Quick Definition
ἐπιπίπτω v. I fall upon, press upon
Strong's Definition
to embrace (with affection) or seize (with more or less violence; literally or figuratively)
Derivation: from G1909 (ἐπί) and G4098 (πίπτω);
KJV Usage: fall into (on, upon) lie on, press upon
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament
verb | aor. ἐπέπεσον · pf. ἐπιπέπτωκα | πίπτω
19.43 · Physical Impact · Press
to press against, to push against to press or push against
13.122 · Be, Become, Exist, Happen · Happen
to happen to, to fall upon to happen suddenly to, with the connotation of something bad and adverse In a number of languages it is difficult to speak of ‘insults happening.’ Therefore, it may be necessary to restructure this expression in ROM 15:3 as ‘they began insulting me in the same way they used to insult you.’
LUK 1:12 · ACT 8:16 · ACT 10:44 · ACT 11:15 · ACT 19:17 · ROM 15:3 · REV 11:11
34.64 · Association · Kiss, Embrace
Collocation: ἐπιπίπτω ἐπὶ τὸν τράχηλον
to hug, to embrace (an idiom, literally: to fall on the neck) to show special affection for by throwing one’s arms around a person A literal translation of ἐπιπίπτω ἐπὶ τὸν τράχηλον ‘to fall on someone’s neck’ can be seriously misunderstood. In fact, in some languages it is so close to an expression meaning ‘to kill’ that one should normally avoid any literal rendering. At the same time, it is very important not to employ terms for ‘embrace’ and ‘kiss’ in ACT 20:37 which might suggest improper sexual interests.
1 The idiom ἐπιπίπτω ἐπὶ τὸν τράχηλον would seem to indicate somewhat greater affection and concern than the verb ἐναγκαλίζομαι (34.63).
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament © United Bible Societies, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Thayer's Greek Lexicon
ἐπι-πίπτω ; 2 aor. ἐπέπεσον, 3 pers. plur. ἐπέπεσαν, Ro. xv. 3 L T Tr WH [ef. ἀπέρχομαι init.]; pf. ptep. exureπτωκώς; [see πίπτω]; Sept. for 55); to fall upon; to rush or press upon ; a. prop.: τινί, upon one, Mk. iii. 10; to lie upon one, Acts xx. 10; ἐπὶ τὸν τράχηλόν τινος, to fall into one’s embrace, Lk. xv. 20; Acts xx. 37, (Gen. xlvi. 29; Tobit xi. 8, 12; 3 Mace. v. 49); to fall back upon, ἐπὶ τὸ στῆθός Twos, Jn. xiii. 25RGT. b. metaph. ἐπί twa, to fall upon one, i. 6. to seize, take possession of him: φόβος, Lk.i. 12; Acts xix. 17 [L Tr ἔπεσεν]; Rev. xi. 111, T Tr WH; ἔκστασις, Acts x. 10 Rec.; ἀχλύς, Acts xiii 11[RG]. used also of the Holy Spirit, in its inspiration and impulse: ἐπί τινι, Acts vill. 16; ἐπί τινα, x. 44 [Lchm. ἔπεσε] ; xi. 15, (Ezek. xi. 5); of reproaches cast upon one: Ro. xv. 8 [Noteworthy is the absol. use in Acts xxiii. 7 WH mrg. ἐπέπεσεν (al. ἐγένετο) στάσις. (From Hat. down.) ]
Mounce Concise Greek Dictionary
ἐπιπίπτω epipiptō 11x
to fall upon; to throw one’s self upon, Lk. 15:20; Jn. 13:25; Acts 20:10, 37; to press, urge upon, Mk. 3:10; to light upon, Rom. 15:3; to come over, Acts 13:11; to come upon, fall upon mentally or spiritually, Lk. 1:12; Acts 8:16; 10:10, 44; 11:15; 19:17
Abbott-Smith Greek Lexicon
ἐπι-πίπτω
[in LXX chiefly for נָפַל ;]
to fall upon (Field, Notes, 25): c. dat. pers., Mk 3:10 (v. Swete, in l), Ac 20:10; seq. ἐπὶ τ. τράχηλον (as Ge 46:29, To 11:8, III Mac 5:49, al.), Lk 15:20, Ac 20:37. Metaph., φόβος, Lk 1:12, Ac 19:17, Re 11:11; ὀνειδισμοί, Ro 15:3 (LXX); of the Holy Spirit: seq. ἐπί, c. dat., Ac 8:16; ἐπί, c. acc, Ac 10:44 11:15; absol., Ac 23:7.†
Moulton & Milligan — Vocabulary of the Greek NT
ἐπιπίπτω (ΛΝ ΤΊϊελς Studien Hetnrici dargebracht, 1914, p. and Robertson Gr. p. 159. On the other hand Debrunner (G/of¢a iv. (1912) p. 249 ff. : cf. Blass-Debrunner p. 75) prefers to regard ἐπιούσιος as a substantivising of ἐπὶ τὴν οὖσαν [ἡμέραν], ‘for the current day,”” comparing ἐπιμήνιος (Polybius), ‘“‘for the current month,” ἐφημέριος, etc. ; and in spite of the valid objection that ἡ οὖσα, unlike ἡ ἐπιοῦσα, has not been found wiih ἡμέρα understood, he has obtained the weighty support of Thumb (Brugmann-Thumb, p. 675). Moulton, from whose Grammar (II. ὃ 120 4) the above brief account has been epitomized, gives his vote for ἢ ἐπιοῦσα as being on the whole the most probable etymology. See also Klostermann ad Mt 6" (in AZNT), and cf. ΖΝ ΤῊΣ i. p. 250 ff., vil. p- 266 ff. 115 ff.),
Liddell-Scott-Jones — Greek-English Lexicon
ἐπιπίπτω (epipiptō) — to fall/press upon. ἐπιπίπτω, fall upon or over, ἐπέπιπτον ἀλλήλοις [Refs 5th c.BC+]
2. of money, accrue, τὸ μέρος ὃ εὑρίσκομες ἐπιπῖπτον ἐπὶ τὸ χρέος τὸ ὀφειλόμενον “SIG” 953.66 (Cnidus, 2nd c.BC).
II. fall upon in hostile sense, attack, assail, τινί 5th c.BC: Herodotus Historicus 4.105 [Refs]; ἀφυλάκτῳ αὐτῷ ἐ. [Refs 5th c.BC+]; also ἐς τοὺς Ἕλληνας, variant for{ἐσ-}, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; of storms, τοῖσι βαρβάροισι ὁ βορῆς ἐπέπεσε[Refs 5th c.BC+]; of winds meeting one another, [Refs]; of diseases, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; so of grief, misfortunes, etc., οὐχὶ σοὶ μόνᾳ ἐπέπεσον λῦπαι 5th c.BC: Euripides Tragicus “Andromache” 1043 (Lyric poetry), etc.; ἐπέπεσε πολλὰ καὶ χαλεπὰ κατὰ στάσιν ταῖς πόλεσι 5th c.BC: Thucydides Historicus 3.82, etc.
II.2. come on after, ἐ. ῥῖγος πυρετῷ 5th c.BC: Hippocrates Medicus “ἀφορισμοί” 4.46.
II.3. accumulate, πλήθη σίτου ἐπιπεπτωκέναι “PPetr.” 2p.62 [Refs 3rd c.BC+]