Lexical Definition

‎τέλος‎ télos (tel'-os) goal/tax ^G:N-N
from a primary (to set out for a definite point or goal)

+ continual, custom, end(-ing), finally, uttermost.

• properly, the point aimed at as a limit, i.e. (by implication) the conclusion of an act or state (termination (literally, figuratively or indefinitely), result (immediate, ultimate or prophetic), purpose)
• specially, an impost or levy (as paid)

Abbott-Smith

τέλος, -ους, τό [in LXX for קֵץ, etc.; εἰς τὸ τ., chiefly for לָנֶצַח and cognate forms ;]
1. end: most freq. of the termination or limit of an act or state (in NT also of the end of a period of time, cl. τελευτή), Lk 1:33, I Co 10:11, II Co 3:13, I Pe 4:7; by meton., of one who makes an end, Ro 10:4; ἕως (ἄχρι, μέκρι) τέλους, I Co 1:8, II Co 1:13, He 3:14 6:11, Re 2:26; εἰς τ., to or at the end, Mt 10:22, Mk 13:13, Lk 18:5, Jo 13:1 (or here, to the uttermost, v. Westc., in l.); τ. ἔχειν, Lk 22:37; adverbially, τὸ δὲ τέλος, finally, I Pe 3:8; of the last in a series, Re 21:6 22:13; of the issue, fate or destiny, Mt 26:58; c. gen. rei, Ro 6:21, al.; c. gen. pers., II Co 11:13, al.; of the aim or purpose, I Ti 1:5.
2. toll, custom, revenue: Ro 13:7; pl., as most usually, Mt 17:25

Abbott-Smith References

Liddell-Scott-Jones

τέλος, εος, τό,

(τέλλομαι, τέλλω) coming to pass, performance, consummation, εἰ γὰρ ἐπ᾽ ἀρῇσιν τ. ἡμετέρῃσι γένοιτο [Refs 8th c.BC+]; δίκη δ᾽ ὑπὲρ ὕβριος ἴσχει ἐς τ. ἐξελθοῦσα issuing in fulfilment, execution,[Refs 4th c.BC+]; καθήκει νῦν [τὰν γνώμαν] ἐπὶ τέλος ἀχθῆμεν [Refs 1st c.AD+]; ἔλπομαι μέν, ἐν θεῷ γε μὰν τ. [Refs 8th c.BC+]; result, τ. δ᾽ οὔ πώ τι πέφανται [Refs 8th c.BC+] the coming to pass (outbreak) of.., [Refs 3rd c.BC+]; τί μὰν ἀφήσει τ.; [Refs 5th c.BC+]; τί ἔσται τὸ τ. τῶν γιγνομένων τούτων ἐμο; [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἀποίητον.. θέμεν ἔργων τ. undo things done, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ὁδοῦ τ. [Refs 5th c.BC+]; φόνου τ. [τέλος κρηῆναι ἔοικεν [prev. author] 3.172 ">Refs 3rd c.BC+]; τῷ τ. πίστιν φέρων the outcome, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; Ζεὺς πάντων ἐφορᾷ τ. [Refs 6th c.BC+]; μάχης.. κεκύρωται τ. [Refs 4th c.BC+]; διὰ μάχης ἥξω τέλους, ={διὰ μάχης ἥξω}, [Refs]; ἐπ᾽ ἀμφότερα μαχᾶν τάμνειν τ. to seek to determine the issue of the battles in both directions, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; more generally, event, οὐ γὰρ ἔγωγέ τί φημι τ. χαριέστερον εἶναι ἢ ὅτε.. [Refs 8th c.BC+]: in concrete sense, result, product, τ. εὐπεψίας αἱματικῆς πιμελὴ καὶ στέαρ [Refs 4th c.BC+]

