Quick Definition
πορθέω v. I lay waste, destroy
Strong's Definition
prolongation from pertho (to sack); to ravage (figuratively)
KJV Usage: destroy, waste
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
πορθέω : impf. ἐπόρθουν ; 1 aor. ptep. πορθήσας ; (πέρθω, πέπορθα, to lay waste); fr. Hom. down; to destroy, to overthrow, [R.V. uniformly to make havock]: twa, Acts ix. 21; τὴν ἐκκλησίαν, Gal. i. 13; τὴν πίστιν, ibid. 23.
Mounce Concise Greek Dictionary
πορθέω portheō 3x
to lay waste, destroy; impl. to harass, ravage, Acts 9:21; Gal. 1:13, 23*
Abbott-Smith Greek Lexicon
** πορθέω collat. form (in cl. chiefly poët.) of πέρθω,
[in LXX: IV Mac 4:23 11:4*;]
to destroy, ravage: Ac 9:21, Ga 1:13, 23.†
Moulton & Milligan — Vocabulary of the Greek NT
πορθέω. With a personal object this word=‘‘ destroy,” ‘‘ ravage,”’ is classical only in poetry. The NT usage (Ac 951, Gal 128, cf. 4 Macc 435, 114) is paralleled in BGU II. 5888 (i/A.D.) πορθοῦντες ὑμᾶς: cf. OG/S 20117 (vi/a.D.) ἐπόρθησα τὰς χώρας αὐτῶν, and for the compd. ἐκπορθέω see P Tebt I. 37™ (8.6. 73) ἐντέταλταί μοι παραλαβὼν στρατιώτας ἐκπορθῆσαι αὐτούς, ‘he has ordered me to take soldiers and ravage them.
Liddell-Scott-Jones — Greek-English Lexicon
πορθέω (portheō) — to lay waste. πορθ-έω, collateral form of πέρθω (more used in Prose), destroy, ravage, plunder, πόλεας καὶ τείχεα [Refs 8th c.BC+]:—passive, πᾶν τὸ ἄστυ ἐπορθέετο [Refs 5th c.BC+]is carried off, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
2. in present and imperfect, sometimes endeavour to destroy, besiege a town, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
3. of persons, destroy, ruin, θεοὺς τοὺς ἐγγενεῖς [Refs 5th c.BC+]: absolutely, do havoc, [Refs]: especially in passive, αὐτοὶ ὑφ᾽ αὑτῶν.. πορθούμεθα. [Refs 4th c.BC+]; of women, κόραι βία πρὸς ἀνδρῶν πορθούμεναι [Refs 5th c.BC+]; σκόροδα πορθούμενος robbed of them, Comedy texts phrase in [Refs 5th c.BC+]