Quick Definition
I make war, contend
Strong's Definition
to be (engaged) in warfare, i.e. to battle (literally or figuratively)
Derivation: from G4171 (πόλεμος);
KJV Usage: fight, (make) war
Thayer's Greek Lexicon
πολεμέω, πολέμῳ; future πολεμήσω; 1 aorist ἐπολέμησα; (πόλεμος); (from Sophocles and Herodotus down); the Sept. chiefly for πΔμΐηΗν; to war, carry on war; to fight: Rev_19:11; μετά τίνος (on which construction see μετά, I. 2 d., p. 403{b} ), Rev_2:16; Rev_12:7 (where Rec. κατά; (cf. on this verse Buttmann, § 140, 14 and under the word μετά as above)); Rev_13:4; Rev_17:14; equivalent to to wrangle, quarrel, Jas_4:2.
Mounce Concise Greek Dictionary
πολεμέω polemeō 7x
to make or wage war, fight, Rev_2:16 ; Rev_12:7 ;
to battle, quarrel, Jas_4:2
Abbott-Smith Greek Lexicon
πολεμέω , -ῶ
( < πόλεμος ),
[in LXX chiefly for H3898 ni .;]
to make war, fight: Rev_12:7 b Rev_19:11 ; seq . μετά ( 2Sa_21:15 and v. M , Pr., 106, 247), Rev_2:16 ; Rev_12:7 a Rev_13:4 ; Rev_17:14 ; hyperb., of private quarrels, Jas_4:2 .†
Moulton & Milligan — Vocabulary of the Greek NT
πολεμέω [page 524]
make war with, is construed with μετά , as quater in Rev, in BGU IV. 1035 .9 (v/A.D.) (as read Chrest. I. p. 39 ) οἱ οὖν ἀπὸ Ὀξυρύγχων ἠθέλησαν . . . πολεμῆσαι μετὰ τῶν ἀπὸ Κερκῆσις , and in the Silko inscr. OGIS 201 .3 (vi/A.D.) ἅπαξ δύο ἐπολέμησα μετὰ τῶν Βλεμύων . Thumb ( Hellen. p. 125) points out that there is no need to speak of Hebraism in view of MGr use, as in the popular song τρεῖς ὥρες ἐπολέμαε μὲ δεκοχτὼ χιλιάδες : cf. Abbott Songs , p. 44
τὸ πῶς αὐτὸς ᾽πολέμησε μὲ τρεῖς χιλιάδα (ι )ς Τούρκους .
For the verb used hyperbolicaliy of private quarrels, as in Jas_4:2 , cf. Preisigke 4317 .12 ( c. A.D. 200) πολεμεῖ με διότι εἶπόν σοι εἰς ὄψιν , where the growth of the acc. construction may also be noted (cf. Proleg. p. 64). The pass. is seen in OGIS 748 .8 (iv/B.C.) πολεμηθείσης τῆς χώρας . MGr πολεμῶ , fight, struggle ; endeavour (Thumb Handb. p. 350).
Liddell-Scott — Intermediate Greek Lexicon
πολεμέω [Etym: πόλεμος] "to be at war or go to war, make war", τινί "with" one, Hdt. , etc.; ἐπί τινα, πρός τινα Xen. "to fight, do battle", ἀπὸ τῶν ἵππων Plat. ; ἀπὸ καμήλων Xen. generally, "to quarrel, wrangle, dispute with" one, Soph. , etc. c. acc. "to make war upon": Pass. "to have war made upon" one, "to be treated as enemies", Thuc. , Xen. c. acc. cogn., πόλεμον πολ. Plat. :—Pass., ὁ πόλεμος οὕτως ἐπολεμήθη Xen. ; so, ὅσα ἐπολεμήθη whatever "hostilities passed", id=Xen.
STEPBible — Tyndale Abridged Greek Lexicon
πολεμέω, -ῶ
(πόλεμος), [in LXX chiefly for לָחַם ni. ;]
to make war, fight: Rev.12:7 b Rev.19:11; before μετά (2Ki.21:15 and see M, Pr., 106, 247), Rev.2:16 12:7 a Rev.13:4 17:14; hyperb., of private quarrels, Jas.4:2.†
(AS)