ὀλίγος [ῐ], η, ον,
1. later ὀλίος (q.v.), of Size, little, small, freq. in Hom., rarer later, opp. μέγας, σάκος Il. 14.376; κῦμα Od. 10.94, etc.; ὀλίγῃ ὀπί with small, low voice, 14.492; of stature, 9.515; ὀ. κῶρος Theoc. 1.47; οὐκ ὀλίγης αἷμα βοὸς κέχυται Call. Aet.Oxy. 2080.85; of Space, ὀ. χῶρος Il. 10.161, etc.; of Time, χρόνος 19.157, 23.418, Pi. N. 7.38, etc.; ἐν βραχεῖ κὠλίγῳ χρόνῳ S. Fr. 646 (cf. IV. 3).
2. sts. in a sense between that of Size and Quantity, ὀ. δόσις Od. 6.208; οὖρα ὀλίγα not copious, Hp. Epid. 1.2; ὑποστάσιες ὀλίγαι slight sediments, ib. 17; ὀ. καὶ οὐδέν little or nothing, Pl. Ap. 23a; οὐδὲν ἢ ὀ. Arist. PA 651b17.
3. of Degree, ὀ. καὶ μέγας of low and high degree, Callin. 1.17.
4. weak, ἀθυμοτέρη καὶ ὀλιγωτέρη φύσις Hp. Virg. 1. II of Number, few, or of Quantity, little, not in Hom., freq. in Att., Ar. Av. 1417, Eq. 717, etc., but rare in Trag., as ὀλίγα κακά A. Pers. 330. - The governing body in Oligarchies and the oligarchical party in Democracies was called οἱ ὀ., Th. 6.38, 8.9, etc.; ἡ ὑπὸ τῶν ὀ. δυναστεία, αἱ διὰ τῶν ὀ. δυναστεῖαι, Pl. Plt. 291d, D. 60.25; ἑνὸς καὶ πλήθους τὸ ὀ. μέσον Pl. Plt. 303a.
2. c. inf., ὀλίγους.. στρατιῇ τῇ Μήδων συμβαλεῖν too few to engage.., Hdt. 6.109, cf. 7.207; μὴ.. αἱ σφέτεραι δέκα νῆες ὀλίγαι ἀμύνειν ὦσιν Th. 1.50. III neut. ὀλίγον as Adv., a little, slightly, little, with Verbs, ὀ. παρακλίνας Il. 23.424, cf. 11.52, 12.452; φροντίσας E. Cyc. 163; ὀ. τοῦ ποιήματος προελθών Pl. Prt. 339d: also neut. pl., ἠκροβολίσαντο ὀλίγα Th. 3.73.
2. with comp. Adjs., ὀλίγον προγενέστερος Il. 23.789; ὀ. ἧσσον Od. 15.365; στιβαρώτερον οὐκ ὀ. περ 8.187; φέρτερος οὐκ ὀ. περ Il. 19.217; ὀ. τι πρότερον, v.l. for ὀλίγῳ, Hdt. 4.79, 81, cf. Pl. Plt. 262b, etc.; ὀ. ὕστερον Id. Grg. 454b, etc.; but ὀλίγῳ is more freq. in Prose, Hdt. ll.cc. (with v.l.), 7.113, al., Pl. Grg. 460c, R. 327c, etc. special Phrases: 1 ὀλίγου δεῖν almost (v. δεῖ II); ὀλίγου ἐδέησε καταλαβεῖν wanted but little of overtaking, Hdt. 7.10. γ’: hence ὀλίγου alone, within a little, allbut, almost, ὀλίγου σεκύνες διεδηλήσαντο Od. 14.37, cf. Ar. Ach. 348, 381, Nu. 722, Lys. 14.17, Pl. Prt. 361b, D. 19.334, etc.; ὀ. ἅπαντες Pl. [Rev 22:1-21] b; ὀ. ἐς χιλίους close upon 1, 000, Th. 4.124; ὀ. ἦλθεν ἑλεῖν (v. infr. 9) Paus. 1.13.6.
2. δι’ ὀλίγου at a short distance, E. Ph. 1098, Th. 2.89, 3.21, dub. in A. Th. 762 (lyr.); for (during) a short time, Th. 1.77, 2.85, 3.43; within or after a short time, Id. 6.11, 47, 7.39, etc.; but δι’ ὀλίγων in few words, Pl. Phlb. 31d, etc.; v. infr. VI. 2.
