Quick Definition
ἐπιχειρέω v. I take in hand, attempt
Strong's Definition
from 1909 and 5495; to put the hand upon, i.e. undertake
KJV Usage: go about, take in hand (upon)
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament © United Bible Societies, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Thayer's Greek Lexicon
ἐπιχειρέω, -@: impf. ἐπεχείρουν; 1 aor. ἐπεχείρησα; (xelp) 5 1. prop. to put the hand to (Hom. Od. 24, 386, 395). 2. often fr. Hdt. down, to take in hand, undertake, attempt, (anything to be done), foll. by the inf.: Lk.i.1; Acts ix. 29; xix.13; (2 Mace. ii. 29; vii. 19). Grimm treats of this word more at length in the Jahrbb. f. deutsche Theol. for 1871, p. 36 sq.
Mounce Concise Greek Dictionary
ἐπιχειρέω epicheireō 3x
to put hand to a thing; to undertake, attempt, Lk. 1:1; Acts 9:29; 19:13*
Abbott-Smith Greek Lexicon
ἐπιχειρέω, -ῶ
(< χεῖρ), [in LXX for חָשַׁב, Ex 9:25; גָּמַל, II Ch 20:11, al. ;]
to pat one's hand to.
to take in hand, attempt: c. inf., Lk 1:1, Ac 9:29 19:13.†
Moulton & Milligan — Vocabulary of the Greek NT
ἐπιχειρέω. For this verb, which in the NT is confined to the Lukan writings (Lk 14, Ac 92°, 1913), it is sufficient to cite P Par 634" (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), 26. 6118 (B.c. 156) μ]άλιστα δὲ τῶν συκοφαντεῖν ἐπιχειρούντων [τελωνῶν, P Tebt I. 638 (B.c. 140-39) ἄλλουϑ δὲ ἐπιχειρεῖν ἐπί ἱπλ]έκειν ἑα[υ]τοὺς ταῖς προσόδοις, ‘‘and others try to mix themselves up with the revenues’ (Edd.), P Ryl II. 14418 (a.p. 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 > , εἐπίχεω me to much shameful mishandling ” (Edd.), P Oxy I. 38° (A.D. 49-50) (= Selections, p. 53) τοῦ Σύρ[ου] ἐπικεχειρηκότος ἀποσπάσαι εἰς δουλαγωγία[ν] τὸν ἀφήλικά pov υἱὸν ᾿Απίωνα, ““ 5. having endeavoured to carry off into slavery my young son A.,” P Oxy III. 4925 (A.D. 130) ἐκτείσι ὁ ἐπιχειρ[ῶ]ν πρὸς ἀθέτησίν τι τούτων ἄγειν ἐπιτείμου Spa[xpas] χειλίας, ‘ the person attempting to set aside aught of them (viz. certain dispositions) shall forfeit a fine of 1000 drachmae ” (Edd.), and 26. VIII. 1119!8 (a.p. 254) τῆς παρανομίας παρὰ τῶν πλημ[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 Pro/eg. p. 205. II. 372%: (ii/A.p.) the verb is followed by the dat.—ém} τοίνυν ἐπιχειρεῖς Tots ἀδυνάτοις, οὔτε οὗτος οὔτε of ἄλλοι υἱοί σου ᾿Α[λε]ξανδρέων πολεῖταί εἰ[σι]ν.
Liddell-Scott-Jones — Greek-English Lexicon
ἐπιχειρέω (epicheireō) — to attempt. ἐπιχειρ-έω, (χείρ) put one's hand to, οἱ μὲν δείπνῳ ἐπεχείρεον [Refs 8th c.BC+]
2. put one's hand to a work, set to work at, attempt, τῇ διώρυχι [Refs 5th c.BC+]; δρησμῷ ἐ. attempt an escape, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; λόγοις, τέχνῃ, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
3. less frequently with accusative, μεγάλα ἔργα [Refs 6th c.BC+]:—passive, to be attempted, [Refs 5th c.BC+]the thing attempted, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
4. with infinitive, endeavour, attempt to do, [Refs 5th c.BC+]: with future infinitive, [Refs 1st c.AD+]:—passive, ἃ τὸ πρῶτον ἐπεχειρήθη πραχθῆναι [Refs 5th c.BC+]
5. ἐπειχειρήθη with dative, an operation was performed, τῇσιν αἱμορροΐσι [Refs 5th c.BC+]
II. make an attempt on, attack, τινι [Refs 5th c.BC+]; κτείνων ἢ ἐπιχειρῶν Legal cited in [Refs 5th c.BC+]:—passive, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
II. b obscene meaning, ἐ. μειρακίοις [Refs 4th c.AD+]
III. attempt to prove, argue dialectically, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἔκ τινος from a topic,[Refs 4th c.BC+]