Strong G3122μάλιστα
especially
- Transliteration
- malista
- Pronunciation
- mal'-is-tah
- Morphology
- Greek Adverb
Definition
Neuter plural of the superlative of an apparently primary adverb μάλα mala (very); (adverb) most (in the greatest degree) or particularly: - chiefly most of all (e-) specially.
Detailed definition
μάλιστα, see: μάλα.
μάλα
adv., [in LXX for אֲבָל, 3Ki.1:43, Dan LXX 10:21, al.; compar. for מ, Num.13:32 (31), al.; μᾶλλον ἠ (מ), Gen.19:9, al.; superlat., 2Ma.8:7, 4Ma.4:22 12:9 15:4;]
I. Pos., very, very much, exceedingly (cl.; LXX ut supr.; in NT its place is taken by λίαν, σφόδρα, etc.).
II. Compar., μᾶλλον.
1. Of increase, more; with qualifying words: πολλῷ, Mrk.10:48, Luk.18:39, Rom.5:15, 17, Php.2:12, al.; πόσῳ, Luk.12:24, Rom.11:12, al.; τοσούτῳ... ὅσῳ, Heb.10:25.
2. Of comparison, the more: Luk.5:15, Jhn.5:18, Act.5:14, 1Th.4:1, 10, 2Pe.1:10; ἔτι μ. καὶ μ., Php.1:9; with compar., Mrk.7:36, 2Co.7:13; πολλῴ μ. κρεῖσον, Php.1:23; μ. διαφέρειν, with genitive, Mat.6:26; μ. ἤ, Mat.18:13; with genitive, 1Co.14:18; as periphr. for compar., Act.20:35, 1Co.9:15, Gal.4:27; μ. δέ (EV, yea rather), Rom.8:34.
3. Of preference, rather, the rather, sooner: with qualifying words, πολλῷ, Mat.6:30, al.; πολύ, Heb.12:25; πόσῳ, Mat.7:11, al.; in a question, οὐ μ., 1Co.9:12; after a neg., Mat.10:6, al.; θέλω (εὐδοκῶ) μ., 1Co.14:5, 2Co.5:8; ζηλῶ, 1Co.14:1; with subst., τ. σκότος ἢ τ. φῶς, Jhn.3:19; μ. δέ, Gal.4:9.
III. Superl., μάλιστα
, most, most of all, above all: Act.20:38 25:26, Gal.6:10, Php.4:22, 1Ti.4:10 5:8, 17, 2Ti.4:13, Tit.1:10, Phm 16, 2Pe.2:10; μ. γνώστης, Act.26:3
(AS)
μάλα
adv., [in LXX for אֲבָל, 3Ki.1:43, Dan LXX 10:21, al.; compar. for מ, Num.13:32 (31), al.; μᾶλλον ἠ (מ), Gen.19:9, al.; superlat., 2Ma.8:7, 4Ma.4:22 12:9 15:4;]
I. Pos., very, very much, exceedingly (cl.; LXX ut supr.; in NT its place is taken by λίαν, σφόδρα, etc.).
II. Compar., μᾶλλον.
1. Of increase, more; with qualifying words: πολλῷ, Mrk.10:48, Luk.18:39, Rom.5:15, 17, Php.2:12, al.; πόσῳ, Luk.12:24, Rom.11:12, al.; τοσούτῳ... ὅσῳ, Heb.10:25.
2. Of comparison, the more: Luk.5:15, Jhn.5:18, Act.5:14, 1Th.4:1, 10, 2Pe.1:10; ἔτι μ. καὶ μ., Php.1:9; with compar., Mrk.7:36, 2Co.7:13; πολλῴ μ. κρεῖσον, Php.1:23; μ. διαφέρειν, with genitive, Mat.6:26; μ. ἤ, Mat.18:13; with genitive, 1Co.14:18; as periphr. for compar., Act.20:35, 1Co.9:15, Gal.4:27; μ. δέ (EV, yea rather), Rom.8:34.
3. Of preference, rather, the rather, sooner: with qualifying words, πολλῷ, Mat.6:30, al.; πολύ, Heb.12:25; πόσῳ, Mat.7:11, al.; in a question, οὐ μ., 1Co.9:12; after a neg., Mat.10:6, al.; θέλω (εὐδοκῶ) μ., 1Co.14:5, 2Co.5:8; ζηλῶ, 1Co.14:1; with subst., τ. σκότος ἢ τ. φῶς, Jhn.3:19; μ. δέ, Gal.4:9.
III. Superl., μάλιστα
, most, most of all, above all: Act.20:38 25:26, Gal.6:10, Php.4:22, 1Ti.4:10 5:8, 17, 2Ti.4:13, Tit.1:10, Phm 16, 2Pe.2:10; μ. γνώστης, Act.26:3
(AS)
In the Bible
Strong G3122 appears in 12 verses of the KJV.
Translated in the KJV by
- specially5
- especially4
- chiefly2
- most1
First verses
- Acts 20:38Sorrowing most of all for the words which he spake, that they should see his face no more. And they accompanied him unto the ship.
- Acts 25:26Of whom I have no certain thing to write unto my lord. Wherefore I have brought him forth before you, and specially before thee, O king Agrippa, that, after examination had, I might have somewhat to write.
- Acts 26:3Especially because I know thee to be expert in all customs and questions which are among the Jews: wherefore I beseech thee to hear me patiently.
- Galatians 6:10As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.
- Philippians 4:22All the saints salute you, chiefly they that are of Cesar’s household.
- 1 Timothy 4:10For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe.
- 1 Timothy 5:8But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.
- 1 Timothy 5:17Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine.
- 2 Timothy 4:13The cloke that I left at Troas with Carpus, when thou comest, bring with thee, and the books, but especially the parchments.
- Titus 1:10For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision:
- Philemon 1:16Not now as a servant, but above a servant, a brother beloved, specially to me, but how much more unto thee, both in the flesh, and in the Lord?
- 2 Peter 2:10But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities.