3. ἐν ὀλίγῳ (χώρῳ is added in Hdt. 9.70) in a small space, within small compass, E. Supp. 1126 (lyr.); ἐν ὀ. στρατοπεδευομένοις Th. 4.26; κυκλωθέντων ἐν ὀ. ib. 96; εἰς ταὐτὸ πάντα.. ἁθροίσαντ’ ἐν ὀ. D. 3.18; also ἐν ὀ. (sc. χρόνῳ) for a brief time, Pi. P. 8.92; but also, in a short time, quickly, ἔγνων καὶ περὶ τῶν ποιητῶν ἐν ὀ. τοῦτο Pl. [Rev 22:1-21] b, cf. Th. 4.55, [Act 26:28]. ἐν ὀλίγοις one among few, i.e. exceedingly, remarkably, ποταμὸς ἐν ὀ. μέγας Hdt. 4.52; ἐν ὀλίγοισι Περσέων.. ἀνὴρ δόκιμος Id. 9.41: freq. in later writers, Plu. Pomp. 10, Hld. 3.1; so σὺν ὀλίγοις, v. infr. 10.
4. ἐξ ὀλίγου at short notice, suddenly, ἐξ ὀ. καὶ δι’ ὀργῆς Th. 2.11, cf. 61, 4.108, etc.
5. ἐς ὀλίγον, like παρ’ ὀλίγον, within a little, ἐς ὀ. ἀφίκετο τὸ στράτευμα νικηθῆναι ib. 129.
6. ἐπ’ ὀλίγον for a short time, Hp. Prorrh. 1.26, Plot. 4.4.29, Gp. 7.12.22, 10.7.10, etc.; a little at a time, Hp. VC 18; εἴρηται ἐν τῷ [βιβλίῳ] ἐπ’ ὀλίγον a little way on, near the beginning, Gal. 15.428.
7. κατ’ ὀλίγον by little and little, Th. 1.69, Pl. Ti. 85d, Luc. Nec. 11, etc.; ἐκ τοῦ κατ’ ὀ. D.S. 15.34, Ath.Med. ap. Orib. 1.2.6: but the Adj. freq. takes the gender and number of its Subst., κατ’ ὀλίγους Hdt. 2.93, 8.113; οὗτοι κατ’ ὀλίγους γινόμενοι ἐμάχοντο fought few at a time, in small parties, Id. 9.102, cf. Pl. Tht. 197d; κατ’ ὀλίγον μαχεῖται (sc. τὸ πλῆθος αὐτῶν) Th. 4.10.
8. μετ’ ὀλίγον τούτων shortly after.., X. HG 1.1.2.
9. παρ’ ὀλίγον with little to spare, only just, ἀπέφυγες E. IT 870 (lyr.); to within a short distance of, παρ’ ὀ. ἦλθε.. ἐκπεσεῖν Plb. 2.55.4, cf. 18.46.12; but παρ’ ὀ. ποιεῖσθαι hold of small account, X. An. 6.6.11.
10. σὺν ὀλίγοις, = ἐν ὀλίγοις, ἐπαινεθῆναι Plu. Galb. 3; v. supr. IV. 3b. regul. Adv. ὀλίγως is rare, [2Pe 2:18], Aq. [Isa 10:7]; οὐκ ὀ. AP 12.205 (Strat.).
Comparison:
1. the Comp. is commonly supplied by μείων, ἥσσων, or ἐλάσσων (qq.v.); the older form ὀλείζων (fr. Ολειγ-ψων) is found in Hom., λαοὶ δ’ ὑπ’ ὀλείζονες ἦσαν (ὑπολίζονες codd.) Il. 18.519; so in Att. Inscrr., IG 12.76.8 (written ὄλεζον ib.63.17, al.); τοῖσι.. ὀλείζοσι μυστηρίοισιν ib.6.76, cf. 95; ὀλείζους is prob. in X. Ath. 2.1 (μείζους codd.); so in Alexandrian Poets, Call. Jov. 72 (ὀλίζοσι codd.), AP 9.521; ἐς ὀλίζονας ἀστέρας ἄρκτου Poet. ap. Theodos. in Hilgard Exc.exHdn. p.19; also ὀλίζωνες Nic. Th. 123, ὀλίζωνα ib. 372; ὀλιζότερος is found in Id. Al. 479, Opp. C. 3.65, 394, cf. ὀλιζόω ; ὀλιγώτερος is found in Hp. Virg. I (with the sense weaker, v. supr. 1.4), S.E. M. 1.70, App. Pun. 42, Mith. 24, Ael. NA 2.42, 6.51.
2. Sup. ὀλίγιστος, η, ον, always of Number or Quantity, Il. 19.223, Hes. Op. 723, IG 12.54.7, Ar. Ra. 115, Pl. 628, Pl. R. 473b, al.; ὀλιγίστου, Sup. of ὀλίγου (cf. IV. I), very nearly, Phot., Hsch. (ubi ὀλιγωστοῦ); ὀλίγιστον as Adv., least, very little, Pl. R. 587b; τὸ ὀ. at least, Id. Prm. 149a; ὡς ὀλίγιστα Id. Grg. 510a, Lg. 953a (v.l. ὀλιγοστά); ἐν ὀλιγίστῳ διασαφῶν Eust. 1262.54; so δι’ ὀλιγίστων Pl. 351d (interpol.). (Aspirated in papyri of ii- iii A.D., as μεθ’ ὁλίγον BGU 388.11, cf. 146.10.)
