also ἐν ὀ. (i.e. χρόνῳ) for a brief time, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; but also, in a short time, quickly, ἔγνων καὶ περὶ τῶν ποιητῶν ἐν ὀ. τοῦτο [NT+5th c.BC+]
__IV.3.b ἐν ὀλίγοις one among few, i.e. exceedingly, remarkably, ποταμὸς ἐν ὀ. μέγας [Refs 5th c.BC+]: frequently in later writers, [Refs 1st c.AD+]
__IV.4 ἐξ ὀλίγου at short notice, suddenly, ἐξ ὀ. καὶ δι᾽ ὀργῆς [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__IV.5 ἐς ὀλίγον, like{παρ᾽ ὀλίγον}, within a little, ἐς ὀ. ἀφίκετο τὸ στράτευμα νικηθῆναι [Refs]
__IV.6 ἐπ᾽ ὀλίγον for a short time, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; a little at a time, [Refs 5th c.BC+]a little way on, near the beginning, [Refs 2nd c.AD+]
__IV.7 κατ᾽ ὀλίγον by little and little, [Refs 5th c.BC+]: but the adjective frequently takes the gender and number of its substantive, κατ᾽ ὀλίγους [Refs 5th c.BC+]; οὗτοι κατ᾽ ὀλίγους γινόμενοι ἐμάχοντο fought few at a time, in small parties, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; κατ᾽ ὀλίγον μαχεῖται (i.e. τὸ πλῆθος αὐτῶν) [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__IV.8 μετ᾽ ὀλίγον τούτων shortly after.., [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__IV.9 παρ᾽ ὀλίγον with little to spare, only just, ἀπέφυγες [Refs 5th c.BC+]; to within a short distance of, παρ᾽ ὀ. ἦλθε.. ἐκπεσεῖν [Refs 2nd c.BC+]; but
__IV.9.b παρ᾽ ὀ. ποιεῖσθαι hold of small account, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__IV.10 σὺν ὀλίγοις, ={ἐν ὀλίγοις, ἐπαινεθῆναι} [Refs 1st c.AD+]
__V regular adverb ὀλίγως is rare, [NT+2nd c.AD+]
__VI Comparison:
__VI.1 the comparative is commonly supplied by μείων, ἥσσων, or ἐλάσσων (which see); the older form ὀλείζων (from *ὀλειγ-yων) is found in [Refs 8th c.BC+]; so in Attic dialect Inscrr., [Refs 5th c.BC+]; so in Alexandrian Poets, [Refs 3rd c.BC+]; ἐς ὀλίζονας ἀστέρας ἄρκτου poetical cited in [Refs 2nd c.BC+]; ὀλιζότερος is found in [Refs 3rd c.AD+], compare ὀλιζό; ὀλιγώτερος is found in [Refs 5th c.BC+] (with the sense weaker, see[Refs 2nd c.AD+]
__VI.2 superlative ὀλίγιστος, η, ον, always of Number or Quantity, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; ὀλιγίστου, superlative of ὀλίγου (cf. IV. I), very nearly, [Refs 5th c.AD+]; ὀλίγιστον as adverb, least, very little, [Refs 5th c.BC+]at least, [Refs]; ἐν ὀλιγίστῳ διασαφῶν [Refs 5th c.BC+]

_{LSJ Scripture Refs: Acts.26.28 ☩ 2Pet.2.18 ☩ LXX.Isa.10.7}