Quick Definition
ἀμύνομαι v. I defend
Strong's Definition
middle voice of a primary verb; to ward off (for oneself), i.e. protect
KJV Usage: defend
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament
verb
35.3 · Help, Care For · Help
to help to assist by intervening on behalf of, primarily in terms of defense
1 ACT 7:24 It is possible to interpret ἀμύνομαι in ACT 7:24 as meaning to retaliate or even to take revenge, but this would seem to be a redundant meaning, particularly in view of the following statement, καὶ ἐποίησεν ἐκδίκησιν and he took revenge.
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament © United Bible Societies, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Thayer's Greek Lexicon
ἀμύνω: 1 aor. mid. ἠμυνάμην; [allied w. Lat. munio, moenia, ete., Vanitek p. 731; Curtius § 451]; in Grk. writ. [fr. Hom. down] to ward off, keep off any thing from any one, τί τινι, ace. of the thing and dat. of pers. ; hence, with a simple dat. of the pers., to aid, assist any one (Thue. 1, 50; 3, 67, al.). Mid. ἀμύνομαι, with acc. of pers., to keep off, ward off, any one from one’s self; to defend one’s self against any one (so also 2 Mace..x. 17; Sap. xi. 3; Sept. Josh. x. 13); to take vengeance on any one (Xen. an. 2, 3, 23; Joseph. antt. 9, 1, 2): Acts vii. 24, where in thought supply τὸν ἀδικοῦντα [cf. B. 194 (168) note; W. 258 (242)].
Mounce Concise Greek Dictionary
ἀμύνομαι amynomai 1x
to ward off; to help, assist; to repel from oneself, resist, make a defence; to assume the office of protector and avenger, Acts 7:24*
Abbott-Smith Greek Lexicon
ἀμύνω,
[in LXX (mid.): Jos 10:13 (נקם), נָקַם), Ps 118:10-12 מוּל hi.), Is 59:16 (ישׁע hi.), Wi 11:3, al.;]
to ward off, etc. Mid. to defend oneself against;
to requite;
= act., to defend, assist (Is 59:16): c. acc. pers., Ac 7:24 (MM, VGT, s.v.).†
Moulton & Milligan — Vocabulary of the Greek NT
ἀμύνομαι. Syll 356°° (rescript of Augustus) καὶ [ὅτε ἠμύνοντο. The word may have almost fallen out of the colloquial language, to judge from its rarity in LXX and NT, and the absence of occurrences in papyri.
Liddell-Scott-Jones — Greek-English Lexicon
ἀμύνω (amunō) — to defend. ἀμύνω [ῡ], Epic dialect imperfect ἄμῡνον[Refs 8th c.BC+]future ἀμῠνῶ, Ionic dialect -ῠνέω[Refs 5th c.BC+]: aorist 1 ἤμῡνα, Epic dialect ἄμυνα [ᾰμ] [Refs 8th c.BC+]: aorist 2, see at {ἀμυνάθω}:—middle, Epic dialect imperfect ἀμυνόμην [Refs]: future ἀμυνοῦμαι: aorist 1 ἠμυνάμην: aorist 2, see at {ἀμυνάθω}:—passive rare (see. below c):—keep off, ward off, [Refs 8th c.BC+] —Construction:
1. with accusative of the person or thing to be kept off, with dative person for or from whom danger averted, Δαναοῖσιν λοιγὸν ἄμυνον ward off ruin from the Danai, [Refs 8th c.BC+]. b. with dative only, defend, aid, succour, ἀ. ὤρεσσι, σοῖσιν ἔτῃσι, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; τοιαῦτ᾽ ἀμύνεθ᾽ Ἡρακλεῖ such aid ye give to H., [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἀ. τῇ πόλει, τῷ δήμῳ, [Refs 5th c.BC+] —with infinitive added, τοῖς μὲν οὐκ ἠμύνατε σωθῆναι so that they might be saved, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
2. with accusative et genitive, Τρῶας ἄμυνε νεῶν he kept the Trojans off from the ships, [Refs 8th c.BC+] defend the ships, [Refs]
3. absolutely, succour, χεῖρες ἀμύνειν hands to aid, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἀμυνέσθω let him be driven away, [Refs 5th c.BC+]