Strong G3641ὀλίγος
little/few
- Transliteration
- oligos
- Pronunciation
- ol-ee'-gos
- Morphology
- Greek Adjective
Definition
Of uncertain affinity;
puny (in extent degree number duration or value); especially neuter (adverbially) somewhat: - + almost brief [-ly] few (a) little + long a season short small a while.
puny (in extent degree number duration or value); especially neuter (adverbially) somewhat: - + almost brief [-ly] few (a) little + long a season short small a while.
Detailed definition
ὀλίγος, -η, -ον
(on οὐχ ὁλ., see infr.), [in LXX chiefly for מָעַט;]
of number, quantity, size, few, little, small, slight: Mat.9:37 15:34, Mrk.6:5 8:7, Luk.10:2 12:48 (sc. πληγάς, opposite to πολλάς), 1Ti.5:23, Heb.12:10, Rev.3:4 12:12; οὐκ ὀ. (in the best uncials written οὐκ ὁ.; see WH, App., 143; M, Pr., 44; Thackeray, Gr., 126 f.), Act.12:18 14:28 15:2 (with genitive part.) Act.17:4, 12 19:23-24 27:20; pl., absol., Mat.7:14 20:16 (WH, txt., RV, om.) Mat.22:14, Luk.13:23, 1Pe.3:20. Neut. sing (τὸ) ὀ.: Luk.7:47, 2Co.8:15; πρὸς ὀλίγον, 1Ti.4:8, Jas.4:14; ἐν ὀ., Act.26:28-29 (with little effort; see Page, in l); id., in brief, Eph.3:3; adverbially, ὀλίγον, of time, Mrk.6:31, 1Pe.1:6 5:10, Rev.17:10; of space, Mrk.1:19, Luk.5:3; pl., ὀλίγα, Luk.10:42, Rev.2:14; ἐπ᾽ ὀλίγα, Mat.25:21, 23; δι᾽ ὀλίγων, in few words, briefly, 1Pe.5:12 (cf. Plat., Legg., vi, 778 e).†
**ὀλίγως, adv.
(ὀλίγος), [in Aq.: Isa.10:7 *;]
a little, almost, all but: 2Pe.2:18.†
(AS)
(on οὐχ ὁλ., see infr.), [in LXX chiefly for מָעַט;]
of number, quantity, size, few, little, small, slight: Mat.9:37 15:34, Mrk.6:5 8:7, Luk.10:2 12:48 (sc. πληγάς, opposite to πολλάς), 1Ti.5:23, Heb.12:10, Rev.3:4 12:12; οὐκ ὀ. (in the best uncials written οὐκ ὁ.; see WH, App., 143; M, Pr., 44; Thackeray, Gr., 126 f.), Act.12:18 14:28 15:2 (with genitive part.) Act.17:4, 12 19:23-24 27:20; pl., absol., Mat.7:14 20:16 (WH, txt., RV, om.) Mat.22:14, Luk.13:23, 1Pe.3:20. Neut. sing (τὸ) ὀ.: Luk.7:47, 2Co.8:15; πρὸς ὀλίγον, 1Ti.4:8, Jas.4:14; ἐν ὀ., Act.26:28-29 (with little effort; see Page, in l); id., in brief, Eph.3:3; adverbially, ὀλίγον, of time, Mrk.6:31, 1Pe.1:6 5:10, Rev.17:10; of space, Mrk.1:19, Luk.5:3; pl., ὀλίγα, Luk.10:42, Rev.2:14; ἐπ᾽ ὀλίγα, Mat.25:21, 23; δι᾽ ὀλίγων, in few words, briefly, 1Pe.5:12 (cf. Plat., Legg., vi, 778 e).†
**ὀλίγως, adv.
(ὀλίγος), [in Aq.: Isa.10:7 *;]
a little, almost, all but: 2Pe.2:18.†
(AS)
In the Bible
Strong G3641 appears in 42 verses of the KJV.
Translated in the KJV by
- few15
- little6
- small5
- thing4
- almost2
- while2
- briefly1
- further1
- long1
- season1
- short1
- space1
First verses
- Matthew 7:14Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
- Matthew 9:37Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few;
- Matthew 15:34And Jesus saith unto them, How many loaves have ye? And they said, Seven, and a few little fishes.
- Matthew 20:16So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.
- Matthew 22:14For many are called, but few are chosen.
- Matthew 25:21His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
- Matthew 25:23His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
- Mark 1:19And when he had gone a little further thence, he saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who also were in the ship mending their nets.
