Quick Definition
ἀνάγκη, ης, ἡ n.f. necessity, constraint, compulsion
Strong's Definition
from 303 and the base of 43; constraint (literally or figuratively); by implication, distress
KJV Usage: distress, must needs, (of) necessity(-sary), needeth, needful
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament
noun, f. | -ης | ἀναγκάζω
22.1 · Trouble, Hardship, Relief, Favorable Circumstances · Trouble, Hardship, Distress
trouble, distress, troublous times a general state of distress and trouble In a number of languages there is no term meaning a general state of distress or trouble, but one can usually speak of such trouble by a verb phrase or clause, for example, ‘that which causes trouble,’ ‘what is hard to live with,’ or ‘what makes people suffer much.’
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament © United Bible Societies, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Thayer's Greek Lexicon
ἀνάγκη, -ης, ἡ ; 1. necessity, imposed either by the external condition of things, or by the law of duty, regard to one’s advantage, custom, argument: κατ᾽ ἀνάγκην perforce (opp. to κατὰ ἑκούσιον), Philem. 14; ἐξ ἀνάγκης of necessity, compelled, 2 Co. ix. 7; Heb. vii. 12 (necessarily) ; ἔχω ἀνάγκην I have (am compelled by) necessity, (also in Grk. writ.) : 1 Co. vii. 37; Heb. vii. 27; foll. by inf., Lk. xiv. 18; xxiii. 17 RLbr.; Jude 3; ἀν. μοι ἐπίκειται necessity is laid upon me, 1 Co. ix. 16; ἀνάγκη (i. q. ἀναγκαῖόν ἐστι) foll. by inf.: Mt. xviii. 7; Ro. xiii. 5; Heb. ix. 16, 23, (so Grk. writ.). 2. in a sense rare in the classies (Diod. 4, 43), but very common in Hellenistic writ. (also in Joseph. Ὁ. j. 5, 13, 7, ete.; see W. 30), calamity, distress, straits: Lk. xxi. 23; 1 Co. vii. 26; 1 Th. iii. 7; plur. ἐν ἀνάγκαις, 2 Co. vi. 4; xii. 10.
Mounce Concise Greek Dictionary
ἀνάγκη anankē 17x
necessity, Mt. 18:7; constraint, compulsion, 2 Cor. 9:7; obligation of duty, moral or spiritual necessity, Rom. 13:5; distress, trial, affliction, Lk. 21:23; 1 Cor. 7:26; 2 Cor. 6:4; 12:10; 1 Thess. 3:7
Abbott-Smith Greek Lexicon
ἀνάγκη, -ης, ἡ
[in LXX chiefly for מָצוֹק, צַר;]
necessity: ἔχειν ἀ-, c. inf., to be compelled, Lk 14:18 23:17 (Rec., R, mg.), I Co 7:37, Ju 3, He 7:27; ἐξ ἀ., κατ' ἀ., of necessity, II Co 9:7, He 7:12, Phm 14; ἀ. μοι ἐπίκειται, n. is laid on me, I Co 9:16; c. inf. (= ἀναγκαῖον ἐστι), Mt 18:7, Ro 13:5, He 9:16, 23
force, violence, hence pain, distress (Diod., al.; LXX; v. M, Th., 41; MM, VGT, s.v.; cf. θλίψις): Lk 21:23, I Co 7:26, I Th 3:7; pl. (v. Bl., § 32, 6; Swete, Mk., 153), ἐν ἀ., II Co 6:4 12:10.†
Moulton & Milligan — Vocabulary of the Greek NT
ἀνάγκη. For ἔχειν ἀνάγκην followed by the infinitive, as Lk τ415, ef. P Oxy VII. 10614 (B.C. 22) ἀνάγκην ἔσχον παρακαλέσαι, “61 have been obliged to urge,” P Flor II. 278'¥-% (iii/a.v.) ἀνάγκην ἔσχον ἐ[ντ]υχεῖν. The converse appears in BGU IV. 114147 (B.C. 14) διὸ ἀνάγκη pe ἔσχηκε ἐνφανίσαι. The word = “calamity” occurs in Sy// 2555) (iii/B.c.) ἐν ἀνάγκαις καὶ κακοπαθίαις yévnrat—cf. 2 Cor 6%, etc. In a leaden tablet found at Carthage, Wiinsch 4F 4§ (iii/a.D.) ἔϊξορκί[ζω oe] τὸν θεὸν τῆς ἀνάγκης τὸν μέγαν ᾿ΑρουροBaaptaypav, we have, as Wiinsch thinks, the Orphic conception surviving: he compares P Lond 121848 (iii/A.D.) (=I. p. 105) θεὸς ὁ ἐπὶ τῆς ἀνάγκης τεταγμένος ᾿Ιακοὺβ Ἰαιβω (ἢ -- ΠῚΠ") Σαβαώθ “ASwvat—in neither of these ἀναγνωσις 32 however can we speak exactly of ‘‘the great goddess of Necessity.” She figures in Vettius Valens, p. 173 (top), αὐτήν τε τὴν πρόνοιαν Kal τὴν ἱερὰν ᾿Ανάγκην. For the ordinary use of the word we may quote Os¢r 1153 (Rom.) μὴ ἄλλως ποιήσητ(ε) εἰδότ(ες) τὴν ἀνάγκην, P Hlor Il. 171° (A.D. 257) ἐπεὶ δὲ οἶδα ὅτι καὶ ἀνάγκης καὶ ὑπομνήσεως χρήζεται, ““γοιι need compulsion and reminder,” 76. 186° (A.D. 259), Sta τὴν ἀνάνκην τῶν ἀναιλωμάτων, ‘the pressure of expenses,” 7. 2229 (A.D. 256) els τὰ ἀναλώματά pov τῆς φροντίδος ἐν ἀνάγκῃ. etc. The word is MGr.