Occurrences by book
Related words
Word family
Detailed Greek dictionary
Included with: μάλα [μᾰλᾰ;
but [Refs 8th c.BC+ (8th c.BC: Homerus Epicus)] sometimes uses the ultima long before λ, [Refs 8th c.BC+ (8th c.BC: Ilias Homerus Epicus “Illiad” 3.214, 4.379)]; before μ, [Refs (10.172],)] adverb very, exceedingly, prefixed or subjoined to Adjectives, Verbs, and Adverbs:
1 strengthening the word with which it stands,
1.a with adjectives, in [Refs 8th c.BC+ (8th c.BC: Homerus Epicus most frequently, μάλα πολλά)] very many, [Refs 8th c.BC+ (8th c.BC: Odyssea Homerus Epicus “Odyssey” 1.1)]; μ. πᾶσα, μ. πάντα, every one, all together, [Refs 8th c.BC+ (8th c.BC: Ilias Homerus Epicus “Illiad” 13.741, 8th c.BC: Odyssea Homerus Epicus “Odyssey” 2.306, etc.)]; μάλ᾽ ἀσκηθής all unhurt, [Refs (5.26)]; ἀβληχρὸς μ. τοῖος quite gentle, [Refs (11.135)]; σαρδάνιον μ. τοῖον a quite sardonic smile,[Refs (20.302; μάλα μυρίοι 15.556, 16.121, etc.)]; ἐμέο πρότερος μ. actually before me, [Refs 8th c.BC+ (8th c.BC: Ilias Homerus Epicus “Illiad” 10.124)]; later, μ. φιλόσοφοι, πλάτανος μάλ᾽ ἀμφιλαφής, etc., [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Parmenides” 126b, “Phdr.” 230b, etc.: strengthened, μ. δὴ πρεσβύτης)] very old, [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th-6th c.BC: Xenophon Historicus “Institutio Cyri (Cyropaedia)” 8.7.1; μ. γέ τινες ὀλίγοι 5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Respublica” 531e.)]
1.b with Advs., πάγχυ μ., μ. πάγχυ, quite utterly, [Refs 8th c.BC+ (8th c.BC: Ilias Homerus Epicus “Illiad” 12.165, 14.143; πάνυ μ. 5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Phaedo” 80c)]; εὖ μ. right well, [Refs 8th c.BC+ (8th c.BC: Odyssea Homerus Epicus “Odyssey” 22.190, 5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Phaedo” 92d, etc.; μάλα.. εὖ 8th c.BC: Odyssea Homerus Epicus “Odyssey” 23.175, compare 5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Theaetetus” 156a)]; μάλ᾽ αὐτίκα (see. αὐτίκα); μάλ᾽ αἰεί for ever and aye, [Refs 8th c.BC+ (8th c.BC: Ilias Homerus Epicus “Illiad” 13.557, 23.717)]; ἄχρι μ. κνέφαος until quite dark, [Refs 8th c.BC+ (8th c.BC: Odyssea Homerus Epicus “Odyssey” 18.370)]; μάλ᾽ ὧδε just in this way, [Refs (6.258)]; μ. διαμπερές right through, [Refs 8th c.BC+ (8th c.BC: Ilias Homerus Epicus “Illiad” 20.362)]; μ. μόλις (see. μόλις); to express repeated action, μάλ᾽ αὖθις [Refs 5th c.BC+ (4th-5th c.BC: Aeschylus Tragicus “Agamemnon” 1345, “Ch.” 654; μάλ᾽ αὖ 5th c.BC: Sophocles Tragicus “Electra” 1410, etc.)]; μ. alone, ἔα, ἔα μ. [Refs 8th c.BC+ (4th-5th c.BC: Aeschylus Tragicus “Choephori” 870; οἲ μ. καὶ τόδ᾽ ἀλγῶ [prev. author] “Pers.” 1045 (Lyric poetry); εἶα μ. 5th-6th c.BC: Aristophanes Comicus “Pax” 460s q. (so ἄλλος πύργος.., καὶ ἕτερος μ. ἐπὶ τούτῳ 5th c.BC: Herodotus Historicus 1.181, compare 7.186): frequently after καί, αὗταί σ᾽ ὁδηγήσουσι καὶ μάλ᾽ ἀσμένως 4th-5th c.BC: Aeschylus Tragicus “Prometheus Vinctus” 728, compare “Ch.” 879: with _negative_, μάλ᾽ οὐ, μάλ᾽ οὔ πως, 8th c.BC: Ilias Homerus Epicus “Illiad” 2.241, 8th c.BC: Odyssea Homerus Epicus “Odyssey” 5.103; οὐ μ. 5th c.BC: Herodotus Historicus 1.93, 2.37, 5th c.BC: Sophocles Tragicus “Philoctetes” 676 (Lyric poetry).)]
1.c with Verbs, μήτ᾽ ἄρ με μάλ᾽ αἴνεε [Refs 8th c.BC+ (8th c.BC: Ilias Homerus Epicus “Illiad” 10.249; μ. τ᾽ ἔκλυον αὐτοῦ 1.218)]; ἡ δὲ μάλ᾽ ἡνιόχευεν drove carefully, [Refs 8th c.BC+ (8th c.BC: Odyssea Homerus Epicus “Odyssey” 6.319)]; μ... προπέμπει in earnest, [Refs 5th c.BC+ (4th-5th c.BC: Aeschylus Tragicus “Septem contra Thebas” 915 (Lyric poetry), compare “Eu.” 368 (Lyric poetry); καὶ μ. δοκοῦντας φρονίμους εἶναι 5th-6th c.BC: Xenophon Historicus “Institutio Cyri (Cyropaedia)” 6.1.36; μ. πολιορκούμενοι [prev. author] “HG” 7.1.25.)]
2 strengthening an assertion, νῦν σε μ. χρὴ αἰχμητὴν ἔμεναι, i.e. now or never, [Refs 8th c.BC+ (8th c.BC: Ilias Homerus Epicus “Illiad” 16.492)]; τῷ κε μάλ᾽ ἤ κεν μεῖνε.. then doubtless he would have stayed, [Refs 8th c.BC+ (8th c.BC: Odyssea Homerus Epicus “Odyssey” 4.733)]; σοὶ δὲ μάλ᾽ ἕψομ᾽ ἐγώ yes indeed.., [Refs 8th c.BC+ (8th c.BC: Ilias Homerus Epicus “Illiad” 10.108)]; ἀλλὰ μάλ᾽ ὤφελλες why plainly.., [Refs 8th c.BC+ (8th c.BC: Odyssea Homerus Epicus “Odyssey” 4.472: frequently with another word, as ἦ μ. δή)].. now in very truth, [Refs 8th c.BC+ (8th c.BC: Ilias Homerus Epicus “Illiad” 5.422, etc.; ἦ δή που μ. 21.583; frequently ἦ μ. (without δή) 3.204, etc.)]
3 in [Refs 8th c.BC+ (8th c.BC: Homerus Epicus sometimes after εἰ, as εἰ μ. μιν χόλος ἵκοι)] if wrath come on him ever so much, [Refs 8th c.BC+ (8th c.BC: Ilias Homerus Epicus “Illiad” 17.399, compare 8th c.BC: Odyssea Homerus Epicus “Odyssey” 5.485, +others; καὶ εἰ μ. τις πολεμίζοι 8th c.BC: Ilias Homerus Epicus “Illiad” 9.318)]; also μ. περ with participle, μ. περ μεμαώς though desiring never so much, [Refs (13.317, compare 14.58, 17.710, +others)]; καὶ μ. περ [Refs 8th c.BC+ (1.217, compare 17.571; καὶ εὐρέα περ μάλ᾽ ἐόντα 8th c.BC: Odyssea Homerus Epicus “Odyssey” 18.385.)]
4 in Attic dialect frequently in answers, yes, certainly, μ. γε [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Respublica” 555d, 564e, etc.; μ. τοι 5th-6th c.BC: Xenophon Historicus “Memorabilia” 1.2.46; καὶ μ. 5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Phaedrus” 258c; καὶ μ. γε [prev. author] “Tht.” 148c, etc.; καὶ μ. δή [prev. work] 177a)]; καὶ μ. ἐπαύσατο certainly it stopped, [Refs ([prev. author] “Smp.” 189a, etc.)]
II comparative μᾶλλον [ᾱ by nature, Hdn.Gr.[Refs (2.932], _Ionic dialect_)]μάλιον [ᾰ] only in [Refs 7th c.BC+ (7th c.BC: Tyrtaeus Elegiacus 12.6, cf. Choerob.in “Anecdota Graeca - MSS. Bibl. Oxon.” 2.240)]; late Doric dialect μαλλότερον [Refs 5th c.AD+ (Pempelus Philosophus cited in 5th c.AD: Stobaeus, Joannes 4.25.52)]:—more, rather, [Refs 8th c.BC+ (8th c.BC: Ilias Homerus Epicus “Illiad” 5.231, 8th c.BC: Odyssea Homerus Epicus “Odyssey” 1.351, +others: mostly followed by ἤ, but in Prose also by a _genitive_, μ. τοῦ ξυμφέροντος)] more than is expedient, [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Antipho Orator 5.1; μ. τοῦ δέοντος 5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Gorgias” 487b, 5th-6th c.BC: Xenophon Historicus “Memorabilia” 4.3.8 (sometimes expressed by μᾶλλον alone, 5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Phaedo” 63d); οὐπώποτ᾽ ἔργου μ. εἱλόμην λόγους 5th c.BC: Euripides Tragicus “Fragmenta” 394)]; παντὸς μ. most assuredly, [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Leges” 715d (see. below 8); in [prev. author] “Ap.” 36d, οὐκ ἔσθ᾽ ὅτι μ. πρέπει οὕτως, ὡς.., ὡς is probably ={ἤ} (see. ὡς))]: denoting a constant increase, more and more, sometimes doubled, μ. μ. [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Euripides Tragicus “Iphigenia Taurica” 1406, 5th-6th c.BC: Aristophanes Comicus “Ranae” 1001 (Lyric poetry), 2nd c.AD: Alexander Rhetor 29)]: in positive sense, exceedingly, κηρόθι μ. [Refs 8th c.BC+ (8th c.BC: Ilias Homerus Epicus “Illiad” 9.300, 8th c.BC: Odyssea Homerus Epicus “Odyssey” 15.370, +others:)] —Usage:
II.1 frequently strengthened by other words, πολὺ μ. [NT+8th c.BC+ (8th c.BC: Ilias Homerus Epicus “Illiad” 9.700, etc.; ἔτι μ. 14.97, +others; μ. ἔτ᾽ ἢ τὸ πάροιθεν 8th c.BC: Odyssea Homerus Epicus “Odyssey” 1.322; καὶ μ. 8th c.BC: Ilias Homerus Epicus “Illiad” 8.470; καὶ μ. ἔτι 8th c.BC: Odyssea Homerus Epicus “Odyssey” 18.22; ἔτι καὶ μ. 5th c.BC: Pindarus Lyricus “P.” 10.57; ἔτι καὶ πολὺ μ. 8th c.BC: Ilias Homerus Epicus “Illiad” 23.386, 429, 8th-7th c.BC: Hesiodus Epicus “Theogonia” 428; ἐπὶ μ. 5th c.BC: Herodotus Historicus 3.104; ἔτι ἐπὶ μ. [prev. author] 1.94; πολλῷ μ. 5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Phaedo” 80e, NT.1Cor.12.22: also modified, μᾶλλόν τι)] somewhat more, μ. τι περιημέκτεε [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Herodotus Historicus 1.114, compare 50, etc.; μ. ἤδη προσδεχομένου 5th c.BC: Thucydides Historicus 8.71.)]
II.2 sometimes with a second comparative, ῥηΐτεροι μ. [Refs 8th c.BC+ (8th c.BC: Ilias Homerus Epicus “Illiad” 24.243, compare 5th c.BC: Herodotus Historicus 1.32, 4th-5th c.BC: Aeschylus Tragicus “Septem contra Thebas” 673, “Supp.” 279, 5th c.BC: Sophocles Tragicus “Antigone” 1210, 5th c.BC: Euripides Tragicus “Electra” 222, 5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Phaedo” 79e, 4th c.BC: Isaeus Orator 4.14 (assuming variant), 4th c.BC: Aristoteles Philosophus “Topica” 116b24.)]
