Quick Definition
δεσμός, οῦ, ὁ n.m. & n.n. a bond, chain
Strong's Definition
neuter and masculine respectively from 1210; a band, i.e. ligament (of the body) or shackle (of a prisoner); figuratively, an impediment or disability
KJV Usage: band, bond, chain, string
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament
noun, m. | -οῦ | δέω
6.14 · Artifacts · Instruments Used in Binding and Fastening
bonds, chains, fetters any instrument or means of binding or tying; used for binding objects together or restraining prisoners In translating ACT 16:26 one may often use a descriptive phrase, for example, ‘those things that bound them’ or ‘things with which they were tied.’ It is generally more satisfactory, however, to employ wherever possible a more specific referent, for example, ‘ropes,’ ‘chains’ or ‘fetters.’
LUK 8:29 · ACT 16:26 · ACT 26:29 · COL 4:18 · 2TI 2:9 · HEB 11:36 · JUD 1:6
37.115 · Control, Rule · Imprison
to be in prison, imprisonment (figurative extension of meaning of δεσμός[a] ‘bonds,’ 6.14) the state of being in prison The state of being a prisoner is often expressed somewhat idiomatically, for example, ‘to be tied hand and foot,’ ‘to be chained like a dog,’ or ‘to look through iron bars.’
ACT 20:23 · ACT 23:29 · ACT 26:31 · PHP 1:7 · PHP 1:13 · PHP 1:14 · PHP 1:17 · 2TI 2:9 · PHM 1:10 · PHM 1:13 · HEB 11:36
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament © United Bible Societies, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Thayer's Greek Lexicon
δεσμός, -οῦ. ὁ. (δέω). [fr. Hom. down], a band or bond: Mk. vii. 35 (ἐλύθη ὁ δεσμὸς τῆς γλώσσης αὐτοῦ, i. 6. the impediment in his speech was removed); Lk. xiii. 16 (λυθῆναι ἀπὸ τοῦ δεσμοῦ. of a woman bowed together, held fast as it were by a bond). The plur. form ra δεcpa, the more com. form in Grk. writ. (W. 63 (62) [cf. B. 23 (21); see below]), is found in Lk. viii. 29; Acts xvi. 26; xx. 23; the other form oi δεσμοί in Phil. i. 13 (ὥστε τοὺς δεσμούς μου φανεροὺς ἐν Χριστῷ γενέσθαι, so that my captivity became manifest as made for the cause of Christ), [“ δεσμά sunt vincula quibus quis constringitur, sed δεσμός est in carcerem conjectio et captivitas in vinculis ... Utraque forma et ceteri Graeci omnes et Attici utuntur, sed non promiscue ut inter se permutari possint.” Cobet as quoted in Rutherford, New Phryn. p. 353]; the gen. and dat. in Acts xxii. 30 Rec.; xxiii. 29; xxvi. 29, 31; Phil. i. 7, 14, 16 (17); Col. iv. 18; 2 Tim. ii. 9; Philem. 10; Heb. x. 34 R Tr mrg.; xi. 36; Jude 6; ἐν τοῖς δεσμοῖς τοῦ εὐαγγελίον. in the captivity into which the preaching of the gospel has thrown me, Philem. 13 [W. 189 (178) ; ef. ref. 5. v. δέσμιος, fin. ].
