Lexical Definition

‎πολύς‎ polýs (pol-oos') much ^{G:A / G:ADV}
including the forms from the alternate

abundant, + altogether, common, + far (passed, spent), (+ be of a) great (age, deal, -ly, while), long, many, much, oft(-en (-times)), plenteous, sore, straitly.

• (singular) much (in any respect) or (plural) many
• neuter (singular) as adverbial, largely
• neuter (plural) as adverb or noun often, mostly, largely

Abbott-Smith

πολύς, πολλή, πολύ, [in LXX chiefly for רַב and cognate forms;]
1. as adj., much, many, great, of number, space, degree, value, time, etc.: ἀριθμός, Ac 11:21; ὄχλος, Mk 5:24; θερισμός, Mt 9:37; χόρτος, Jo 6:10; χρόνος, Mt 25:19; γογγυσμός, Jo 7:12; πόνος, Col 4:13; δόξα, Mt 24:30; σιγή, Ac 21:40; pl., προφῆται, Mt 13:17; ὄχλοι, Mt 4:25; δαιμόνια, Mk 1:34; δυνάμεις, Mt 7:22,
2. As subst., pl. masc., πολλοί, many (persons): Mt 7:22, Mk 2:2, al.; c. gen. partit., Mt 3:7, Lk 1:16, al.; seq. ἐκ, Jo 7:31, Ac 17:12; c. art., οἱ π., the many, Mt 24:12, Ro 12:5, I Co 10:17, 33, II Co 2:17; opp. to ὁ εἶς (Lft., Notes, 291), Ro 5:15, 19; neut. pl., πολλά: Mt 13:3, Mk 5:26, al.; acc. with adverbial force, Mk 1:45, Ro 16:6 (Deiss., LAE, 317), I Co 16:12, Ja 3:2, al.; neut. sing., πολύ: Lk 12:48; adverbially, Mk 12:27, al.; πολλοῦ (gen. pret.), Mt 26:9; c. compar. (Bl., § 44, 5), π. σπουδαιότερον, II Co 8:22; πολλῷ πλείους, Jo 4:41.
Compar., πλείων, neut., πλεῖον and πλέον (v. WH, App., 151), pl., πλείονες, -ας, -α, contr., πλείους, -ω (cf. Mayser, 69), more, greater;
1. as adj.: Jo 15:2, Ac 18:20, He 3:3; seq. παρά, He 11:4 (cf. Westc, in l. Was ΠΛΙΟΝΑ here a primitive error for ΗΔΙΟΝΑ?); pi., Ac 13:31, al.; c. gen. compar., Mt 21:36; c. num. (ἤ of comp. omitted), Ac 4:22 24:11, al.
2. As subst., οἱ π., the greater number: Ac 19:32 27:12, I Co 10:5 15:6; also (Bl., § 44, 3) others, more, the more: II Co 2:6 4:15, Phl 1:14; πλείονα, Lk 11:53; πλειον, πλέον, Mt 20:10, II Ti 3:9; c. gen. comp., Mk 12:43, Lk 21:3; π. Ἰωνᾶ ὧδε, Mt 12:41; adverbially, Ac 4:17 20:9 24:4.
3. As adv., πλεῖον: seq. ἤ, Lk 9:13; c. gen. comp., Mt 5:20; πλείω: c. num., Mt 26:53.
Superl., πλεῖστος, -η, -ον,
(a) prop., most: Mt 11:20 21:8; adverbially, τὸ π., I Co 14:27;
(b) elative (M, Pr., 79), very great: ὄχλος π., Mk 4:1.

Abbott-Smith References

Liddell-Scott-Jones

πολύς,

Attic dialect πολλή, πολ; genitive πολλοῦ, ῆς, ou=; dative πολλῷ, ῇ, ; accusative πολύν, πολλήν, πολύ:—Ionic dialect πολλός [Refs 6th c.BC+], πολλή, πολλόν [Refs 6th c.BC+]; also in Trag., [Refs 5th c.BC+]; accusative πολλόν, πολλήν, πολλόν: [Refs 5th c.BC+] uses the Ionic dialect forms, but codices have πολύν [Refs 1st c.AD+]:—both sets of forms are found in Epic dialect, also genitive singular πολέος [Refs 8th c.BC+], once contraction πολεῖς [Refs]; dative πολέσι [Refs 8th c.BC+]; accusative πολέας (trisyllable) [Refs 8th c.BC+] (frequently with variant{πολεῖς} [Refs 8th c.BC+]; in later Epic dialect πολέες is used as feminine, [Refs 3rd c.BC+]:—Epic dialect also have πουλύς (once in [Refs 8th c.BC+]; these forms are found in codices of [Refs 5th c.BC+] — Lyric poetry and Trag. (Lyric poetry) sometimes use Epic dialect forms, dative singular πολεῖ [Refs 5th c.BC+]