- Mark 6:5And he could there do no mighty work, save that he laid his hands upon a few sick folk, and healed them.
- Mark 6:31And he said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while: for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat.
- Mark 8:7And they had a few small fishes: and he blessed, and commanded to set them also before them.
- Luke 5:3And he entered into one of the ships, which was Simon’s, and prayed him that he would thrust out a little from the land. And he sat down, and taught the people out of the ship.
- Luke 7:47Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little.
- Luke 10:2Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest.
- Luke 12:48But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.
- Luke 13:23Then said one unto him, Lord, are there few that be saved? And he said unto them,
- Acts 12:18Now as soon as it was day, there was no small stir among the soldiers, what was become of Peter.
- Acts 14:28And there they abode long time with the disciples.
- Acts 15:2When therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and disputation with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this question.
- Acts 17:4And some of them believed, and consorted with Paul and Silas; and of the devout Greeks a great multitude, and of the chief women not a few.
Occurrences by book
Related words
Detailed Greek dictionary
ὀλίγος [ῐ], η, ον,
later ὀλίος (which see), of Size, little, small, frequently in [Refs 8th c.BC+ (8th c.BC: Homerus Epicus, rarer later, opposed to μέγας, σάκος 8th c.BC: Ilias Homerus Epicus “Illiad” 14.376; κῦμα 8th c.BC: Odyssea Homerus Epicus “Odyssey” 10.94, etc.)]; ὀλίγῃ ὀπί with small, low voice, [Refs (14.492)]; of stature,[Refs 3rd c.BC+ (9.515; ὀ. κῶρος 3rd c.BC: Theocritus Poeta Bucolicus 1.47; οὐκ ὀλίγης αἷμα βοὸς κέχυται Callias Epigrammaticus “Aet.Oxy.” 2080.85)]; of Space, ὀ. χῶρος [Refs 8th c.BC+ (8th c.BC: Ilias Homerus Epicus “Illiad” 10.161, etc.)]; of Time, χρόνος [Refs 5th c.BC+ (19.157, 23.418, 5th c.BC: Pindarus Lyricus “N.” 7.38, etc.; ἐν βραχεῖ κὠλίγῳ χρόνῳ 5th c.BC: Sophocles Tragicus “Fragmenta” 646 (cf. IV. 3).)]
2 sometimes in a sense between that of Size and Quantity, ὀ. δόσις [Refs 8th c.BC+ (8th c.BC: Odyssea Homerus Epicus “Odyssey” 6.208; οὖρα ὀλίγα)]not copious, [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Hippocrates Medicus “ἐπιδημίαι” 1.2)]; ὑποστάσιες ὀλίγαι slight sediments, [Refs ([prev. work] 17)]; ὀ. καὶ οὐδέν little or nothing, [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Apologia” 23a; οὐδὲν ἢ ὀ. 4th c.BC: Aristoteles Philosophus “de Partibus Animalium” 651b17.)]
3 of Degree, ὀ. καὶ μέγας of low and high degree, [Refs 7th c.BC+ (7th c.BC: Callinus Epicus 1.17.)]
4 weak, ἀθυμοτέρη καὶ ὀλιγωτέρη φύσις [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Hippocrates Medicus “περὶ παρθενίων” 1.)]
II of Number, few, or of Quantity, little, not in [Refs 8th c.BC+ (8th c.BC: Homerus Epicus)], frequently in Attic dialect, [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th-6th c.BC: Aristophanes Comicus “Aves” 1417, “Eq.” 717, etc.)], but rare in Trag., as ὀλίγα κακά [Refs 5th c.BC+ (4th-5th c.BC: Aeschylus Tragicus “Persae” 330.—The governing body in Oligarchies and the oligarchical party in Democracies was called οἱ ὀ., 5th c.BC: Thucydides Historicus 6.38, 8.9, etc.)]; ἡ ὑπὸ τῶν ὀ. δυναστεία, αἱ διὰ τῶν ὀ. δυναστεῖαι, [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Politicus” 291d, 4th c.BC: Demosthenes Orator 60.25; ἑνὸς καὶ πλήθους τὸ ὀ. μέσον 5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Politicus” 303a.)]
II.2 with infinitive, ὀλίγους.. στρατιῇ τῇ Μήδων συμβαλεῖν too few to engage.., [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Herodotus Historicus 6.109, compare 7.207; μὴ.. αἱ σφέτεραι δέκα νῆες ὀλίγαι ἀμύνειν ὦσιν 5th c.BC: Thucydides Historicus 1.50.)]
