Quick Definition
βραχύς, εῖα, ύ Adj short, little
Strong's Definition
of uncertain affinity; short (of time, place, quantity, or number)
KJV Usage: few words, little (space, while)
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament
adjc. | -εῖα, -ύ | βραχίων
59.4 · Quantity · Many, Few [Countables]
few, limited number of a relatively small number of objects or events, probably implying less than expected In a number of languages the equivalent of a small or limited number of objects is expressed by a negative attribution to an expression of large quantity, so that ‘few’ becomes ‘not many.’ For another interpretation of διὰ βραχέων in HEB 13:22, see 67.106.
59.14 · Quantity · Much, Little [Masses, Collectives, Extensions]
little, small amount of a relatively small quantity or extent, probably implying less than expected For βραχύ τι in HEB 2:7, see 78.43.
LUK 22:58 · JHN 6:7 · ACT 5:34 · ACT 27:28 · HEB 2:7 · HEB 2:9
78.43 · Degree · About, Approximately, Almost, Hardly [Approximate Degree]
Collocation: βραχύ τι
somewhat, about a degree of indefinite approximation In HEB 2:7 (a quotation from Psalm 8.6) the expression βραχύ τι as a lexical unit refers to rank. However, HEB 2:8 suggests that the writer of Hebrews probably interpreted βραχύ as meaning a small quantity (see 59.14) and as referring to time in the sense of ‘a little (while).’ For this interpretation of τι, see 92.12.
67.106 · Time · Duration of Time without Reference to Points or Units of Time: Time, Spend Time, Always, Eternal, Old, Immediately, Young
Collocation: διὰ βραχέων
a little while, for a little while, a short time, brief, briefly pertaining to a relatively brief extent of time In HEB 13:22 the phrase διὰ βραχέων may refer to the act of sending the communication or the amount of time required to receive the communication, that is to say, to read the communication or to hear it read. For another interpretation of διὰ βραχέων in HEB 13:22, see 59.4.
1 The series of expressions indicating relative shortness of time may very well differ slightly, at least in connotative meaning, but on the basis of existing NT contexts it is not possible to determine significant denotative differences. The phrases in this series may be technically regarded as idioms, but functionally they are better classed as frozen phrases, which act essentially like morphological units.
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament © United Bible Societies, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Thayer's Greek Lexicon
βραχύς, -εἴα. -v, short, small, little, (fr. Pind., Hdt., Thue. down); a. of place; neut. βραχύ adverbially, a short distance, a little: Acts xxvii. 28 (2S. xvi. 1; Thue. 1, 63). b. of time; βραχύ τι α short time, for a little while: Heb. ii. 7, 9, (where the writer transfers to time what the Sept. in Ps. vili. 6 says of rank); Acts v. 34 [here LT Tr WH om. τι]; μετὰ βραχύ shortly after, Lk. xxii. 58. c. of quantity and measure; βραχύ τι [Trtxt. WH om. L Tr mrg. br. τι] some little part, a little: ὅτι. vi. 7 (βραχύ τι τοῦ μέλιτος, 1S. xiv. 29; ἔλαιον βραχύ, Joseph. antt. 9, 4, 2; βραχύτατος λιβανωτός, Philo de vict. off. § 4); διὰ βραχέων in few sc. words, briefly, Heb. xiii. 22 (so [Plat., Dem., al. (ef. Bleek on Heb. 1. c.)] Joseph. b. j. 4, 5, 4; ἐν βραχυτάτῳ δηλοῦν to show very briefly, Xen. Cyr. 1, 2, 15).
Mounce Concise Greek Dictionary
βραχύς brachus 7x
short, brief; few, small, Lk. 22:58; Jn. 6:7; Acts 5:34; 27:28; Heb. 2:7, 9; 13:22*
Abbott-Smith Greek Lexicon
βραχύς, -εῖα, -ύ,
[in LXX chiefly for מְעַט ;]
short; of time; short, little: βραχύ, Ac 5:34; μετὰ β., Lk 22:58; β. τι, a short time, He 2:7, 9 RV, mg.;
of distance: Ac 27:28;
of quantity or value, little, few: Jo 6:7, He 2:7, 9 RV, txt.; pl., διὰ βραχέων, in few words, He 13:22.†
Liddell-Scott-Jones — Greek-English Lexicon
βραχύς (brachus) — little. βρᾰχύς, εῖα (Ionic dialect έα [Refs 5th c.BC+], ύ, dative plural βραχέοις [Refs]:—short,
1. of Space and Time, β. οἶμος, ὁδός, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; [αἰών] probably in [Refs 5th c.BC+]; μῦθος, λόγος, [Refs]; ἐν βραχεῖ (Ionic dialect βραχέϊ) in a short time, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; βραχὺ τῃδὶ μεταστῶμεν for a moment, [Refs]; of distance, β. ἀπόδοσις short return in ballplay, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; πρὸ βραχέος lamb.[Refs]: comparative, ἡ φάλαγξ -υτέρα ἐγένετο ἀναδιπλουμένη [Refs 5th c.BC+] adverb βραχέως, [πολέμους] ἐπ᾽ ἀλλήλους ἐπιφέρειν scantily, seldom, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
2. of Size, short, small, μορφάν β. [Refs 5th c.BC+]; βραχὺς ἐξικέσθαι θεῶν ἕδραν too puny to reach..,[Refs 5th c.BC+]; β. τεῖχος a low wall, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; βραχύ μοι στόμα πάντ᾽ ἀναγήσασθαι my mouth is too small to.., [Refs 5th c.BC+]; κατὰ β. προϊών little by little, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; παρὰ βραχύ scarcely, hardly, φυγεῖν [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἁλὸς βραχύ a small quantity of salt, Bilabel Ὀψαρτ.[Refs]
3. of Number, few, ἐν βραχεῖ in few words, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; so διὰ βραχέων in few words, [Refs 5th c.BC+] adverb βραχέως, ἀπολογεῖσθαι briefly, in few words, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
4. of Value or Importance, of persons, humble, insignificant, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; of things, petty, trifling, ἀρχὴ β. ἐλπίδος [Refs 5th c.BC+]; β. τις ἀσάφεια a slight obscurity, [Refs 2nd c.AD+]; λυπεῖν τινὰ βραχύ, opposed to μέγ᾽ εὑρεῖν κέρδος, [Refs 5th c.BC+] adverb, βραχὺ φροντίζειν τινός think lightly of, [Refs 4th c.BC+]
5. short, of vowels or syllables, [Refs 4th c.BC+]; ἡ β. προσῳδία the sign ?~X, [Refs 2nd c.AD+]. (Cf. Avest. m[schwa]r[schwa]zu- 'short', Gothic gamaurgjan 'shorten', Latin brevis.)