__2 in contexts like [Refs 8th c.BC+], τ. can be understood as power of deciding, supreme power, and so we have τ. μὲν Ζεὺς ἔχει.. πάντων ὅσ᾽ ἐστί [Refs 7th c.BC+]; καὶ τοῖσ᾽ (i.e. ἰητροῖς) οὐδὲν ἔπεστι τ. they have no power or efficacy, [Refs 6th c.BC+], of persons, to have the power to ratify, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ὅ τι ἂν δόξῃ τοῖς πλείοσι τοῦτ᾽ εἶναι τ. the decision of the majority must be final, [Refs]; κύριος ἔστω ἐπιβάλλειν κατὰ τὸ τ. shall have authority to inflict a fine up to the limit of his powers, Legal cited in [Refs 4th c.BC+]; τοῖς κατ᾽ ἐμπορίαν παραγιγνομένοις μηδὲν ἔστω τ. πλὴν ἐπὶ κήρυκι ἢ γραμματεῖ Foed. cited in [Refs 2nd c.BC+]; τ. ἔχειν, of things, to have decisive or final authority, σφῷν μὲν ἐντολὴ Διὸς ἔχει τ. δή [Refs 4th c.BC+]; ἡ.. τούτου αἰτίασις οὐκ ἔχει τ. has no validity, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; πρὶν τ. τι αὐτῶν ἔχειν before any of the terms had validity, i.e. had been ratified, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; τοῦ ζῆν καὶ μὴ ζῆν τὸ τ. ἐστὶν ἐν τῷ ἀναπνεῖν the decisive difference between.., [Refs 4th c.BC+]
__3 magistracy, office, τ. δωδεκάμηνον [Refs 5th c.BC+]; οἱ ἐν τ. men in office, magistrates, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἔξω τῶν βασιλέων καὶ τῶν μάλιστα ἐν τ. [Refs 5th c.BC+]; οἱ τὰ τ. ἔχοντες Foed. cited in [Refs 5th c.BC+]; τὸ τ. the government, τοιαῦτ᾽ ἔδοξε τῷδε Καδμείων τέλει [Refs 4th c.BC+]; τὰ τ. the magistrates, [Refs 5th c.BC+]participle and plural (variant) verb) [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__4 decision, doom, Ζεὺς.. οἶδε, ὁπποτέρῳ θανάτοιο τ. πεπρωμένον ἐστί [Refs 8th c.BC+]; μήτηρ.. μέ φησι διχθαδίας Κῆρας φερέμεν θανάτοιο τέλος δέ (or τέλοσδε) [Refs 8th c.BC+]; ἐξέφυγον θανάτου τ. [Refs 8th c.BC+]:—judicial decision, ἀμμενῶ τ. δίκης [Refs]; οὐκ ἔχουσα τῆς δίκης τ. not having authority to decide the case, [Refs]; ἦ κἀπ᾽ ἐμοὶ τρέποιτ᾽ ἂν αἰτίας τ.; will you submit the decision of this case to me? [Refs]; τὸ τ. κρίνειν [Refs 5th c.BC+]; decision of an assembly, [Refs 4th c.BC+]; of a king, [Refs]; ἐξαιτράπης ἐὼν Ἰωνίης, τ. ἐποίησε τὴν γῆν εἶναι Μιλησίων probably in [Refs 4th c.BC+]; ὥς τοι ἐγὼ μύθου τ. ἐν φρεσὶ θείω the summing up or crux of the matter, [Refs 8th c.BC+]
__5 something done or ordered to be done, task, service, duty, γνῶ.. ὅ οἱ οὔ τι τ. κατὰ καίριον ἦλθεν on no fatal errand, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; ὅσοις τοῦτ᾽ ἐπέσταλται τ. [Refs 4th c.BC+]; μ᾽ Ἀπόλλων τῷδ᾽ ἐπέστησεν τέλει[Refs]; ἄυπνα ὀμμάτων τέλη the wakeful duties (or services) of the eyes, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἀμφοτερᾶν τοι χαρίτων.. ζεύξω τ. the rendering of both services, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; αἰτουμένῳ μοι κοῦφον εἰ δοίης τ. a small service or favour, [Refs 4th c.BC+]; obligation to render a service or payment, ὅτε δὴ μισθοῖο τ. πολυγηθέες ὧραι ἐξέφερον the Payment(-day) of the wage, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; ἐν τέλει μαθεῖν to be taught for a fee, [Refs]
__6 plural, services or offerings due to the gods, δαίμοσιν θῦσαι θέλουσα πελανόν, ὧν τέλη τάδε [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἔλιπον Ζηνὶ τροπαίῳ πάγχαλκα τ. [Refs 5th c.BC+]; of the Eleusinian mysteries, οὗ πότνιαι σεμνὰ τιθηνοῦνται τ. [Refs 5th c.BC+]; called μεγάλα τ., [Refs 5th c.BC+]; rarely in singular, τοῦδε μυστικοῦ τέλους this mystic rite, [Refs 4th c.BC+]; of the marriage rite, τ. γάμοιο [Refs 8th c.BC+]; γαμήλιον τ. [Refs 4th c.BC+]; τὰ νυμφικὰ τ. [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__7 service rendered by a citizen in the Solonian constitution to the state, also his rating according to this service, θητικοῦ ἀντὶ τέλους ἱππάδ᾽ ἀμειψάμενος epigram cited in [Refs 4th c.BC+]; τιμήματι διεῖλεν εἰς τέτταρα τ. four ratings or classes, [Refs]; later, τὸ τῶν ἱππέων τ., Latin ordo equester, [Refs 2nd c.AD+]
__8 dues exacted by the state, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἀγορᾶς τ. a market-toll, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; πορνικὸν τ. [Refs 4th c.BC+]; τ. πρίασθαι, πωλεῖν, farm a tax or let it, [Refs 4th c.BC+]; ἐκλέγειν. πράττειν, levy it, D.[same place], [Refs 4th c.BC+]; τελεῖν pay a tax or duty, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; εἰ τὰ τ. τελεῖ, ποῖον τ. τελεῖ, questions put to candidates at Athens, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__9 financial means, expenditure, usually in dative plural, ὃς ἂν τοῖς ἰδίοις τ. μὴ ἑαυτὸν μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὴν πόλιν ὠφελῇ by the use of his own means, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; κακῶς ἡμᾶς αὐτοὺς ποιούντων τέλεσι τοῖς οἰκείοις if we harm ourselves at our own expense, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__10 a military station or post with defined duties (compare signification [Refs 8th c.BC+]; δόρπον ἔπειθ᾽ ἑλόμεσθα κατὰ στρατὸν ἐν τελέεσσιν at our posts, in the ranks, [Refs]; later, military unit, division, squadron, τέλει ἑνὶ τῶν ἱππέων [Refs 5th c.BC+]; in the Roman army, legion, [Refs 1st c.AD+]
__10.b a force of [Refs]infantry, ={μεραρχία}, [Refs 1st c.BC+]
__10.c a force of [Refs]cavalry, [Refs 1st c.BC+]
__II δίρρυμά τε καὶ τρίρρυμα τέλη troops or columns of.. chariots, [Refs 4th c.BC+]; of ships, τρία τ. ποιήσαντες τῶν νεῶν [Refs 5th c.BC+] flocks of birds, variant for{γένεα}, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__II.12 a territorial division, Στρατικὸν τ. [Refs 3rd c.BC+]; Κορωνείων τὸ τ. [Refs 3rd c.BC+]; τὸ Λοκρικὸν τ. [Refs 2nd c.BC+]
__II degree of completion or attainment, τόσσον μὲν ἔχον τ., οὔατα δ᾽ οὔ πω.. προσέκειτο [Refs 8th c.BC+]; degree of maturity, age, ἐπὴν δὴ τοῦτο τ. παραμείψεται ὥρης [Refs 6th c.BC+]; εἰς ἀνδρὸς τ. ἰέναι man's estate, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__II.b a length of time (or space), term, course, ἀρετάς, αἷσι Κλεωνυμίδαι θάλλοντες αἰεὶ σὺν θεῷ θνατὸν διέρχονται βιότου τ. [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__II.2 state of completion or maturity, τ. λαβεῖν, ἔχειν, of plants or animals, to attain maturity, [Refs 5th c.BC+]: hence, completion, end, finish, τ. ἐπιθεῖναι τῷ λόγῳ complete it, [Refs]; ὃ πᾶσι τοῖς προτέροις ἐπ έθηκε τ. as a finish to all his former acts, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; τ. λαβεῖν to be completed, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; οὐ τ. ἵκεο μύθων didst not reach the end of thy speech, [τέλος ἀχθῆναι “PTeb.” 14.8 (2nd c.BC)">Refs 8th c.BC+]; ἑκάστων πρὸς τέλος ἀχθέντων [Refs 2nd