III neuter ὀλίγον as adverb, a little, slightly, little, with Verbs, ὀ. παρακλίνας [Refs 8th c.BC+ (8th c.BC: Ilias Homerus Epicus “Illiad” 23.424, compare 11.52, 12.452; φροντίσας 5th c.BC: Euripides Tragicus “Cyclops” 163; ὀ. τοῦ ποιήματος προελθών 5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Protagoras” 339d: also _neuter_ _plural_, ἠκροβολίσαντο ὀλίγα 5th c.BC: Thucydides Historicus 3.73.)]
III.2 with comparative adjectives, ὀλίγον προγενέστερος [Refs 8th c.BC+ (8th c.BC: Ilias Homerus Epicus “Illiad” 23.789; ὀ. ἧσσον 8th c.BC: Odyssea Homerus Epicus “Odyssey” 15.365; στιβαρώτερον οὐκ ὀ. περ 8.187; φέρτερος οὐκ ὀ. περ 8th c.BC: Ilias Homerus Epicus “Illiad” 19.217)]; ὀ. τι πρότερον, variant for{ὀλίγῳ}, [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Herodotus Historicus 4.79, 81, compare 5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Politicus” 262b, etc.; ὀ. ὕστερον [prev. author] “Grg.” 454b, etc.)]; but ὀλίγῳ is more frequently in Prose, [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Herodotus Historicus [same places] (with variant), 7.113, +others, 5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Gorgias” 460c, “R.” 327c, etc.)]
IV special Phrases:
IV.1 ὀλίγου δεῖν almost (see. δεῖ II); ὀλίγου ἐδέησε καταλαβεῖν wanted but little of overtaking, [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Herodotus Historicus 7.10.γ᾽: hence ὀλίγου)] alone, within a little, allbut, almost, ὀλίγου σεκύνες διεδηλήσαντο [Refs 8th c.BC+ (8th c.BC: Odyssea Homerus Epicus “Odyssey” 14.37, compare 5th-6th c.BC: Aristophanes Comicus “Acharnenses” 348, 381, “Nu.” 722, 5th c.BC: Lysias Orator 14.17, 5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Protagoras” 361b, 4th c.BC: Demosthenes Orator 19.334, etc.; ὀ. ἅπαντες 5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Apologia” 22b; ὀ. ἐς χιλίους)]close upon [Refs 5th c.BC+ (1, 000, 5th c.BC: Thucydides Historicus 4.124)]; ὀ. ἦλθεν ἑλεῖν[Refs 2nd c.AD+ ((see. below 9) 2nd c.AD: Pausanias Periegeta 1.13.6.)]
IV.2 δι᾽ ὀλίγου at a short distance, [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Euripides Tragicus “Phoenissae” 1098, 5th c.BC: Thucydides Historicus 2.89, 3.21, uncertain in 4th-5th c.BC: Aeschylus Tragicus “Septem contra Thebas” 762 (Lyric poetry))]; for (during) a short time, [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Thucydides Historicus 1.77, 2.85, 3.43)]; within or after a short time, [Refs ([prev. author] 6.11, 47, 7.39, etc.)]; but
IV.2.b δι᾽ ὀλίγων in few words, [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Philebus” 31d, etc.; see infr. VI. 2.)]
IV.3 ἐν ὀλίγῳ (χώρῳ is added in [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Herodotus Historicus 9.70))] in a small space, within small compass, [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Euripides Tragicus “Supplices” 1126 (Lyric poetry); ἐν ὀ. στρατοπεδευομένοις 5th c.BC: Thucydides Historicus 4.26)]; κυκλωθέντων ἐν ὀ.[Refs 4th c.BC+ ([prev. work] 96; εἰς ταὐτὸ πάντα.. ἁθροίσαντ᾽ ἐν ὀ. 4th c.BC: Demosthenes Orator 3.18)]; also ἐν ὀ. (i.e. χρόνῳ) for a brief time, [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Pindarus Lyricus “P.” 8.92)]; but also, in a short time, quickly, ἔγνων καὶ περὶ τῶν ποιητῶν ἐν ὀ. τοῦτο [NT+5th c.BC+ (5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Apologia” 22b, compare 5th c.BC: Thucydides Historicus 4.55, NT.Act.26.28.)]
IV.3.b ἐν ὀλίγοις one among few, i.e. exceedingly, remarkably, ποταμὸς ἐν ὀ. μέγας [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Herodotus Historicus 4.52; ἐν ὀλίγοισι Περσέων.. ἀνὴρ δόκιμος [prev. author] 9.41)]: frequently in later writers, [Refs 1st c.AD+ (1st-2nd c.AD: Plutarchus Biographus et Philosophus “Pompeius” 10, 3rd c.AD: Heliodorus Scriptor Eroticus 3.1; so σὺν ὀλίγοις, see below 10.)]