II.3 μᾶλλον δέ much more.., or rather.., to correct a statement already made, ὁ δεσπότης πέπραγεν εὐτυχέστατα, μ. δ᾽ ὁ Πλοῦτος αὐτός [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th-6th c.BC: Aristophanes Comicus “Plutus” 634; πολλοί, μ. δὲ πάντες 4th c.BC: Demosthenes Orator 18.65, compare 5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Symposium” 173e; so ἢ μ. 1st c.AD: Cornutus Philosophus “de Natura Deorum” 20, 6th c.AD: Simplicius Philosophus “in Aristotelis Physica commentaria - Comm. in Arist. Graeca” 25.16)]; οὐχὶ μ. ἤ.. not so, but rather so.., [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Thucydides Historicus 2.87.)]
II.4 μ. δὲ καὶ ἡσυχαίτερα more or less violent, [Refs ([prev. author] 3.82.)]
II.5 οὐδὲν μ. none the more,[Refs 5th c.BC+ ([prev. work] 79; οὐδέν τι μ. 5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Phaedo” 87d)]; μηδέν τι μ. ἤ.. [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Sophocles Tragicus “Ajax” 280.)]
II.6 μ. ἤ.. followed by οὐ in comparisons, where preference implies rejection or denial, πόλιν ὅλην διαφθεῖραι μᾶλλον ἤ οὐ τοὺς αἰτίους [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Thucydides Historicus 3.36)]: preceded by another negative, [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Herodotus Historicus 4.118, 5.94, 7.16. γ, etc.: by an _interrogative_ which conveys a _negative_ force, τίδεῖ.. μᾶλλον, ἤ οὐ..; 5th-6th c.BC: Xenophon Historicus “Historia Graeca (Hellenica)” 6.3.15.)]
II.7 τὸ μ. καὶ ἧττον, a form of argument, a fortiori, [Refs 4th c.BC+ (4th c.BC: Aristoteles Philosophus “Rhetorica” 1397b12.)]
II.8 παντὸς μ., see at {πᾶς} [Refs (III.4.)]
III superlative μάλιστα most of all, above all, [Refs 8th c.BC+ (8th c.BC: Homerus Epicus, etc.; πᾶσι, μάλιστα δ᾽ ἐμοί 8th c.BC: Odyssea Homerus Epicus “Odyssey” 21.353)]; μ. μὲν.., ἔπειτα or ἔπειτα δέ.., first and above all.., next.., [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Sophocles Tragicus “Oedipus Tyrannus” 647, compare “Ph.” 1285)]; μ. μὲν.., δεύτερον δὲ.. [Refs 4th c.BC+ (4th c.BC: Isaeus Orator 2.20)]; μ. μὲν.., εἰ δὲ μὴ.. [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Herodotus Historicus 8.22, 5th c.BC: Thucydides Historicus 1.40, 5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Respublica” 590d, 4th c.BC: Demosthenes Orator 20.25, etc.; τοῦτο δ᾽ ἐστὶ μ. μὲν θάνατος, εἰ δὲ μή, πάντα τὰ ὄντα ἀφελέσθαι [prev. author] 21.152)]; μάλιστα μὲν.., μᾶλλον μέντοι.. [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Symposium” 180b)]; μάλιστα.., εἰ μὴ δ᾽.. [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Sophocles Tragicus “Philoctetes” 617)]; δοκέων μιν μ. ταύτης ἂν πείθεσθαι certainly, [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Herodotus Historicus 3.53)]; τί μ.; what precisely? [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Gorgias” 448d, compare “Men.” 80b, “Smp.” 218c: with _genitive_ _partitive_, μ. πάντων 5th c.BC: Herodotus Historicus 2.37, 5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Protagoras” 327a, compare 5th c.BC: Thucydides Historicus 4.86)]; τὸ μ. πάντων the supreme reality, [Refs 3rd c.AD+ (3rd c.AD: Plotinus Philosophus 5.5.11)]; τὸ μ. εἶναι the highest degree of being, [Refs ([prev. author] 6.2.7.)]
III.1 strengthened, ὡς μ. certainly, [Refs 5th c.BC+ (4th-5th c.BC: Aeschylus Tragicus “Supplices” 294, 5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Respublica” 460a, etc.; ὅσον μ. 4th-5th c.BC: Aeschylus Tragicus “Prometheus Vinctus” 524; ὅσα ἐδύνατο μ. 5th c.BC: Herodotus Historicus 1.185; ὡς δύναμαι μ. 5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Respublica” 367b; ὡς οἷόν τε μ. [prev. author] “Grg.” 510b; εἰς ὅσον ἀνθρώπῳ δυνατὸν μ. [prev. author] “Phdr.” 277a; ὅτι μ. δύνασαι [prev. author] “Sph.” 239b; μακρῷ μ. 5th c.BC: Herodotus Historicus 1.171; πολλῷ μ. 2nd c.AD: Pausanias Periegeta 1.42.3; παντὸς μ. 1st c.BC: Dionysius Halicarnassensis 3.35, etc.)]
III.2 with the Article, ἐς τὰ μ. in the highest degree, [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Herodotus Historicus 1.20, 2.76, 5th c.BC: Thucydides Historicus 6.104, 8.6, 4th c.BC: Demosthenes Orator 21.212: without ἐς, φίλοι τὰ μ. 5th c.BC: Herodotus Historicus 2.147, compare 5th c.BC: Thucydides Historicus 1.92, 4th c.BC: Demosthenes Orator 21.62; τά γε μ. 5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Leges” 794d)]; εἰ τὰ μ. ἦσαν ἀληθεῖς if they were ever so true, [Refs 4th c.BC+ (4th c.BC: Demosthenes Orator 18.95)]; εἰ τὰ μ. μὴ τινές, ἀλλὰ πάντες.. if (to put an extreme case) not some, but all.., [Refs ([prev. author] 20.2; εἰ.. δοκοίη τὰ μ. [prev. author] 18.21)]; ἀνὴρ δόκιμος ὁμοῖα τῷ μ. as famous as he that is most [famous], [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Herodotus Historicus 7.118, compare 3.8; τοῖς μάλισθ᾽ ὁμοίως 4th c.BC: Demosthenes Orator “Epistulae” 2.24.)]