__I of Number, many, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; ἐκ πολλῶν, opposed to ἐξὀλίγων, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; τριηκόντων ἐτέων πόλλ᾽ ἀπολείπων wanting many of thirty years, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; later πουλὺ.. ἐπ᾽ ἔτος many a year, [Refs 2nd c.BC+]; of anything often repeated, περὶ σέο λόγος ἀπῖκται π. [Refs 5th c.BC+]often, [Refs 4th c.BC+]; τοῦτο ἐπιεικῶς πολὺ νῦν ἐστι is fairly frequent, [Refs 2nd c.AD+]
__I.2 of Size, Degree, Intensity, much, mighty, ὄμβρος, νιφετός, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; π. ὑμέναιος a loud song, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; π. ὀρυμαγδός, ῥοῖζος, etc.,[Refs 8th c.BC+]; π. ἀνάγκη strong necessity, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; π. γέλως, βοή, much or great, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ὄλβος, αἰδώς, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἀλογία, εὐήθεια, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__I.2.b rarely of a single person, great, mighty, μέγας καὶ πολλὸς ἐγένεο [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ὁ π. σοφιστής, στρατηγός,[Refs 5th c.BC+]; ὁ πολύς alone, of Hippocrates, [Refs 2nd c.AD+]; of Trajan, [πολύς 1st c.BC: Dionysius Halicarnassensis 2.42. ">Refs 1st c.BC+]
__I.2.c joined with a Verb, Κύπρις γὰρ οὐ φορητός, ἢν πολλὴ ῥυῇ if she flow with full stream, metaphorically from a river, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; from the wind, ὡς π. ἔπνει καὶ λαμπρός was blowing strong and fresh, [Refs 5th c.BC+]: generally, with might or force, ὅταν ὁ θεὸς.. ἔλθῃ πολύς [Refs 5th c.BC+]participle and εἰμί, πολλὸς ἦν λισσόμενος was all entreaties, [Refs 5th c.BC+]: without a preposition, π. ἦν τοῖς ἐπαίνοις καὶ ἐπαχθής [Refs 4th c.BC+]; π. μὲν γὰρ ὁ Φίλιππος ἔσται will be often mentioned, [Refs]
__I.3 of Value or Worth, πολέος δέ οἱ ἄξιος ἔσται [Refs 8th c.BC+]; περὶ πολλοῦ ποιεῖσθαί τι, Latin magni facere,[Refs 4th c.BC+]; ἐπὶ πολλῷ at a high price, [Refs 4th c.BC+]; πολύ ἐστί τι it is worth much, of great conscquence, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__I.4 of Space, large, wide, π. χώρη, πεδίον, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; πόντος, πέλαγος, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; λίμνη μεγάλη τε καὶ π.[Refs 5th c.BC+]; πολλὸς ἔκειτο he lay outstretched wide, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; π. κέλευθος a far way, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__I.5 of Time, long, χρόνος [Refs 8th c.BC+]; διὰ πολλοῦ (i.e. χρόνου) [Refs 5th c.BC+]; πρὸ πολλοῦ long before, [Refs 1st c.BC+]; ἔτι πολλῆς νυκτός while still quite night, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; πολλῆς ὥρας late in the day, [NT+2nd c.BC+]
__II Special usages:
__II.1 with partitive genitive, e.g. πολλοὶ Τρώων, for πολλοὶ Τρῶες, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; neuter, πολλὸν σαρκός, for πολλὴ σάρξ, [Refs 8th c.BC+]: in Prose, the adjective generally takes the gender of the genitive, τὸν πολλὸν τοῦ χρόνου [Refs 5th c.BC+]; τῆς γῆς οὐ πολλήν [Refs 5th c.BC+]; see below 3.
__II.2 joined with another adjective, πολλὰ δυστερπῆ κακά [Refs 4th c.BC+] adjective by καί, πολέες τε καὶ ἐσθλοί many men and good, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; παλαιά τε πολλά τε[Refs 8th c.BC+]; π. καὶ καλοὺς (assuming variant) κινδύνους, π. καὶ καλὰ παραδείγματα, [Refs 4th c.BC+]
__II.3 with the Article (in [Refs 8th c.BC+] without the Article, [Refs 8th c.BC+] those many lives, [NT+5th c.BC+]: with abstract Nouns, τᾶς πολλᾶς ὑγιείας [Refs 4th c.BC+]numbers, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__II.3.b οἱ π. the many, i.e. the greater number, Ἀθηναῖοι.. ἀπῆλθον οἱ πολλοί [Refs 5th c.BC+] the prevailing report, [Refs 5th c.BC+]far the most, [Refs 5th c.BC+] the people, the commonalty, opposed to οἱ μείζω κεκτημένοι, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; opposed to οἱ κομψότεροι, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; οἱ π., = Latin plebs, [Refs 1st c.BC+]; τῶν πολλῶν εἷς one of the multitude, [Refs 4th c.BC+]; ὁ π. alone, = vulgus, variant in [Refs 1st c.BC+]; the ordinary man, [Refs 4th c.BC+]; ὁ ἐμπαθὴς καὶ π. ἄνθρωπος 'l'homme moyen