IV.4 ἐξ ὀλίγου at short notice, suddenly, ἐξ ὀ. καὶ δι᾽ ὀργῆς [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Thucydides Historicus 2.11, compare 61, 4.108, etc.)]
IV.5 ἐς ὀλίγον, like{παρ᾽ ὀλίγον}, within a little, ἐς ὀ. ἀφίκετο τὸ στράτευμα νικηθῆναι [Refs ([prev. work] 129.)]
IV.6 ἐπ᾽ ὀλίγον for a short time, [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Hippocrates Medicus “προρρητικόν” 1.26, 3rd c.AD: Plotinus Philosophus 4.4.29, “Geoponica” 7.12.22, 10.7.10, etc.)]; a little at a time, [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Hippocrates Medicus “περὶ τῶν ἐν κεφαλη—ͅ τρωμάτων” 18; εἴρηται ἐν τῷ [βιβλίῳ] ἐπ᾽ ὀλίγον)]a little way on, near the beginning, [Refs 2nd c.AD+ (2nd c.AD: Galenus Medicus 15.428.)]
IV.7 κατ᾽ ὀλίγον by little and little, [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Thucydides Historicus 1.69, 5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Timaeus” 85d, 2nd c.AD: Lucianus Sophista “Nec.” 11, etc.; ἐκ τοῦ κατ᾽ ὀ. 1st c.BC: Diodorus Siculus Historicus 15.34, 1st c.AD: Athenaeus Medicus cited in 4th c.AD: Oribasius Medicus 1.2.6)]: but the adjective frequently takes the gender and number of its substantive, κατ᾽ ὀλίγους [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Herodotus Historicus 2.93, 8.113)]; οὗτοι κατ᾽ ὀλίγους γινόμενοι ἐμάχοντο fought few at a time, in small parties, [Refs 5th c.BC+ ([prev. author] 9.102, compare 5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Theaetetus” 197d)]; κατ᾽ ὀλίγον μαχεῖται (i.e. τὸ πλῆθος αὐτῶν) [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Thucydides Historicus 4.10.)]
IV.8 μετ᾽ ὀλίγον τούτων shortly after.., [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th-6th c.BC: Xenophon Historicus “Historia Graeca (Hellenica)” 1.1.2.)]
IV.9 παρ᾽ ὀλίγον with little to spare, only just, ἀπέφυγες [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Euripides Tragicus “Iphigenia Taurica” 870 (Lyric poetry))]; to within a short distance of, παρ᾽ ὀ. ἦλθε.. ἐκπεσεῖν [Refs 2nd c.BC+ (2nd c.BC: Polybius Historicus 2.55.4, compare 18.46.12)]; but
IV.9.b παρ᾽ ὀ. ποιεῖσθαι hold of small account, [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th-6th c.BC: Xenophon Historicus “Anabasis” 6.6.11.)]
IV.10 σὺν ὀλίγοις, ={ἐν ὀλίγοις, ἐπαινεθῆναι} [Refs 1st c.AD+ (1st-2nd c.AD: Plutarchus Biographus et Philosophus “Galba” 3; see supr. IV. 3b.)]
V regular adverb ὀλίγως is rare, [NT+2nd c.AD+ (NT.2Pet.2.18, 2nd c.AD: Aquila LXX.Isa.10.7; οὐκ ὀ. “Anthologia Graeca” 12.205 (2nd c.AD: Strato Epigrammaticus).)]
