Lexical Definition
ὥσπερ hṓsper (hoce'-per) just as G:CONJ
from ὡς and περ
(even, like) as.
- just as, i.e. exactly like
Abbott-Smith
ὥσ-περ adv.,
just as, even as: Mt 6:2 20:28, Ac 3:17, I Co 8:5, I Th 5:3 al.; in protasis, with οὕτως (καί) in apodosis: Mt 12:40, Lk 17:24, Jo 5:21, Ro 5:19, Ga 4:29, Ja 2:26, al
Abbott-Smith References
| Book | Refs |
|---|---|
| Matthew | 6:2 · 12:40 · 20:28 |
| Luke | 17:24 |
| John | 5:21 |
| Acts | 3:17 |
| Romans | 5:19 |
| 1 Corinthians | 8:5 |
| Galatians | 4:29 |
| 1 Thessalonians | 5:3 |
| James | 2:26 |
Liddell-Scott-Jones
ὥσπερ,
or ὥς περ, adverb of Manner, like as, even as, ζῆν ὥ. ἤδη ζῇς 5th c.BC: Sophocles Tragicus “Philoctetes” 1396; ἐσῴζετ᾽ ἂν.., ὥ. οὐχὶ σῴζεται [Refs]; but the Verb is more often left to be supplied, οὔ τι κατακρύπτουσιν.., ὥ. Κύκλωπες [Refs 8th c.BC+]; ἔξεστί θ᾽, ὥ. Ἡγέλοχος, ἡμῖν λέγειν.. [Refs 8th c.BC+] and περ, e.g. ὡς σύ περ αὐτή, ὡς τὸ πάρος περ, ὡς ἔσεταί περ [Refs 8th c.BC+]; as for instance, ὅταν χορὸς.. γίγνηται, ὥ. [ὁ] εἰς Ηλον πεμπόμενος [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ὥσπερ differs from ὡς in [Refs 8th c.BC+], in that it seldom has an antecedent expressed, as in [Refs 8th c.BC+], τηλίκου ὥ. ἐγώ; also in [Refs 8th c.BC+], ὣς δ᾽ αὔτως.., ὥ. ὑπέστ; but in Trag. and Attic dialect ὥ. is very frequently after demonstrative words; before οὕτως, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ὥ. καὶ.., οὕτω καὶ.. [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ὥ.., ὧδε.. [Refs 5th c.BC+]; αὐτοῦ ὥ. εἶχον just as they were, then and there, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; καὶ τὸν δαελὸν σβῆτε ὥ. ἔχει on the spot, [Refs] ὥ. ἔχει δόξης [Refs 5th c.BC+]just exactly as, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ὥ. καί even as, ὡς καὶ ἐγώ περ [Refs 8th c.BC+]; so after ὁ αὐτός, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__2 ὥσπερ ἄν with subjunctive, see below[Refs]; with optative, ὥσπερ ἄν τις.. λέγοι [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__II to limit or modify an assertion or apologize for a metaphor, as it were, so to speak, ὥ. ἀκονιτί [Refs 5th c.BC+]; in later Gk. sometimes after the word to which it refers, ἐσφιγμένον ὥ. [Refs 3rd c.AD+]; βάθρον ὥ. [Refs 5th c.BC+]: frequently with parts., ὥ. ἐγγελῶσα [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ὥ. τι τῶν ἄλλων εὐλόγως πεποιηκότες as if they had done, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ὥ. ἐξόν as if it were in our power, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; with a change of construction, ὥ. τὸν ἀριθμὸν τοῦτον ἔχοντα ἀνάγκην.., καὶ οὔτε.. οἷόν τε εἴη γενέσθαι [Refs]; τὴν ὥ. ἐπὶ τοῦ δίφρου ἕδραν a seat like that used in the chariot, [Refs]
__III rarely of Time,
__III.1 ὥσπερ ἄν ={ἕως ἄν}, so long as, or however long (compare ὡς Ad. [ὥσπερ ἂν ζῶ 5th c.BC: Sophocles Tragicus “Oedipus Coloneus” 1361 (sed to be read ἕωσπερ). ">Refs 5th c.BC+]
__III.2 as soon as, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__IV after a comparative (compare ὡς Ab. [Refs 6th c.BC+].—Cf. ὡσπερεί, ὥσπερ οὖν.