Liddell-Scott-Jones — Greek-English Lexicon
ἀνάγκη (anagkē) — necessity. ἀνάγκη, Ionic dialect and Epic dialect ἀναγκαίη, ἡ, force, constraint, necessity, κρατερὴ δ᾽ ἐπικείσετ᾽ ἀ.[Refs 8th c.BC+]; ἀναγκαίη γὰρ ἐπείγει[Refs 8th c.BC+]adverb, ἀνάγκῃ perforce, of necessity, ἀείδειν[Refs 8th c.BC+]: in active sense, forcibly, by force, ἴσχειν, ἄγειν, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; opposed to ἑκόντες, [Refs 5th c.BC+] with infinitive, it must be that.., is necessary that..,[Refs 8th c.BC+]: with dative person, ἀ. μοι σχεθεῖν[Refs 4th c.BC+] —in Trag. frequently in answers and arguments, πολλή γ᾽ ἀνάγκη, πολλή᾽ στ᾽ ἀνάγκη, or πολλή μ᾽ ἀνάγκη, with which an infinitive may always be supplied, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἀνάγκη μεγάλη [ἐστί[Refs 5th c.BC+] with infinitive, [NT]
2. necessity in the philosophical sense, [Refs 4th c.BC+]; logical necessity, Metaphorical[Refs]laws of nature, τίσιν ἀνάγκαις ἕκαστα γίγνεται τῶν οὐρανίων[Refs 5th c.BC+]
2. b natural need, γαστρὸς ἀνάγκαις[Refs 5th c.BC+]
2. c ἡ ἀ. τοῦ τόπου the lie of the ground as a necessary condition, [Refs]
2. d ἀνάγκη δαιμόνων, αἱ ἐκ θεῶν ἀνάγκαι, fate, destiny, [Refs 5th c.BC+]: frequently personified in Poets, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
3. compulsion exerted by a superior, ἀ. προστιθέναι, ἐπιτιθέναι, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
3. b violence, punishment, especially of torture, mostly plural, ἐς ἀνάγκας ἄγεσθαι[Refs 5th c.BC+]; τὰ πρὸς ἀνάγκας ὄργανα instruments of torture, [Refs 2nd c.BC+]: later in singular, ἡ ἀ. τῶν βασάνων[Refs 1st c.AD+]under torture, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; δολοποιὸς ἀ., i. e. the stratagem of Nessus, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
3. c duress, 'force majeure', ὅρκους οὓς ποιέονται ἐν ἀνάγκῃ ὄντες[Refs 3rd c.AD+]; stress of circumstances, ἀκούσιοι ἀ.[Refs 5th c.BC+]
3. d treatment by mechanical force, τῶν ἀναγκῶν τινὰ προσφέρειν[Refs 5th c.BC+]
4. bodily pain, anguish, κατ᾽ ἀνάγκην ἕρπειν painfully, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ὑπ᾽ ἀνάγκης βοᾶν[Refs 5th c.BC+]: generally, distress, ἐν ἀνάγκαις γλυκὺ γίνεται καὶ τὸ σκληρόν[NT+4th c.BC+]
II. tie of blood, kindred, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
III. ={ἡ δικαστικὴ κλεψύδρα}, [Refs 5th c.AD+]