VI Comparison:
VI.1 the comparative is commonly supplied by μείων, ἥσσων, or ἐλάσσων (which see); the older form ὀλείζων (from *ὀλειγ-yων) is found in [Refs 8th c.BC+ (8th c.BC: Homerus Epicus, λαοὶ δ᾽ ὑπ᾽ ὀλείζονες ἦσαν (ὑπολίζονες codices) 8th c.BC: Ilias Homerus Epicus “Illiad” 18.519)]; so in Attic dialect Inscrr., [Refs 5th c.BC+ (“IG” 12.76.8 (written ὄλεζον [prev. work]63.17, +others); τοῖσι.. ὀλείζοσι μυστηρίοισιν [prev. work]6.76, compare 95; ὀλείζους is probably in 5th-6th c.BC: Xenophon Historicus “Respublica Atheniensium” 2.1 (μείζους codices))]; so in Alexandrian Poets, [Refs 3rd c.BC+ (3rd c.BC: Callimachus Epicus “Hymnus in Jovem” 72 (ὀλίζοσι codices), “Anthologia Graeca” 9.521)]; ἐς ὀλίζονας ἀστέρας ἄρκτου poetical cited in [Refs 2nd c.BC+ (4th c.AD(?): Theodosius Alexandrinus Grammaticus in Hilgard “Exc.exHdn.” p.19; also ὀλίζωνες 2nd c.BC: Nicander Epicus “Theriaca” 123, ὀλίζωνα [prev. work] 372)]; ὀλιζότερος is found in [Refs 3rd c.AD+ ([prev. author] “Al.” 479, 3rd c.AD: Oppianus Apamensis Epicus “Cynegetica” 3.65, 394)], compare ὀλιζό; ὀλιγώτερος is found in [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Hippocrates Medicus “Virg.” I)] (with the sense weaker, see[Refs 2nd c.AD+ (above 1.4), 2nd c.AD: Sextus Empiricus Philosophus “adversus Mathematicos” 1.70, 2nd c.AD: Appianus Historicus “Αιβυκή” 42, “Mith.” 24, 2nd-3rd c.AD: Aelianus “De Natura Animalium - Ar.Byzantine Epit.” 2.42, 6.51.)]
VI.2 superlative ὀλίγιστος, η, ον, always of Number or Quantity, [Refs 8th c.BC+ (8th c.BC: Ilias Homerus Epicus “Illiad” 19.223, 8th-7th c.BC: Hesiodus Epicus “Opera et Dies” 723, “IG” 12.54.7, 5th-6th c.BC: Aristophanes Comicus “Ranae” 115, “Pl.” 628, 5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Respublica” 473b, +others)]; ὀλιγίστου, superlative of ὀλίγου (cf. IV. I), very nearly, [Refs 5th c.AD+ (9th c.AD: Photius Legal icographus, etc., 5th c.AD(?): Hesychius Legal icographus (ubi ὀλιγωστοῦ))]; ὀλίγιστον as adverb, least, very little, [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Respublica” 587b; τὸ ὀ.)]at least, [Refs ([prev. author] “Prm.” 149a; ὡς ὀλίγιστα [prev. author] “Grg.” 510a, “Lg.” 953a (variant{ὀλιγοστά}))]; ἐν ὀλιγίστῳ διασαφῶν [Refs 5th c.BC+ (12th c.AD: Eustathius Episcopus Thessalonicensis 1262.54; so δι᾽ ὀλιγίστων 5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Epistulae” 351d (interpolated). (Aspirated in papyri of ii-3rd c.AD, as μεθ᾽ ὁλίγον “BGU” 388.11, compare 146.10.))]
later ὀλίος (which see), of Size, little, small, frequently in [Refs 8th c.BC+ (8th c.BC: Homerus Epicus, rarer later, opposed to μέγας, σάκος 8th c.BC: Ilias Homerus Epicus “Illiad” 14.376; κῦμα 8th c.BC: Odyssea Homerus Epicus “Odyssey” 10.94, etc.)]; ὀλίγῃ ὀπί with small, low voice, [Refs (14.492)]; of stature,[Refs 3rd c.BC+ (9.515; ὀ. κῶρος 3rd c.BC: Theocritus Poeta Bucolicus 1.47; οὐκ ὀλίγης αἷμα βοὸς κέχυται Callias Epigrammaticus “Aet.Oxy.” 2080.85)]; of Space, ὀ. χῶρος [Refs 8th c.BC+ (8th c.BC: Ilias Homerus Epicus “Illiad” 10.161, etc.)]; of Time, χρόνος [Refs 5th c.BC+ (19.157, 23.418, 5th c.BC: Pindarus Lyricus “N.” 7.38, etc.; ἐν βραχεῖ κὠλίγῳ χρόνῳ 5th c.BC: Sophocles Tragicus “Fragmenta” 646 (cf. IV. 3).)]
2 sometimes in a sense between that of Size and Quantity, ὀ. δόσις [Refs 8th c.BC+ (8th c.BC: Odyssea Homerus Epicus “Odyssey” 6.208; οὖρα ὀλίγα)]not copious, [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Hippocrates Medicus “ἐπιδημίαι” 1.2)]; ὑποστάσιες ὀλίγαι slight sediments, [Refs ([prev. work] 17)]; ὀ. καὶ οὐδέν little or nothing, [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Apologia” 23a; οὐδὲν ἢ ὀ. 4th c.BC: Aristoteles Philosophus “de Partibus Animalium” 651b17.)]