Mounce Concise Greek Dictionary
δεσμός desmos 18x
a bond, anything by which one is bound, a cord, chain, fetters, etc.; and by meton. imprisonment, Lk. 8:29; Acts 16:26; 20:23; a string or ligament, as of the tongue, Mk. 7:35; met. an impediment, infirmity, Lk. 13:16
Abbott-Smith Greek Lexicon
δεσμός, -οῦ, ὁ
(< δέω), [in LXX chiefly for אסר ;]
a band, bond: metaph., Lk 13:16; ὁ δεσμὸς τ. γλώσσης, Mk 7:35 (for this expression in π., v. Deiss., LAE, 306 ff.; of actual bonds, v. Ruth., Gr., 9). Pl., δεσμοί, Phl 1:13; δεσμά (as also in cl.), Lk 8:29, Ac 16:26 20:23; gen., dat., Ac 23:29 26:29, 31, Phl 1:7, 14, 17, Col 4:18, II Ti 2:9, Phm 10, He 11:36, Ju 6; ἐν τοῖς δ. τοῦ εὐαγγελίου Phm 13.†
Moulton & Milligan — Vocabulary of the Greek NT
δεσμός. For the full force of ὁ δεσμὸς τῆς γλώσσης, ‘ the bond or the tongue,” in Mk 73°, reference may be made to Deissmann LAE, p. 306 ff., where it is shown that the expression has a κε technical”? meaning derived from the old belief that a man was ‘‘ bound” by daemonic influences. The man was not merely made to speak, but daemonic fetters were broken, and Satan’s work undone. The plur. τὰ δεσμά, which in the NT is characteristic of the Lucan writings, would seem to be more literary than ot δεσμοί, the general LXX form: see Thackeray Gr. i. p. 154. According to Mayser Gr. p- 285 the neuter plur. is never found in the Ptolemaic papyri, nor can we supply any instance from a later period. In the Attic inscriptions both forms are found (see Meisterhans Gr. p. 143) with apparently no distinction of meaning, so that Cobet’s distinction (A/nemosyne, 1858, p. 74 ff.) that the neuter refers to actual bonds, the masculine to the imprisonment, cannot be maintained: cf. Kennedy on Phil 1185 in #G7. By origin, δεσμά should be collective and δεσμοί individualizing, which would be the very opposite of Cobet’s dictum ; but usage may well have introduced a new differentia. A spell for loosing bonds (δυσμολύτον, πᾶς δεσμώς, πᾶσα Bla, ῥαγήτω πᾶς σίτηρω (/.c. σίδηρος) κτλ. A curiously close parallel for Heb 1196 (.. . πεῖραν ἔλαβον, ἔτι δὲ δεσμῶν καὶ φυλακῆς) occurs in Vettius Valens p. 6817 δεσμῶν πεῖραν ἐπὶ χρόνον ἱκανὸν λαμβάνοντας, ἕως συμπληρώσωσι τοὺς χρόνους τοῦ ἀστέρος.
Liddell-Scott-Jones — Greek-English Lexicon
δεσμός (desmos) — chain. δεσμός, ὁ, plural δεσμά [Refs 6th c.BC+], and so mostly in Trag., [Refs 5th c.BC+]: both forms in Attic dialect Inscrr., δεσμοί [Refs] the latter preferred by [Refs 6th c.AD+], Attic dialect accusative to [Refs 5th c.AD+]:—band, bond, anything for tying and fastening, as halter, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; mooring-cable, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; door-latch, [Refs]; yoke-strap, [Refs 5th c.BC+]: metaphorically, any bond of union or connexion, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; of the vowels, [Refs]; δεσμοὶ πολιτείας, of the laws, [Refs]; εἰς τὰ δεσμοῦ for binding material, [Refs 1st c.BC+]
2. in plural (never δεσμά in this sense), bonds, chains, ἐκ δεσμῶν λυθῆναι [Refs 4th c.BC+]; πρὶν ἂν ἐξ ἀγρίων δ. χαλάσῃ[Refs 5th c.BC+]; ὁ ἐπὶ τῶν δ., ={δεσμοφύλαξ}, [Refs 2nd c.AD+]: in singular, collectively, bonds, imprisonment, δ. ἀχλυόεις epigram cited in [Refs 5th c.BC+]: metaphorically of moral bondage, [Refs 3rd c.AD+]
3. ligature, [Refs 4th c.BC+]
4. δ. ἄρθρου in [Refs 5th c.BC+] (at [prev. work]) as ankylosis.
5. spell, charm, [Refs 4th c.AD+]
II. ={δέσμη}, Papyrus in [Refs 1st c.BC+]; δ. ἀργυρίου [LXX]