Quick Definition
I moisten, rain, send rain
Strong's Definition
to moisten (especially by a shower)
Derivation: a primary verb;
KJV Usage: (send) rain, wash
Thayer's Greek Lexicon
βρέχω; 1 aorist ἐβρεξα; from Pindar and Herodotus down;
1. to moisten, wet, water: Luk_7:38 (τούς πόδας ... δάκρυσιν, cf. Psa_6:7),44.
2. in later writings (cf. Lob. ad Phryn., p. 291 (Winers Grammar, 23)) to water with rain (Polybius 16, 12, 3), to cause to rain, to pour the rain, spoken of God: ἐπί τινα, Mat_5:45; to send down like rain: κύριος ἔβρεξε θεῖον καί πῦρ, Gen_19:24; χάλαζαν, Exo_9:23; (μάννα, Psalm 77:24 ()); impersonally, βρέχει it rains (cf. Winer's Grammar, § 58, 9 b. β.): Jas_5:17; with added accusative, πῦρ καί θεῖον, Luk_17:29; with added subject, ὑετός, Rev_11:6.
Mounce Concise Greek Dictionary
βρέχω brechō 7x
to wet, moisten, Luk_7:38 ;
to rain, cause or send rain, Mat_5:45 ; Luk_17:29
Abbott-Smith Greek Lexicon
βρέχω ,
[in LXX chiefly for H4306 ;]
1. to wet: Luk_7:38 ; Luk_7:44 .
2. In late Gk . writers and vernac. = ὕειν , to send rain, to rain ( Kennedy , Sources , 39, 155): Mat_5:45 ; trop., β . πῦρ κ . θεῖον , Luk_17:29 ; impers ., βρέχει , it rains: Jas_5:17 ; with ὑετός as subj., Rev_11:6 .†
Moulton & Milligan — Vocabulary of the Greek NT
βρέχω [page 117]
The verb is very common in connexion with the irrigation of land owing to the inundation of the Nile, e.g. P Lille I, 26 .3 (iii/B.C.) ἡ κώμη ἔρημος διὰ τὸ πλείω χρόνον μὴ βεβρέχθαι , the village is deserted because for a long time there has been no inundation there, Chrest. I. 341 .6 ( c. A.D. 120) τῶν . . . βρεχέντων πεδίων καὶ τῶν [δ ]υναμένων αὐλακισθῆναι , irrigated and ready for the plough, P Tebt I. 24 .31 (B.C. 117) κατὰ τὰ προσαγγέλματα τῆς βεβρεγμένης , in the matter of the reports of the irrigated land, P Lips I. 105 .10 (i/ii A.D.) μ̣όγις τὸν τῆς βεβρεγμένης ἀπήρτισα , I have with difficulty completed the account of the irrigated land, P Giss I. 60 v. 12 (ii/A.D.) ἐξ ὧν ἐβρέχησαν τ̣ῷ β̄ (ἔτει ) Ἀδρια̣[νοῦ κτλ . The old and regular strong aor. pass. was ἐβράχην : this new formation illustrates the extension of the verb s use. Add from inscrr. OGIS 669 .57 (i/A.D.) τῆς οὔσης ἀναβάσεως καὶ τῆς βεβρεγμ [ένης γῆς . From ἄβροχος (cf. below under βροχή ) comes a verb ἀβροχέω to miss irrigation, as BGU I. 139 .15 (A. D. 201 2) ἠβροχηκυίας πρὸς τὸ ἐνεστὸς δέκατον ἔτος . MGr βρέχω (ἐβράχηκα , ἐβρέχτηκα both aor. pass. have survived) = wet, dip, (cause to) rain (Thumb Handb. ).
Liddell-Scott — Intermediate Greek Lexicon
βρέχω Lat. rigo, to wet, τὸ γόνυ, of men walking through water, Hdt. :—Pass. "to be wetted, get wet", βρεχόμενοι πρὸς τὸν ὀμφαλόν Xen. ; βρέχεσθαι ἐν ὕδατι "to bathe" in water, Hdt. : of hard drinkers, βρεχθείς "soaked", Eur. "to rain, send rain", NTest. ; c. acc. cogn., βρ. πῦρ "to rain" fire, id=NTest. impers. βρέχει, like ὕει, Lat. pluit, it rains, id=NTest.
STEPBible — Tyndale Abridged Greek Lexicon
βρέχω,
[in LXX chiefly for מטר ;]
__1. to wet: Luk.7:38, 44.
__2. In late Gk. writers and vernac. = ὕειν, to send rain, to rain (Kennedy, Sources, 39, 155): Mat.5:45; trop., β. πῦρ κ. θεῖον, Luk.17:29; impers., βρέχει, it rains: Jas.5:17; with ὐετός as subj., Rev.11:6.
† (AS)