III.2.b ἐν τοῖς μ. especially, as much as any, [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Thucydides Historicus 8.90, 5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Symposium” 173b, etc.)]: with a superlative, ἐν τοῖς μ. ὠμότατος [Refs 2nd c.AD+ (2nd-3rd c.AD: Aelianus “Varia Historia” 14.40; φιλτάτη καὶ ἀναγκαιοτάτη ἐν τοῖς μ. 6th c.AD: Procopius Caesariensis Historicus “Historia Arcana” 4.)]
III.3 added to a superlative (see. μάλα [Refs 8th c.BC+ (11.2, πλεῖστον), ἔχθιστος μ., μ. φίλτατος, 8th c.BC: Ilias Homerus Epicus “Illiad” 2.220, 24.334; μ. κῃ ἐμφερέστατα 5th c.BC: Herodotus Historicus 2.76; μ. φίλτατος 5th c.BC: Euripides Tragicus “Hippolytus” 1421: to a _comparative_ (?), μ. δὴ ὀκνηρότεροι ἐγένοντο 5th c.BC: Thucydides Historicus 4.55.)]
III.4 μάλιστα for μᾶλλον, μ. τῆς κόρης [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Euripides Tragicus “Iphigenia Aulidensis” [1594]; μ. ἤ ἐμοί 3rd c.BC: Apollonius Rhodius Epicus 3.91.)]
III.5 with numerals, in round numbers, about, [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Thucydides Historicus 3.29, 92, 5th-6th c.BC: Xenophon Historicus “Historia Graeca (Hellenica)” 5.2.31, etc.)]; πεντήκοντα μάλιστα[Refs 5th c.BC+ (is 49 in 5th c.BC: Thucydides Historicus 1.118; ἑκατοστὸς μ. 99t h, [prev. author] 8.68)]; ἐς μέσον μάλιστά κῃ about the middle, [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Herodotus Historicus 1.191, compare 76; ἥμισυ μ. 5th c.BC: Thucydides Historicus 1.93)]; μ. σφᾶς μεσοῦν δειπνοῦντας that they were about the middle of supper, [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Symposium” 175c; κου μ. 5th c.BC: Herodotus Historicus 7.22; μ. πως 2nd c.BC: Polybius Historicus 2.41.13.)]
III.6 in answers, most certainly, [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th-6th c.BC: Aristophanes Comicus “Plutus” 827, etc.; μ. γε 5th c.BC: Sophocles Tragicus “Oedipus Tyrannus” 994, 5th-6th c.BC: Aristophanes Comicus “Nubes” 253; μ. πάντων [prev. author] “Av.” 1531; πάντων μ. 5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Gorgias” 453d; see above 1.4)]. (Orig. perhaps fiercely, compare μαλερός.)
but [Refs 8th c.BC+ (8th c.BC: Homerus Epicus)] sometimes uses the ultima long before λ, [Refs 8th c.BC+ (8th c.BC: Ilias Homerus Epicus “Illiad” 3.214, 4.379)]; before μ, [Refs (10.172],)] adverb very, exceedingly, prefixed or subjoined to Adjectives, Verbs, and Adverbs:
1 strengthening the word with which it stands,
1.a with adjectives, in [Refs 8th c.BC+ (8th c.BC: Homerus Epicus most frequently, μάλα πολλά)] very many, [Refs 8th c.BC+ (8th c.BC: Odyssea Homerus Epicus “Odyssey” 1.1)]; μ. πᾶσα, μ. πάντα, every one, all together, [Refs 8th c.BC+ (8th c.BC: Ilias Homerus Epicus “Illiad” 13.741, 8th c.BC: Odyssea Homerus Epicus “Odyssey” 2.306, etc.)]; μάλ᾽ ἀσκηθής all unhurt, [Refs (5.26)]; ἀβληχρὸς μ. τοῖος quite gentle, [Refs (11.135)]; σαρδάνιον μ. τοῖον a quite sardonic smile,[Refs (20.302; μάλα μυρίοι 15.556, 16.121, etc.)]; ἐμέο πρότερος μ. actually before me, [Refs 8th c.BC+ (8th c.BC: Ilias Homerus Epicus “Illiad” 10.124)]; later, μ. φιλόσοφοι, πλάτανος μάλ᾽ ἀμφιλαφής, etc., [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Parmenides” 126b, “Phdr.” 230b, etc.: strengthened, μ. δὴ πρεσβύτης)] very old, [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th-6th c.BC: Xenophon Historicus “Institutio Cyri (Cyropaedia)” 8.7.1; μ. γέ τινες ὀλίγοι 5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Respublica” 531e.)]