c.BC+]; ἡ εἰκοστὴ τοῦ νοσήματος ἡμέρα τ. μὲν τριῶν ἑβδομάδων, ἓξ δὲ τετράδων [Refs 2nd c.AD+] —frequently in Adverbial phrases:
__II.2.a τέλος at last, ὥστε τ. ἡσυχίαν ἦγον [Refs 5th c.BC+]; but most frequently at the beginning of the clause, μάχης δὲ καρτερῆς γενομένης, τέλος οὐδέτεροι νικήσαντες διέστησαν [τέλος δέ [prev. author] 1.36, 6th c.BC: Theognis Elegiacus 1294, etc.">Refs 6th c.BC+]; ἀλλὰ τ. [Refs 5th c.BC+]; καὶ τ. [Refs 5th c.BC+]; τό γε τ. [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__II.2.b <ἐς τ. in the end, in the long run, πάντως ἐς τ. ἐξεφάνη [Refs 6th c.BC+]; εἰς τ. [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ὁρῶντες τὴν Λιβύην εἰς τ. ἀβλαβῆ διαμένουσαν altogether, completely, [Refs 2nd c.BC+]; ἐς τ. ἄνυε μοίρας uncertain reading in [Refs 3rd c.BC+]
__II.2.c διὰ τέλους (originally perhaps from signification [Refs] performance or time), through to the end, completely, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; throughout, all the time, always, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; permanently, for good, τοῦ ἀφεθῆναί σε διὰ τ. [Refs 3rd c.BC+]
__II.2.d ἐπὶ τέλος at the end, opposed to ἐν ἀρχῇ, [Refs 2nd c.AD+]
__II.2.e τέλει perhaps in the end, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__II.3 especially τ. ἔχειν βίου to have reached the end of life, to be dead, [Refs 5th c.BC+]: less frequently absolutely, death, ἐλπίς ἐστι νύκτερον τ. μολεῖν [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἔχει τὸ κάλλιστον τ. [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἔχει τ., ={τετελεύτηκε}, Laconian phrase accusative to [Refs 5th c.BC+]; reversely, τ. ἔχει τινά [Refs 5th c.BC+] —but ὀλβίως ἔλυσεν τὸ τ. βίου has paid life's toll [Refs 5th c.BC+]; τὸ τ. ὁ χρόνος ἀπαιτεῖ poetical in [Refs 5th c.BC+]; πρὶν ἂν πέλας (variant{τέλος}) γραμμῆς ἵκηται καὶ τ. κάμψῃ βίου [Refs]
__II.4 end, cessation, ὡς δὲ πρὸς τ. γόων ἀφίκοντ᾽ [Refs 5th c.BC+]; πῶς τροχηλάτου μανίας ἂν ἔλθοιμ᾽ ἐς τ. πόνων τ᾽ ἐμῶ; [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ὅταν δὴ πημάτων λάβῃ τ. [Refs 4th c.BC+]
__II.5 end of a word, [Refs 2nd c.AD+]; of a sentence, ἐπὶ τέλει πρόσκειται [Refs 2nd c.AD+]; of a chapter or book, ἐπὶ τέλει ἀναλυθήσεται [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἀπὸ τέλους τοῦ σταδίου, opposed to ἀπὸ μέσου, [Refs]
__III achievement, attainment, τηλοῦ ἐμοὶ νόστοιο τ. γλυκεροῖο γενέσθαι [Refs 8th c.BC+]; πῶς ἂν καὶ τοῦτο τοῦ τ. τυγχάνοι, i.e. might be achieved, [Refs 1st c.BC+]
__III.2 winning-post, goal in a race, πρὸς τ. ὀρνύμενον [Refs 5th c.BC+]; in a contest, ἔστιν δ᾽ ἀφάνεια τύχας καὶ μαρναμένων, πρὶν τ. ἄκρον ἱκέσθαι [Refs 5th c.BC+]; εἰς τ. ἐλθεῖν, of runners in a race, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__III.2.b prize, ἔφερε πυγμᾶς τ. [Refs 5th c.BC+]; οὐ γὰρ ἦν πενταέθλιον ἀλλ᾽ ἐφ᾽ ἑκάστῳ ἔργματι κεῖτο τ. [Refs] (perhaps 'to be the winning post and prize'); κρίνεις τ. ἀρετᾶς [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__III.3 Philos., full realization, highest point. ideal, ἅπτεσθαι τοῦ τ. [Refs 5th c.BC+]; πρὸς τ. ἰὼν τῶν ἐρωτικῶν[Refs]
__III.3.b the end or purpose of action, τ. εἶναι ἁπασῶν τῶν πράξεων τὸ ἀγαθόν [Refs 4th c.BC+]: hence, the final cause, ={τὸ οὗ ἕνεκα}, [Refs]; hence simply ={τὸ ἀγαθόν}, the chief good, [Refs 4th c.BC+]