Quick Definition
βρύχω v. I grind or gnash
Strong's Definition
a primary verb; to grate the teeth (in pain or rage)
KJV Usage: gnash
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament
verb | βρυγμός
23.41 · Physiological Processes and States · Processes Involving the Mouth, Other Than Eating and Drinking
to grind the teeth, to gnash the teeth, gnashing of teeth the grinding or the gnashing of the teeth, whether involuntary as in the case of certain illnesses, or as an expression of an emotion such as anger or of pain and suffering In translating ‘they ground their teeth at him’ (ACT 7:54) it may be necessary to indicate the type of emotion which is involved in such an action, for example, ‘in anger they ground their teeth at him’ or ‘they showed their anger by grinding their teeth.’ It is essential to avoid an expression such as ‘to grit the teeth,’ which in English is a symbol of determination, not of anger.
88.184 · Moral and Ethical Qualities and Related Behavior · Anger, Be Indignant With
Collocation: βρύχω τοὺς ὀδόντας
to be furious (an idiom, literally: to grind one’s teeth) to express and manifest intense anger As noted in 23.41, it is possible to understand the expression βρύχω τοὺς ὀδόντας in both a literal as well as a figurative sense. The persons may very well have ‘ground their teeth’ as a sign of their anger and fury, so that a statement about what such persons did could be true in a literal as well as in a figurative sense.
1 ACT 7:54 It is possible to interpret the phrase βρύχω τοὺς ὀδόντας as being simply an idiom meaning ‘to show anger against,’ but the context suggests that the persons actually did grind their teeth as a symbol of their anger. See also 88.184.
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament © United Bible Societies, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Thayer's Greek Lexicon
βρύχω: [impf. ¢8pvxov]; to grind, gnash, with the teeth: ὀδόντας ἐπί twa, Acts vii. 54, (Job xvi. 9; Ps. xxxiv. (xxxv.) 16; xxxvi. (xxxvii.) 12 for Dw3 PIN and 03% PIN; intrans. without ὀδόντας, [Hermipp. ap.] Plut. Pericl. 33 fin.; [Hipp. (see L. and S.)]). Of the same origin as βρύκω (cf. δέχω and δέκω), to bite, chew ; see Hermann on Soph. Philoct. 735; [Ellendt, Lex. Soph. 5. v. Bpvxw |.” Bevo ; 1. intrans. to abound, gush forth, teem with juices, ({akin to βλύω, φλύω ; see Lob. Techn. p. 22 sq.; Curtius p. 531], ef. Germ. Brust, Briihe); often so fr. Hom. down (Il. 17, 56 ἔρνος ἄνθεϊ βρύει). 2. more rarely trans. to send forth abundantly: absol. to teem, ἡ γῆ βρύει, Xen. venat. 5, 12; with an acc. of flowers, fruits, Χάριτες ῥύδα βρύουσι, Anacr. 44, 2 (37, 2); to send forth water, Jas. ili. 11.
Mounce Concise Greek Dictionary
βρύχω brychō 1x
to grate or gnash the teeth, Acts 7:54*
Abbott-Smith Greek Lexicon
βρύχω (Attic, βρύκω),
[in LXX: Jb 16:10(9), Ps 34 (35):16 36 (37):12 111 (112):10, La 2:16 (חרק)* ;]
to bite or eat greedily.
to gnash, grind, with the teeth: Ac 7:54.†
Liddell-Scott-Jones — Greek-English Lexicon
βρύχω (bruchō) — to gnash. βρύκω or βρύχω [ῡ] (the former Attic dialect accusative to [Refs 2nd c.AD+]; the distinction βρύκω bite, βρύχω gnash does not hold good), mostly present: future βρύξω [Refs 5th c.BC+]: aorist ἔβρυξα [Refs 5th c.BC+]: aorist 2 ἔβρῠχε [Refs], see at {βρυχάομαι}: —passive, see below:—eat greedily, gobble, γνάθος ἱππείη βρύκει champs the bit, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; bite, βρύκουσ᾽ ἀπέδεσθαι.. τοὺς δακτύλους biting, [Refs]; of smoke, ὀδὰξ ἔβρυκε τὰς λήμας ἐμοῦ [Refs]; later, simply, devour, consume, [Refs 2nd c.BC+]; βρύξας, of the sea, is perhaps falsa lectio for{βρόξας} in [Refs 1st c.BC+]: metaphorically, tear in pieces, devour, of a gnawing disease, βρύκει [Refs 5th c.BC+]:—passive, ἀπόλωλα, τέκνον, βρύκομαι [Refs 5th c.BC+]
II. gnash or grind the teeth, τοὺς ὀδόντας βρύχει [NT+5th c.BC+]; also βρύχει alone, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; also intransitive, οἱ ὀδόντες βρύχουσι[Refs 2nd c.BC+]:—middle, βρύχονται [Refs 5th c.BC+]