ἐπιχειρέω, ἐπιχείρῳ: imperfect ἐπεχείρουν; 1 aorist ἐπεχείρησα; (χείρ); 1. properly, to put the hand to (Homer, Odyssey 24, 386, 395). 2. often from Herodotus down, to take in hand, undertake, attempt (anything to be done), followed by the infinitive: Luk_1:1; Act_9:29; Act_19:13; (2Ma_2:29 2Ma_7:19). Grimm treats of this word more at length in the Jahrbb. f. deutsche Theol. for 1871, p. 36f.

ἐπιχειρέω epicheireō 3x to put hand to a thing; to undertake, attempt, Luk_1:1 ; Act_9:29 ; Act_19:13

ἐπιχειρέω , -ῶ ( < χεῖρ ), [in LXX for H2803 , Exo_9:25 ; H1580 , 2Ch_20:11 , al. ;] 1. to pat one's hand to. 2. to take in hand, attempt: c . inf ., Luk_1:1 , Act_9:29 ; Act_19:13 .†

ἐπιχειρέω [page 250] For this verb, which in the NT is confined to the Lukan writings ( Luk_1:1 , Act_9:29 ; Act_19:13 ), it is sufficient to cite P Par 63 .112 (B.C. 164) (= P Petr III. p. 28) εἰ συναναγκάζειν ἐπιχειροίη προσδέχεσθαι , if one were to endeavour to compel them to accept (the work) (Mahaffy), ib. 61 .15 (B.C. 156) μ ]άλιστα δὲ τῶν συκοφαντεῖν ἐπιχειρούντων [τελωνῶν , P Tebt I. 6 .38 (B.C. 140 39) ἄλλους δὲ ἐπιχειρεῖν ἐπ [ιπλ ]έκειν ἑα [υ ]τοὺς ταῖς προσόδοις , and others try to mix themselves up with the revenues (Edd.), P Ryl II. 144 .16 (A.D. 38) ὃς δὲ ἐκ τοῦ ἐναντίου ἄλογον ἀηδίαν μοι ἐπιχειρήσας παρεχρήσατό μοι πολλὰ καὶ ἄσχημα , whereupon he opposing me made a brutal and odious attack upon me and subjected me to much shameful mishandling (Edd.), P Oxy I. 38 .9 (A.D. 49 50) (= Selections , p. 53) τοῦ Σύρ [ου ] ἐπικεχειρηκότος ἀποσπάσαι εἰς δουλαγωγία [ν ] τὸν ἀφήλικά μου υἱὸν Ἀπίωνα , S. having endeavoured to carry off into slavery my young son A., P Oxy III. 492 .9 (A.D. 130) ἐκτείσι ὁ ἐπιχειρ [ῶ ]ν πρὸς ἀθέτησίν τι τούτων ἄγειν ἐπιτείμου δρα [χμὰς ]χειλίας , the person attempting to set aside aught of them (viz. certain dispositions) shall forfeit a fine of 1000 drachmae (Edd.), and ib. VIII. 1119 .18 (A.D. 254) τῆς παρανομίας παρὰ τῶν πλημ̣[μελ ]εῖν ἐπιχειρούντων εἴς τε τὰς θείας νομοθεσίας , the lawlessness of those who attempt to offend against the Imperial legislation (Ed.). These examples show that any idea of failure, though often suggested by the context, does not lie in the verb itself. For the construction with the inf. see Proleg. p. 205. In Chrest. II. 372 v. 24 (ii/A.D.) the verb is followed by the dat. ἐπιδὴ τοίνυν ἐπιχειρεῖς τοῖς ἀδυνάτοις , οὔτε οὗτος οὔτε οἱ ἄλλοι υῒ̣ο̣ι̣ σ̣ο̣υ Ἀ [λε ]ξανδρέων πολεῖταί εἰ [σι ]ν .

ἐπιχειρέω [Etym: χείρ] "to put one's hand on" a thing, c. dat., Od. , Ar. "to put one's hand to" a work, "set to work at, attempt", c. dat., Hdt. , attic:—rarely c. acc., Theogn. , Plat. :—Pass. "to be attempted", Thuc. c. inf. "to endeavour or attempt to" do, Hdt. , attic "to make an attempt on, to set upon, attack", τινί Hdt. , attic; πρός τινα Thuc. ;—absol., Hdt. , etc.

ἐπιχειρέω, -ῶ (χεῖρ), [in LXX for חָשַׁב, Exo.9:25; גָּמַל, 2Ch.20:11, al. ;] __1. to pat one's hand to. __2. to take in hand, attempt: with inf., Luk.1:1, Act.9:29 19:13.† (AS)