3 of Degree, ὀ. καὶ μέγας of low and high degree, [Refs 7th c.BC+ (7th c.BC: Callinus Epicus 1.17.)]
4 weak, ἀθυμοτέρη καὶ ὀλιγωτέρη φύσις [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Hippocrates Medicus “περὶ παρθενίων” 1.)]
II of Number, few, or of Quantity, little, not in [Refs 8th c.BC+ (8th c.BC: Homerus Epicus)], frequently in Attic dialect, [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th-6th c.BC: Aristophanes Comicus “Aves” 1417, “Eq.” 717, etc.)], but rare in Trag., as ὀλίγα κακά [Refs 5th c.BC+ (4th-5th c.BC: Aeschylus Tragicus “Persae” 330.—The governing body in Oligarchies and the oligarchical party in Democracies was called οἱ ὀ., 5th c.BC: Thucydides Historicus 6.38, 8.9, etc.)]; ἡ ὑπὸ τῶν ὀ. δυναστεία, αἱ διὰ τῶν ὀ. δυναστεῖαι, [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Politicus” 291d, 4th c.BC: Demosthenes Orator 60.25; ἑνὸς καὶ πλήθους τὸ ὀ. μέσον 5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Politicus” 303a.)]
II.2 with infinitive, ὀλίγους.. στρατιῇ τῇ Μήδων συμβαλεῖν too few to engage.., [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Herodotus Historicus 6.109, compare 7.207; μὴ.. αἱ σφέτεραι δέκα νῆες ὀλίγαι ἀμύνειν ὦσιν 5th c.BC: Thucydides Historicus 1.50.)]
III neuter ὀλίγον as adverb, a little, slightly, little, with Verbs, ὀ. παρακλίνας [Refs 8th c.BC+ (8th c.BC: Ilias Homerus Epicus “Illiad” 23.424, compare 11.52, 12.452; φροντίσας 5th c.BC: Euripides Tragicus “Cyclops” 163; ὀ. τοῦ ποιήματος προελθών 5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Protagoras” 339d: also _neuter_ _plural_, ἠκροβολίσαντο ὀλίγα 5th c.BC: Thucydides Historicus 3.73.)]
III.2 with comparative adjectives, ὀλίγον προγενέστερος [Refs 8th c.BC+ (8th c.BC: Ilias Homerus Epicus “Illiad” 23.789; ὀ. ἧσσον 8th c.BC: Odyssea Homerus Epicus “Odyssey” 15.365; στιβαρώτερον οὐκ ὀ. περ 8.187; φέρτερος οὐκ ὀ. περ 8th c.BC: Ilias Homerus Epicus “Illiad” 19.217)]; ὀ. τι πρότερον, variant for{ὀλίγῳ}, [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Herodotus Historicus 4.79, 81, compare 5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Politicus” 262b, etc.; ὀ. ὕστερον [prev. author] “Grg.” 454b, etc.)]; but ὀλίγῳ is more frequently in Prose, [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Herodotus Historicus [same places] (with variant), 7.113, +others, 5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Gorgias” 460c, “R.” 327c, etc.)]
IV special Phrases:
IV.1 ὀλίγου δεῖν almost (see. δεῖ II); ὀλίγου ἐδέησε καταλαβεῖν wanted but little of overtaking, [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Herodotus Historicus 7.10.γ᾽: hence ὀλίγου)] alone, within a little, allbut, almost, ὀλίγου σεκύνες διεδηλήσαντο [Refs 8th c.BC+ (8th c.BC: Odyssea Homerus Epicus “Odyssey” 14.37, compare 5th-6th c.BC: Aristophanes Comicus “Acharnenses” 348, 381, “Nu.” 722, 5th c.BC: Lysias Orator 14.17, 5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Protagoras” 361b, 4th c.BC: Demosthenes Orator 19.334, etc.; ὀ. ἅπαντες 5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Apologia” 22b; ὀ. ἐς χιλίους)]close upon [Refs 5th c.BC+ (1, 000, 5th c.BC: Thucydides Historicus 4.124)]; ὀ. ἦλθεν ἑλεῖν[Refs 2nd c.AD+ ((see. below 9) 2nd c.AD: Pausanias Periegeta 1.13.6.)]
