Lexical Definition

‎φείδομαι‎ pheídomai (fi'-dom-ahee) to spare ^G:V
of uncertain affinity

forbear, spare.

• to be chary of, i.e. (subjectively) to abstain or (objectively) to treat leniently

Abbott-Smith

φείδομαι [in LXX for חמל, חוּס, חשׂךְ, etc. ;]
to spare: II Co 13:2; c. gen. pers., Ac 20:29, Ro 8:32 11:21, I Co 7:28, II Co 1:23, II Pe 2:4, 5; c. inf., to forbear, II Co 12:6.†

Abbott-Smith References

Liddell-Scott-Jones

φείδομαι,

[Refs 6th c.BC+]imperfect φείδοντο (without augment) even in [Refs 5th c.BC+] after a diphthong at the end of the preceding line: future φείσομαι [Refs 5th c.BC+], Epic dialect πεφῐδήσομαι [Refs 8th c.BC+], later future passive in middle sense φ[ε]ισθήσομαι [Refs 2nd c.AD+]: aorist 1 ἐφεισάμην [Refs 6th c.BC+], Epic dialect 3rd.pers. singular φείσατο [Refs 8th c.BC+]aorist 2 πεφῐδόμην, used by [Refs 8th c.BC+], infinitive πεφιδέσθαι [Refs]: perfect participle πεφεισμένος [Refs 2nd c.AD+]; Epic dialect imperative πεφίδησο [Refs]; participle πεφιδημένος [Refs 4th c.AD+]:—spare:

__I spare persons and things, e.g. in war, i.e. not destroy them, with genitive, Τρώων [Refs 8th c.BC+] [same place]; μὴ φείσῃ βίου spare not my life, [Refs 5th c.BC+]: absolutely, spare, be merciful, [Refs]
__II spare persons and things in using them, use sparingly, ἵππων φειδόμενος, i. e. taking care of them, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; φ. ὃν εἶχε βίον (βίον by attraction to the relative) [φείδομαι δημοσίᾳ δὲ λῃτουργῶν ἥδομαι 5th c.BC: Lysias Orator 21.16; φείδεσθε τοὐλαίου σφόδρα 5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus Comedy texts 190: in this sense, most frequently with a negative, οὐ φ.">Refs 6th c.BC+] not to spare, i. e. to use or give freely, οὐδέ νυ τοῦ περ [δέπαος] φείσατο [Refs 8th c.BC+]
__II.2 absolutely, to be sparing, live thriftily, φείδεσθαι μὲν ἄμεινον [Refs 6th c.BC+]; frequently in participle φειδόμενος, η, ον, thrifty, [Refs 5th c.BC+], etc.; ὄμμασι φειδομένοις with shrinking, shy eyes, [Refs 2nd c.AD+]; αἱ μὴ φ. (i.e. μέλισσαι) the unthrifty ones, [Refs 4th c.BC+]; compare πεφεισμένως, φειδομένως.
__III have consideration for, τῆς τοῦ λόγου συμμετρίας [Refs 1st c.AD+]: with negative, pay no heed to, οὔτ᾽ ἀνθρώπων φείδεται οὔτε θεῶν [Refs 4th c.BC+]
__IV draw back from, refrain from, θαλάσσας [Refs 7th c.BC+]; τοῦ λέγειν, τοῦ ἀκολουθεῖν, [Refs 5th c.BC+]: with infinitive, spare to do, forbear from doing, uncertain in [Refs 5th c.BC+]; also φ. μή τι δρᾶσαι τῶν τυραννικῶν [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__V in [Refs]have mercy upon.., [LXX]; φ. περί τινος to keep one's hands off.., [LXX] spare to hurt, [LXX]; φ. τι ἀπό τινος keep it off, Jb.[Refs]; φ. τῆς ψυχῆς ἀπὸ θανάτου[LXX]; φειδεύμενοι (from contraction φειδέομαι) is conjecture for φιλεύμεναι in [Refs 4th c.AD+]

_{LSJ Scripture Refs: LXX.Jer.15.5 ☩ LXX.2Kgs.12.6* ☩ LXX.Jonah.4.10 ☩ LXX.1Kgs.15.3* ☩ LXX.Ezek.24.21 ☩ LXX.Ps.18.14*}