Quick Definition
θηρεύω v. I hunt, seek to catch
Strong's Definition
from 2339; to hunt (an animal), i.e. (figuratively) to carp at
KJV Usage: catch
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament
verb | θήρα · θηριομαχέω · θηρίον
27.30 · Learn · Learn Something Against Someone
to trap, to catch off guard, to catch in a mistake (figurative extension of meaning of term meaning literally ‘to hunt,’ ‘to trap,’ not occurring in the NT) to acquire information about an error or fault, with the purpose of causing harm or trouble In a number of languages it is possible to retain the figurative meaning of ‘trap’ or ‘catch,’ but in a number of instances other figures are used, for example, ‘to cause to trip,’ ‘to cause to fall,’ ‘to hear wrong words from his mouth,’ or ‘to use his words against him.’
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament © United Bible Societies, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Mounce Concise Greek Dictionary
θηρεύω thēreuō 1x
to hunt, catch; met. to seize on, lay hold of, Lk. 11:54*
Abbott-Smith Greek Lexicon
θηρεύω
(< θήρα), [in LXX for צוּד, etc.;]
to hunt, ensnare, catch: metaph., Lk 11:54.†
Moulton & Milligan — Vocabulary of the Greek NT
θηρεύω is found in its literal sense in PSI IV. 43417 (B.c. 261-0) GAN οὐδὲ τὸμ μῦν ἑτοιμάζοντα θηρεύειν (cf, μυοθηρεύω and πτῆς in P Oxy II. 299 cited s.v. ἀρραβών), Ρ Ryl IT. 98 (a) 91 θησαυρός \ (A.D. 154-5) βούλομαι ἐπιχωρηθῆναι παρ᾽ ὑμῶν θηρεύειν ἃ al ἀγριεύειν ἐν τῷ προκ(ειμένῳ) δρυμῷ πᾶν ὄρν[εο]ν ἐπὶ γῆς, “1 desire to be granted a permit by you for hunting and catching in the aforesaid mere every bird therein” (Edd.): cf. OG/S 5411 (c. B.C. 247) ods (ἐλέφαντας) ὅ τε πατὴρ αὐτοῦ (Πτολεμαίου τοῦ Hvepyérov) καὶ αὐτὸς πρῶτο(ι) ἐκ τῶν χωρῶν τούτων ἐθήρευσαν.
Liddell-Scott-Jones — Greek-English Lexicon
θηρεύω (thēreuō) — to hunt/catch. θηρ-εύω, aorist 1 ἐθήρευσα [Refs 5th c.BC+]: perfect τεθήρευκα [Refs]:—middle, future -σομαι[Refs]: aorist ἐθηρευσάμην [Refs 5th c.BC+] —passive, perfect τεθήρευμαι Lysipp.Comedy texts [Refs]: aorist ἐθηρεύθην [Refs 5th c.BC+]:—hunt, θηρεύοντα while hunting, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; θηρεύειν διὰ κενῆς, of the motions of the hands of dying persons, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
2. decoy, [Refs 4th c.BC+]
II. with accusative, hunt after, chase, catch, ἀττελέβους [Refs 5th c.BC+]; θηρία, ὄρνιθας ἀγρίας, μῦν, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ὶχθῦς [Refs 4th c.BC+]; [ἐλέφαντας] [Refs 3rd c.BC+]; of men, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; Τιτυὸν βέλος θήρευσε it hit, struck him, [Refs 5th c.BC+]:—middle, [Refs 5th c.BC+]:—passive, to be hunted, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; to be preyed upon, [Refs]; to be caught, πέδαις [Refs 4th c.BC+]: metaphorically, to be captivated, Lysipp.Comedy texts [Refs]
II.2. metaphorically, hunt, seek after, κερδέων μέτρον [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἡδονάς, ἐπιστήμην, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; [εὐδαιμονίαν] [Refs 4th c.BC+]; ὀνόματα, ῥήματα, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; θ. τὸν πλησίον, of an orator, [Refs 5th c.BC+] —Trag. preferred θηράω, except where metre demanded θηρεύω.