IV.2 δι᾽ ὀλίγου at a short distance, [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Euripides Tragicus “Phoenissae” 1098, 5th c.BC: Thucydides Historicus 2.89, 3.21, uncertain in 4th-5th c.BC: Aeschylus Tragicus “Septem contra Thebas” 762 (Lyric poetry))]; for (during) a short time, [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Thucydides Historicus 1.77, 2.85, 3.43)]; within or after a short time, [Refs ([prev. author] 6.11, 47, 7.39, etc.)]; but
IV.2.b δι᾽ ὀλίγων in few words, [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Philebus” 31d, etc.; see infr. VI. 2.)]
IV.3 ἐν ὀλίγῳ (χώρῳ is added in [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Herodotus Historicus 9.70))] in a small space, within small compass, [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Euripides Tragicus “Supplices” 1126 (Lyric poetry); ἐν ὀ. στρατοπεδευομένοις 5th c.BC: Thucydides Historicus 4.26)]; κυκλωθέντων ἐν ὀ.[Refs 4th c.BC+ ([prev. work] 96; εἰς ταὐτὸ πάντα.. ἁθροίσαντ᾽ ἐν ὀ. 4th c.BC: Demosthenes Orator 3.18)]; also ἐν ὀ. (i.e. χρόνῳ) for a brief time, [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Pindarus Lyricus “P.” 8.92)]; but also, in a short time, quickly, ἔγνων καὶ περὶ τῶν ποιητῶν ἐν ὀ. τοῦτο [NT+5th c.BC+ (5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Apologia” 22b, compare 5th c.BC: Thucydides Historicus 4.55, NT.Act.26.28.)]
IV.3.b ἐν ὀλίγοις one among few, i.e. exceedingly, remarkably, ποταμὸς ἐν ὀ. μέγας [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Herodotus Historicus 4.52; ἐν ὀλίγοισι Περσέων.. ἀνὴρ δόκιμος [prev. author] 9.41)]: frequently in later writers, [Refs 1st c.AD+ (1st-2nd c.AD: Plutarchus Biographus et Philosophus “Pompeius” 10, 3rd c.AD: Heliodorus Scriptor Eroticus 3.1; so σὺν ὀλίγοις, see below 10.)]
IV.4 ἐξ ὀλίγου at short notice, suddenly, ἐξ ὀ. καὶ δι᾽ ὀργῆς [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Thucydides Historicus 2.11, compare 61, 4.108, etc.)]
IV.5 ἐς ὀλίγον, like{παρ᾽ ὀλίγον}, within a little, ἐς ὀ. ἀφίκετο τὸ στράτευμα νικηθῆναι [Refs ([prev. work] 129.)]
IV.6 ἐπ᾽ ὀλίγον for a short time, [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Hippocrates Medicus “προρρητικόν” 1.26, 3rd c.AD: Plotinus Philosophus 4.4.29, “Geoponica” 7.12.22, 10.7.10, etc.)]; a little at a time, [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Hippocrates Medicus “περὶ τῶν ἐν κεφαλη—ͅ τρωμάτων” 18; εἴρηται ἐν τῷ [βιβλίῳ] ἐπ᾽ ὀλίγον)]a little way on, near the beginning, [Refs 2nd c.AD+ (2nd c.AD: Galenus Medicus 15.428.)]
IV.7 κατ᾽ ὀλίγον by little and little, [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Thucydides Historicus 1.69, 5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Timaeus” 85d, 2nd c.AD: Lucianus Sophista “Nec.” 11, etc.; ἐκ τοῦ κατ᾽ ὀ. 1st c.BC: Diodorus Siculus Historicus 15.34, 1st c.AD: Athenaeus Medicus cited in 4th c.AD: Oribasius Medicus 1.2.6)]: but the adjective frequently takes the gender and number of its substantive, κατ᾽ ὀλίγους [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Herodotus Historicus 2.93, 8.113)]; οὗτοι κατ᾽ ὀλίγους γινόμενοι ἐμάχοντο fought few at a time, in small parties, [Refs 5th c.BC+ ([prev. author] 9.102, compare 5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Theaetetus” 197d)]; κατ᾽ ὀλίγον μαχεῖται (i.e. τὸ πλῆθος αὐτῶν) [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Thucydides Historicus 4.10.)]
IV.8 μετ᾽ ὀλίγον τούτων shortly after.., [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th-6th c.BC: Xenophon Historicus “Historia Graeca (Hellenica)” 1.1.2.)]