1.b with Advs., πάγχυ μ., μ. πάγχυ, quite utterly, [Refs 8th c.BC+ (8th c.BC: Ilias Homerus Epicus “Illiad” 12.165, 14.143; πάνυ μ. 5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Phaedo” 80c)]; εὖ μ. right well, [Refs 8th c.BC+ (8th c.BC: Odyssea Homerus Epicus “Odyssey” 22.190, 5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Phaedo” 92d, etc.; μάλα.. εὖ 8th c.BC: Odyssea Homerus Epicus “Odyssey” 23.175, compare 5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Theaetetus” 156a)]; μάλ᾽ αὐτίκα (see. αὐτίκα); μάλ᾽ αἰεί for ever and aye, [Refs 8th c.BC+ (8th c.BC: Ilias Homerus Epicus “Illiad” 13.557, 23.717)]; ἄχρι μ. κνέφαος until quite dark, [Refs 8th c.BC+ (8th c.BC: Odyssea Homerus Epicus “Odyssey” 18.370)]; μάλ᾽ ὧδε just in this way, [Refs (6.258)]; μ. διαμπερές right through, [Refs 8th c.BC+ (8th c.BC: Ilias Homerus Epicus “Illiad” 20.362)]; μ. μόλις (see. μόλις); to express repeated action, μάλ᾽ αὖθις [Refs 5th c.BC+ (4th-5th c.BC: Aeschylus Tragicus “Agamemnon” 1345, “Ch.” 654; μάλ᾽ αὖ 5th c.BC: Sophocles Tragicus “Electra” 1410, etc.)]; μ. alone, ἔα, ἔα μ. [Refs 8th c.BC+ (4th-5th c.BC: Aeschylus Tragicus “Choephori” 870; οἲ μ. καὶ τόδ᾽ ἀλγῶ [prev. author] “Pers.” 1045 (Lyric poetry); εἶα μ. 5th-6th c.BC: Aristophanes Comicus “Pax” 460s q. (so ἄλλος πύργος.., καὶ ἕτερος μ. ἐπὶ τούτῳ 5th c.BC: Herodotus Historicus 1.181, compare 7.186): frequently after καί, αὗταί σ᾽ ὁδηγήσουσι καὶ μάλ᾽ ἀσμένως 4th-5th c.BC: Aeschylus Tragicus “Prometheus Vinctus” 728, compare “Ch.” 879: with _negative_, μάλ᾽ οὐ, μάλ᾽ οὔ πως, 8th c.BC: Ilias Homerus Epicus “Illiad” 2.241, 8th c.BC: Odyssea Homerus Epicus “Odyssey” 5.103; οὐ μ. 5th c.BC: Herodotus Historicus 1.93, 2.37, 5th c.BC: Sophocles Tragicus “Philoctetes” 676 (Lyric poetry).)]
1.c with Verbs, μήτ᾽ ἄρ με μάλ᾽ αἴνεε [Refs 8th c.BC+ (8th c.BC: Ilias Homerus Epicus “Illiad” 10.249; μ. τ᾽ ἔκλυον αὐτοῦ 1.218)]; ἡ δὲ μάλ᾽ ἡνιόχευεν drove carefully, [Refs 8th c.BC+ (8th c.BC: Odyssea Homerus Epicus “Odyssey” 6.319)]; μ... προπέμπει in earnest, [Refs 5th c.BC+ (4th-5th c.BC: Aeschylus Tragicus “Septem contra Thebas” 915 (Lyric poetry), compare “Eu.” 368 (Lyric poetry); καὶ μ. δοκοῦντας φρονίμους εἶναι 5th-6th c.BC: Xenophon Historicus “Institutio Cyri (Cyropaedia)” 6.1.36; μ. πολιορκούμενοι [prev. author] “HG” 7.1.25.)]
2 strengthening an assertion, νῦν σε μ. χρὴ αἰχμητὴν ἔμεναι, i.e. now or never, [Refs 8th c.BC+ (8th c.BC: Ilias Homerus Epicus “Illiad” 16.492)]; τῷ κε μάλ᾽ ἤ κεν μεῖνε.. then doubtless he would have stayed, [Refs 8th c.BC+ (8th c.BC: Odyssea Homerus Epicus “Odyssey” 4.733)]; σοὶ δὲ μάλ᾽ ἕψομ᾽ ἐγώ yes indeed.., [Refs 8th c.BC+ (8th c.BC: Ilias Homerus Epicus “Illiad” 10.108)]; ἀλλὰ μάλ᾽ ὤφελλες why plainly.., [Refs 8th c.BC+ (8th c.BC: Odyssea Homerus Epicus “Odyssey” 4.472: frequently with another word, as ἦ μ. δή)].. now in very truth, [Refs 8th c.BC+ (8th c.BC: Ilias Homerus Epicus “Illiad” 5.422, etc.; ἦ δή που μ. 21.583; frequently ἦ μ. (without δή) 3.204, etc.)]
3 in [Refs 8th c.BC+ (8th c.BC: Homerus Epicus sometimes after εἰ, as εἰ μ. μιν χόλος ἵκοι)] if wrath come on him ever so much, [Refs 8th c.BC+ (8th c.BC: Ilias Homerus Epicus “Illiad” 17.399, compare 8th c.BC: Odyssea Homerus Epicus “Odyssey” 5.485, +others; καὶ εἰ μ. τις πολεμίζοι 8th c.BC: Ilias Homerus Epicus “Illiad” 9.318)]; also μ. περ with participle, μ. περ μεμαώς though desiring never so much, [Refs (13.317, compare 14.58, 17.710, +others)]; καὶ μ. περ [Refs 8th c.BC+ (1.217, compare 17.571; καὶ εὐρέα περ μάλ᾽ ἐόντα 8th c.BC: Odyssea Homerus Epicus “Odyssey” 18.385.)]
4 in Attic dialect frequently in answers, yes, certainly, μ. γε [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Respublica” 555d, 564e, etc.; μ. τοι 5th-6th c.BC: Xenophon Historicus “Memorabilia” 1.2.46; καὶ μ. 5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Phaedrus” 258c; καὶ μ. γε [prev. author] “Tht.” 148c, etc.; καὶ μ. δή [prev. work] 177a)]; καὶ μ. ἐπαύσατο certainly it stopped, [Refs ([prev. author] “Smp.” 189a, etc.)]