sensuel', [Refs 5th c.AD+]; ὁ π. ἄνθρωπος (with plural Verb) the average man, opposed to τὸ ἐξαίρετον, [Refs 4th c.BC+]
__II.3.c τὸ πολύ, with genitive, τῆς στρατιῆς τὸ πολλόν [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ὁ π. βίοτος the best part of life, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__II.3.d τὰ πολλά the most, [Refs 8th c.BC+] as substantive, means much riches, great possessions, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; πρὸς τὸ τῶν π. μέγεθος in regard to the size of the average, [Refs 4th c.BC+]
__II.4 plural πολλά very much, too much, πολλὰ πράσσειν, ={πολυπραγμονεῖν}, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; π. ἔρξαι τινά to do one much harm, [Refs 4th c.BC+]
__II.5 πολλάς with Verbs of beating (πληγάς being omitted), see at {πληγή} [Refs]
__II.6 πολύς repeated, ἦ πολλὰ πολλοῖς εἰμι διάφορος βροτῶν [πολύς, see below 111.1b: with \_adverbs\_ πολλάκις, πολλαχῇ, etc. (which see, compare 111.1 e). ">Refs 5th c.BC+]
__III Adverbial usages:
__III.a neuter πολύ (Ionic dialect πολλόν), πολλά, much, πόλλ᾽ ἀεκαζομένη [Refs 8th c.BC+]; especially of repetition, often, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; so of earnest commands and entreaties, πολλὰ κελεύων, πόλλ᾽ ἐπέτελλον, πολλὰ λισσομένη, πολλὰ μάλ᾽ εὐχομένω, [Refs 8th c.BC+]: with the Article, τὸ πολύ for the most part, [Refs 5th c.BC+] (but with numerals, at most, Vett.[Refs 5th c.BC+]
__III.b of Degree, far, very much, ἀπέφυγε πολλὸν τοὺς διώκοντας [Refs] very, θρασὺς εἶ πολλοῦ [Refs 5th c.BC+]; πολλοῦ πολύς, πολλὴ πολλοῦ, much too much, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__III.c of Space, a great way, far, οὐ πολλόν [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__III.d of Time, long, ὡς πολλὸν τοῦτο ἐγίνετο [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__III.e of Probability, ἐὰν πολλὰ πολλῶν τέκῃς, perhaps ={ἐὰν πολλάκις τέκῃς},[Refs 1st c.BC+]; ἐάν τι πολλὰ πολλάκις πάθω [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__III.2 πολύ is frequently joined with adjectives and adverbs,
__III.2.a with a comparative to increase its comparative force, πολὺ μεῖζον, πολλὸν παυρότεροι, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; πολὺ μᾶλλον much more, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; πολύ τι μᾶλλον falsa lectio in [Refs 1st c.BC+] adjective, π. ἐν πλέονι, π. ἐπὶ δεινοτέρῳ,[Refs 5th c.BC+]; so πολλῷ is frequently used with the comparative, by far, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; οὐ πολλῷ τεῳ ἀσθενέστερον not a great deal weaker, [Refs 5th c.BC+] much sooner, [Refs 8th c.BC+]: with the comp. Verb φθάνω, ἦ κε πολὺ φθαίη [Refs 5th c.BC+] = prefer, ἡμῖν πολὺ βούλεται ἢ Δαναοῖσι νίκην [Refs 8th c.BC+]; πολύ γε in answers, after a comparative or superlative, ἀργὸς.. γενήσεται μᾶλλο; Answ. πολύ γε [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__III.2.b with a superlative, πολὺ πρώτιστος, πολλὸν ἄριστος, far the first, etc., [Refs 8th c.BC+]
__III.2.c with a Positive, to add force to the adjective, ὦ πολλὰ μὲν τάλαινα, πολλὰ δ᾽ αὖ σοφή [Refs 5th c.BC+]; compare πλεῖστος.
__IV with Preps.,
__IV.1 διὰ πολλοῦ at a great interval of Space or Time, see at {διά} [Refs 4th c.BC+]
__IV.2 εἰς πολύ for a long time, [Refs 3rd c.AD+]
__IV.3 ἐκ πολλοῦ from a great distance, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; for a long time, see at {ἐκ} [Refs]
__IV.4 ἐπὶ πολύ,
__IV.4.a over a great space, far, οὐκ ἐπὶ πολλόν [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἐπὶ π. τῆς θαλάσσης, τῆς χώρας, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; to a great extent, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__IV.4.b for a long time, long, [Refs]
__IV.4.c ὡς ἐπὶ π. very generally,[Refs 4th c.BC+] ὡς ἐπὶ τὸ π. for the most part, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__IV.5 παρὰ πολύ by far, see at {παρά} C.111.5.
__IV.6 περὶ πολλοῦ, see above [Refs]
__IV.7 πρὸ πολλοῦ far before, τῆς πόλεως [Refs 1st c.BC+]; also of Time, οὐ πρὸ π. not long before, [Refs]
__IV.8 σὺν πολλῷ in no small degree, only too much or too well, [Refs 3rd c.AD+]
__V for comparative πλείων, πλέων, superlative πλεῖστος, (see entry). (Cf. Sanskrit purú-, Gothic filu 'much'.)

_{LSJ Scripture Refs: Mark.6.35 ☩ LXX.Gen.29.7 ☩ Acts.26.24}