IV.9 παρ᾽ ὀλίγον with little to spare, only just, ἀπέφυγες [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Euripides Tragicus “Iphigenia Taurica” 870 (Lyric poetry))]; to within a short distance of, παρ᾽ ὀ. ἦλθε.. ἐκπεσεῖν [Refs 2nd c.BC+ (2nd c.BC: Polybius Historicus 2.55.4, compare 18.46.12)]; but
IV.9.b παρ᾽ ὀ. ποιεῖσθαι hold of small account, [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th-6th c.BC: Xenophon Historicus “Anabasis” 6.6.11.)]
IV.10 σὺν ὀλίγοις, ={ἐν ὀλίγοις, ἐπαινεθῆναι} [Refs 1st c.AD+ (1st-2nd c.AD: Plutarchus Biographus et Philosophus “Galba” 3; see supr. IV. 3b.)]
V regular adverb ὀλίγως is rare, [NT+2nd c.AD+ (NT.2Pet.2.18, 2nd c.AD: Aquila LXX.Isa.10.7; οὐκ ὀ. “Anthologia Graeca” 12.205 (2nd c.AD: Strato Epigrammaticus).)]
VI Comparison:
VI.1 the comparative is commonly supplied by μείων, ἥσσων, or ἐλάσσων (which see); the older form ὀλείζων (from *ὀλειγ-yων) is found in [Refs 8th c.BC+ (8th c.BC: Homerus Epicus, λαοὶ δ᾽ ὑπ᾽ ὀλείζονες ἦσαν (ὑπολίζονες codices) 8th c.BC: Ilias Homerus Epicus “Illiad” 18.519)]; so in Attic dialect Inscrr., [Refs 5th c.BC+ (“IG” 12.76.8 (written ὄλεζον [prev. work]63.17, +others); τοῖσι.. ὀλείζοσι μυστηρίοισιν [prev. work]6.76, compare 95; ὀλείζους is probably in 5th-6th c.BC: Xenophon Historicus “Respublica Atheniensium” 2.1 (μείζους codices))]; so in Alexandrian Poets, [Refs 3rd c.BC+ (3rd c.BC: Callimachus Epicus “Hymnus in Jovem” 72 (ὀλίζοσι codices), “Anthologia Graeca” 9.521)]; ἐς ὀλίζονας ἀστέρας ἄρκτου poetical cited in [Refs 2nd c.BC+ (4th c.AD(?): Theodosius Alexandrinus Grammaticus in Hilgard “Exc.exHdn.” p.19; also ὀλίζωνες 2nd c.BC: Nicander Epicus “Theriaca” 123, ὀλίζωνα [prev. work] 372)]; ὀλιζότερος is found in [Refs 3rd c.AD+ ([prev. author] “Al.” 479, 3rd c.AD: Oppianus Apamensis Epicus “Cynegetica” 3.65, 394)], compare ὀλιζό; ὀλιγώτερος is found in [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Hippocrates Medicus “Virg.” I)] (with the sense weaker, see[Refs 2nd c.AD+ (above 1.4), 2nd c.AD: Sextus Empiricus Philosophus “adversus Mathematicos” 1.70, 2nd c.AD: Appianus Historicus “Αιβυκή” 42, “Mith.” 24, 2nd-3rd c.AD: Aelianus “De Natura Animalium - Ar.Byzantine Epit.” 2.42, 6.51.)]
VI.2 superlative ὀλίγιστος, η, ον, always of Number or Quantity, [Refs 8th c.BC+ (8th c.BC: Ilias Homerus Epicus “Illiad” 19.223, 8th-7th c.BC: Hesiodus Epicus “Opera et Dies” 723, “IG” 12.54.7, 5th-6th c.BC: Aristophanes Comicus “Ranae” 115, “Pl.” 628, 5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Respublica” 473b, +others)]; ὀλιγίστου, superlative of ὀλίγου (cf. IV. I), very nearly, [Refs 5th c.AD+ (9th c.AD: Photius Legal icographus, etc., 5th c.AD(?): Hesychius Legal icographus (ubi ὀλιγωστοῦ))]; ὀλίγιστον as adverb, least, very little, [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Respublica” 587b; τὸ ὀ.)]at least, [Refs ([prev. author] “Prm.” 149a; ὡς ὀλίγιστα [prev. author] “Grg.” 510a, “Lg.” 953a (variant{ὀλιγοστά}))]; ἐν ὀλιγίστῳ διασαφῶν [Refs 5th c.BC+ (12th c.AD: Eustathius Episcopus Thessalonicensis 1262.54; so δι᾽ ὀλιγίστων 5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Epistulae” 351d (interpolated). (Aspirated in papyri of ii-3rd c.AD, as μεθ᾽ ὁλίγον “BGU” 388.11, compare 146.10.))]