II comparative μᾶλλον [ᾱ by nature, Hdn.Gr.[Refs (2.932], _Ionic dialect_)]μάλιον [ᾰ] only in [Refs 7th c.BC+ (7th c.BC: Tyrtaeus Elegiacus 12.6, cf. Choerob.in “Anecdota Graeca - MSS. Bibl. Oxon.” 2.240)]; late Doric dialect μαλλότερον [Refs 5th c.AD+ (Pempelus Philosophus cited in 5th c.AD: Stobaeus, Joannes 4.25.52)]:—more, rather, [Refs 8th c.BC+ (8th c.BC: Ilias Homerus Epicus “Illiad” 5.231, 8th c.BC: Odyssea Homerus Epicus “Odyssey” 1.351, +others: mostly followed by ἤ, but in Prose also by a _genitive_, μ. τοῦ ξυμφέροντος)] more than is expedient, [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Antipho Orator 5.1; μ. τοῦ δέοντος 5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Gorgias” 487b, 5th-6th c.BC: Xenophon Historicus “Memorabilia” 4.3.8 (sometimes expressed by μᾶλλον alone, 5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Phaedo” 63d); οὐπώποτ᾽ ἔργου μ. εἱλόμην λόγους 5th c.BC: Euripides Tragicus “Fragmenta” 394)]; παντὸς μ. most assuredly, [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Leges” 715d (see. below 8); in [prev. author] “Ap.” 36d, οὐκ ἔσθ᾽ ὅτι μ. πρέπει οὕτως, ὡς.., ὡς is probably ={ἤ} (see. ὡς))]: denoting a constant increase, more and more, sometimes doubled, μ. μ. [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Euripides Tragicus “Iphigenia Taurica” 1406, 5th-6th c.BC: Aristophanes Comicus “Ranae” 1001 (Lyric poetry), 2nd c.AD: Alexander Rhetor 29)]: in positive sense, exceedingly, κηρόθι μ. [Refs 8th c.BC+ (8th c.BC: Ilias Homerus Epicus “Illiad” 9.300, 8th c.BC: Odyssea Homerus Epicus “Odyssey” 15.370, +others:)] —Usage:
II.1 frequently strengthened by other words, πολὺ μ. [NT+8th c.BC+ (8th c.BC: Ilias Homerus Epicus “Illiad” 9.700, etc.; ἔτι μ. 14.97, +others; μ. ἔτ᾽ ἢ τὸ πάροιθεν 8th c.BC: Odyssea Homerus Epicus “Odyssey” 1.322; καὶ μ. 8th c.BC: Ilias Homerus Epicus “Illiad” 8.470; καὶ μ. ἔτι 8th c.BC: Odyssea Homerus Epicus “Odyssey” 18.22; ἔτι καὶ μ. 5th c.BC: Pindarus Lyricus “P.” 10.57; ἔτι καὶ πολὺ μ. 8th c.BC: Ilias Homerus Epicus “Illiad” 23.386, 429, 8th-7th c.BC: Hesiodus Epicus “Theogonia” 428; ἐπὶ μ. 5th c.BC: Herodotus Historicus 3.104; ἔτι ἐπὶ μ. [prev. author] 1.94; πολλῷ μ. 5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Phaedo” 80e, NT.1Cor.12.22: also modified, μᾶλλόν τι)] somewhat more, μ. τι περιημέκτεε [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Herodotus Historicus 1.114, compare 50, etc.; μ. ἤδη προσδεχομένου 5th c.BC: Thucydides Historicus 8.71.)]
II.2 sometimes with a second comparative, ῥηΐτεροι μ. [Refs 8th c.BC+ (8th c.BC: Ilias Homerus Epicus “Illiad” 24.243, compare 5th c.BC: Herodotus Historicus 1.32, 4th-5th c.BC: Aeschylus Tragicus “Septem contra Thebas” 673, “Supp.” 279, 5th c.BC: Sophocles Tragicus “Antigone” 1210, 5th c.BC: Euripides Tragicus “Electra” 222, 5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Phaedo” 79e, 4th c.BC: Isaeus Orator 4.14 (assuming variant), 4th c.BC: Aristoteles Philosophus “Topica” 116b24.)]
II.3 μᾶλλον δέ much more.., or rather.., to correct a statement already made, ὁ δεσπότης πέπραγεν εὐτυχέστατα, μ. δ᾽ ὁ Πλοῦτος αὐτός [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th-6th c.BC: Aristophanes Comicus “Plutus” 634; πολλοί, μ. δὲ πάντες 4th c.BC: Demosthenes Orator 18.65, compare 5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Symposium” 173e; so ἢ μ. 1st c.AD: Cornutus Philosophus “de Natura Deorum” 20, 6th c.AD: Simplicius Philosophus “in Aristotelis Physica commentaria - Comm. in Arist. Graeca” 25.16)]; οὐχὶ μ. ἤ.. not so, but rather so.., [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Thucydides Historicus 2.87.)]
II.4 μ. δὲ καὶ ἡσυχαίτερα more or less violent, [Refs ([prev. author] 3.82.)]
II.5 οὐδὲν μ. none the more,[Refs 5th c.BC+ ([prev. work] 79; οὐδέν τι μ. 5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Phaedo” 87d)]; μηδέν τι μ. ἤ.. [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Sophocles Tragicus “Ajax” 280.)]
II.6 μ. ἤ.. followed by οὐ in comparisons, where preference implies rejection or denial, πόλιν ὅλην διαφθεῖραι μᾶλλον ἤ οὐ τοὺς αἰτίους [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Thucydides Historicus 3.36)]: preceded by another negative, [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Herodotus Historicus 4.118, 5.94, 7.16. γ, etc.: by an _interrogative_ which conveys a _negative_ force, τίδεῖ.. μᾶλλον, ἤ οὐ..; 5th-6th c.BC: Xenophon Historicus “Historia Graeca (Hellenica)” 6.3.15.)]
II.7 τὸ μ. καὶ ἧττον, a form of argument, a fortiori, [Refs 4th c.BC+ (4th c.BC: Aristoteles Philosophus “Rhetorica” 1397b12.)]
II.8 παντὸς μ., see at {πᾶς} [Refs (III.4.)]