ὀλίγος oligos 40x
little, small, in number, etc.;
pl. few, [Mat 7:14]; [Mat 9:37]; [Mat 20:16]; [Luk 13:23];
δι’ ὀλίγων, i.e. λόγων, in a few words, briefly, [1Pe 5:12];
little in time, short, brief, [Act 14:28]; [Rev 12:12];
πρὸς ὀλίγον, i.e. χρόνον, for a short time, for a little while, [Jas 4:14];
little, small, light, etc., in magnitude, amount, etc., [Luk 7:47]; [Act 12:18]; [Act 15:2];
ἐν ὀλίγῳ, concisely, briefly, [Eph 3:3];
almost, [Act 26:28-29] few; little; short; small.
G3641 — ὀλίγος
ὀλίγη, ὀλίγον (on its occasional aspiration, (ὀλίγος) see WHs Appendix, p. 143; Tdf. Proleg., pp. 91,106; Scrivener, Introduction, p. 565, and references under the word οὐ at the beginning), the Sept. for מְעַט (from Homer down), little, small, few, of number, multitude, quantity, or size: joined to nouns (cf. Winers Grammar, § 20, 1 b. note; Buttmann, § 125, 6), [Mat 9:37]; [Mat 15:34]; [Mar 6:5]; [Mar 8:7]; [Luk 10:2]; [Luk 12:48] (ὀλίγας namely, πληγάς (cf. B. § 134, 6; Winer's Grammar, § 32, 5, especially § 64, 4), opposed to πολλαί, 47); [Act 19:24]; [1Ti 5:23]; [Heb 12:10]; [Jam 3:5] R G; [1Pe 3:20] R G; [Rev 3:4]; of time, short: χρόνος, [Act 14:28]; καιρός, [Rev 12:12]; of degree or intensity, light, slight: τάραχος, [Act 12:18]; [Act 19:23]; στάσις, ; χειμών, . plural with a partitive genitive: γυναικῶν, [Act 17:4]; ἀνδρῶν, [Act 17:12]. ὀλίγοι, absolutely: [Mat 7:14]; [Mat 20:16]; (T WH omit; Tr brackets the clause); ; [Luk 13:23]; [1Pe 3:20] L T Tr WH; neuter singular: [Luk 7:47]; τό ὀλίγον, [2Co 8:15]; πρός ὀλίγον ὠφέλιμος, profitable for little (Latinparum utilis); (cf. Winers Grammar, 213 (200); some, for a little (namely, time); see below), [1Ti 4:8]; ἐν ὀλίγῳ, in few words (cf. Shakespear's in a few), i. e. in brief, briefly (γράφειν), [Eph 3:3]; easily, without much effort, [Act 26:28]f on other but incorrect interpretations of this phrase cf. Meyer at the passage (see μέγας, 1 a. γ.); πρός ὀλίγον, for a little time, [Jam 4:14]; simply ὀλίγον, adverbially: of time, a short time, a (little) while, [Mar 6:31]; [1Pe 1:6]; [1Pe 5:10]; [Rev 17:10]; of space, a little (further), [Mar 1:19]; [Luk 5:3]. plural ὀλίγα, a few things: ([Luk 10:41] WH); [Rev 2:14], [Rev 2:20] (Rec.); ἐπ' ὀλίγα ((see at the beginning and) ἐπί, C. I. 2 e.), [Mat 25:21], [Mat 25:23]; δἰ ὀλίγων, briefly, in few words, γράφειν, [1Pe 5:12] (see διά, A. III. 3) (ῤηθῆναι, Plato, Phil., p. 31 d.; legg. 6, p. 778 c.).
ὀλίγος , - η , - ον
(on οὐχ ὁλ ., v. infr .),
[in LXX chiefly for H4591;]
of number, quantity, size, few, little, small, slight: [Mat 9:37]; [Mat 15:34], [Mar 6:5]; [Mar 8:7], [Luk 10:2]; [Luk 12:48] ( sc . πληγάς , opp . to πολλάς ), [1Ti 5:23], [Heb 12:10], [Rev 3:4]; [Rev 12:12]; οὐκ ὀ . (in the best uncials written οὐκ ὁ .; v. WH , App ., 143; M , Pr., 44; Thackeray, Gr. , 126 f .), [Act 12:18]; [Act 14:28]; [Act 15:2] ( c . gen . part.) [Act 17:4]; [Act 17:12]; [Act 19:23-24]; [Act 27:20]; pl ., absol. , [Mat 7:14]; [Mat 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; v. Page , in l ); id ., in brief, [Eph 3:3]; adverbially, ὀλίγον , of time, Mar 6:31 , [1Pe 1:6]; [1Pe 5:10], [Rev 17:10]; of space, [Mar 1:19], [Luk 5:3]; pl ., ὀλίγα , [Luk 10:42], [Rev 2:14]; ἐπ᾿ ὀλίγα , [Mat 25:21]; [Mat 25:23]; 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]. †