III superlative μάλιστα most of all, above all, [Refs 8th c.BC+ (8th c.BC: Homerus Epicus, etc.; πᾶσι, μάλιστα δ᾽ ἐμοί 8th c.BC: Odyssea Homerus Epicus “Odyssey” 21.353)]; μ. μὲν.., ἔπειτα or ἔπειτα δέ.., first and above all.., next.., [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Sophocles Tragicus “Oedipus Tyrannus” 647, compare “Ph.” 1285)]; μ. μὲν.., δεύτερον δὲ.. [Refs 4th c.BC+ (4th c.BC: Isaeus Orator 2.20)]; μ. μὲν.., εἰ δὲ μὴ.. [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Herodotus Historicus 8.22, 5th c.BC: Thucydides Historicus 1.40, 5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Respublica” 590d, 4th c.BC: Demosthenes Orator 20.25, etc.; τοῦτο δ᾽ ἐστὶ μ. μὲν θάνατος, εἰ δὲ μή, πάντα τὰ ὄντα ἀφελέσθαι [prev. author] 21.152)]; μάλιστα μὲν.., μᾶλλον μέντοι.. [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Symposium” 180b)]; μάλιστα.., εἰ μὴ δ᾽.. [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Sophocles Tragicus “Philoctetes” 617)]; δοκέων μιν μ. ταύτης ἂν πείθεσθαι certainly, [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Herodotus Historicus 3.53)]; τί μ.; what precisely? [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Gorgias” 448d, compare “Men.” 80b, “Smp.” 218c: with _genitive_ _partitive_, μ. πάντων 5th c.BC: Herodotus Historicus 2.37, 5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Protagoras” 327a, compare 5th c.BC: Thucydides Historicus 4.86)]; τὸ μ. πάντων the supreme reality, [Refs 3rd c.AD+ (3rd c.AD: Plotinus Philosophus 5.5.11)]; τὸ μ. εἶναι the highest degree of being, [Refs ([prev. author] 6.2.7.)]
III.1 strengthened, ὡς μ. certainly, [Refs 5th c.BC+ (4th-5th c.BC: Aeschylus Tragicus “Supplices” 294, 5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Respublica” 460a, etc.; ὅσον μ. 4th-5th c.BC: Aeschylus Tragicus “Prometheus Vinctus” 524; ὅσα ἐδύνατο μ. 5th c.BC: Herodotus Historicus 1.185; ὡς δύναμαι μ. 5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Respublica” 367b; ὡς οἷόν τε μ. [prev. author] “Grg.” 510b; εἰς ὅσον ἀνθρώπῳ δυνατὸν μ. [prev. author] “Phdr.” 277a; ὅτι μ. δύνασαι [prev. author] “Sph.” 239b; μακρῷ μ. 5th c.BC: Herodotus Historicus 1.171; πολλῷ μ. 2nd c.AD: Pausanias Periegeta 1.42.3; παντὸς μ. 1st c.BC: Dionysius Halicarnassensis 3.35, etc.)]
III.2 with the Article, ἐς τὰ μ. in the highest degree, [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Herodotus Historicus 1.20, 2.76, 5th c.BC: Thucydides Historicus 6.104, 8.6, 4th c.BC: Demosthenes Orator 21.212: without ἐς, φίλοι τὰ μ. 5th c.BC: Herodotus Historicus 2.147, compare 5th c.BC: Thucydides Historicus 1.92, 4th c.BC: Demosthenes Orator 21.62; τά γε μ. 5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Leges” 794d)]; εἰ τὰ μ. ἦσαν ἀληθεῖς if they were ever so true, [Refs 4th c.BC+ (4th c.BC: Demosthenes Orator 18.95)]; εἰ τὰ μ. μὴ τινές, ἀλλὰ πάντες.. if (to put an extreme case) not some, but all.., [Refs ([prev. author] 20.2; εἰ.. δοκοίη τὰ μ. [prev. author] 18.21)]; ἀνὴρ δόκιμος ὁμοῖα τῷ μ. as famous as he that is most [famous], [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Herodotus Historicus 7.118, compare 3.8; τοῖς μάλισθ᾽ ὁμοίως 4th c.BC: Demosthenes Orator “Epistulae” 2.24.)]
III.2.b ἐν τοῖς μ. especially, as much as any, [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Thucydides Historicus 8.90, 5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Symposium” 173b, etc.)]: with a superlative, ἐν τοῖς μ. ὠμότατος [Refs 2nd c.AD+ (2nd-3rd c.AD: Aelianus “Varia Historia” 14.40; φιλτάτη καὶ ἀναγκαιοτάτη ἐν τοῖς μ. 6th c.AD: Procopius Caesariensis Historicus “Historia Arcana” 4.)]
III.3 added to a superlative (see. μάλα [Refs 8th c.BC+ (11.2, πλεῖστον), ἔχθιστος μ., μ. φίλτατος, 8th c.BC: Ilias Homerus Epicus “Illiad” 2.220, 24.334; μ. κῃ ἐμφερέστατα 5th c.BC: Herodotus Historicus 2.76; μ. φίλτατος 5th c.BC: Euripides Tragicus “Hippolytus” 1421: to a _comparative_ (?), μ. δὴ ὀκνηρότεροι ἐγένοντο 5th c.BC: Thucydides Historicus 4.55.)]
III.4 μάλιστα for μᾶλλον, μ. τῆς κόρης [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Euripides Tragicus “Iphigenia Aulidensis” [1594]; μ. ἤ ἐμοί 3rd c.BC: Apollonius Rhodius Epicus 3.91.)]
III.5 with numerals, in round numbers, about, [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Thucydides Historicus 3.29, 92, 5th-6th c.BC: Xenophon Historicus “Historia Graeca (Hellenica)” 5.2.31, etc.)]; πεντήκοντα μάλιστα[Refs 5th c.BC+ (is 49 in 5th c.BC: Thucydides Historicus 1.118; ἑκατοστὸς μ. 99t h, [prev. author] 8.68)]; ἐς μέσον μάλιστά κῃ about the middle, [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Herodotus Historicus 1.191, compare 76; ἥμισυ μ. 5th c.BC: Thucydides Historicus 1.93)]; μ. σφᾶς μεσοῦν δειπνοῦντας that they were about the middle of supper, [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Symposium” 175c; κου μ. 5th c.BC: Herodotus Historicus 7.22; μ. πως 2nd c.BC: Polybius Historicus 2.41.13.)]
III.6 in answers, most certainly, [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th-6th c.BC: Aristophanes Comicus “Plutus” 827, etc.; μ. γε 5th c.BC: Sophocles Tragicus “Oedipus Tyrannus” 994, 5th-6th c.BC: Aristophanes Comicus “Nubes” 253; μ. πάντων [prev. author] “Av.” 1531; πάντων μ. 5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Gorgias” 453d; see above 1.4)]. (Orig. perhaps fiercely, compare μαλερός.)