Quick Definition
πρόφασις, εως, ἡ n.f. a pretext, an excuse
Strong's Definition
from a compound of 4253 and 5316; an outward showing, i.e. pretext
KJV Usage: cloke, colour, pretence, show
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament
noun, f. | -εως | φαίνω
88.230 · Moral and Ethical Qualities and Related Behavior · Hypocrisy, Pretense
to pretend, pretense to pretend to be engaged in a particular activity
33.437 · Communication · Defend, Excuse
excuse what is said in defense of a particular action, but without real justification In a number of languages ‘to have no excuse’ is rendered as ‘to not be able to justify’ or ‘to not be able to give a good reason for.’
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament © United Bible Societies, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Thayer's Greek Lexicon
πρό-φασις, -ews, ἡ, (mpodaive, i.e. prop. ‘to cause to shine before’ [or ‘forth’; but many derive πρόφασις directly fr. πρό-φημι]), fr. Hom. down; a. a pretext (alleged reason, pretended cause) : τῆς πλεονεξίας, such as covetousness is wont to use, 1 Th. ii. 5 ([A. V. cloak of covelousness] the meaning being, that he had never misused his apostolic office in order to disguise or to hide avaricious designs) ; πρόφασιν ἔχειν (a phrase freq. in Grk. auth., cf. Passow s. v. mp. 1 Ὁ. vol. ii. p. 1251"; [L. and S. s. Vv. 1.3 e.]) περὶ τῆς ἁμαρτίας, Jn. xv. 22 [A. V.mrg. R.V. excuse |. Ὁ. show: προφάσει ὡς κτλ. [A. V.] under color as though they would etc. Acts xxvii. 30; προφάσει, [A. V. for a pretence], in pretence, ostensibly: Mt. xxiii. 14 (18) Ree.; Mk. xii. 40; Lk. xx. 47; Phil. i. 18.
Mounce Concise Greek Dictionary
πρόφασις prophasis 6x
pr. that which appears in front, that which is put forward to hide the true state of things; a fair show or pretext, Acts 27:30; a specious cloak, Mt. 23:13; 1 Thess. 2:5; an excuse, Jn. 15:22
Abbott-Smith Greek Lexicon
πρό-φασις, -εως, ἡ
(< φήμι), [in LXX: Ps 140 (141):4 (עֲלִילָה), Da TH 6:4, 5 (5, 6) (עִלָּה), Pr 18:1, Ho 10:4*;]
a pretence, pretext: Mt 23:1 (WM, R, txt., om.), Mk 12:40, Lk 20:47, Jo 15:22, Ac 27:30, Phl 1:18, I Th 2:5.†
Moulton & Milligan — Vocabulary of the Greek NT
πρόφασις (1.-οπἰαι), ‘‘on being appointed to the post of komogrammateus previously held by me” (Edd.), 2. 50% (B.c. 112-1) (= Chrest. I. p. 386) ἐκσκάψαι τὸν ὑδραγωγὸν καθὼς προὐπῆρξεν, “to dig out the conduit as it was before” (Edd.), and from the inscrr. Sy/7 462 (=% 526)? (iii/B.c.) κα[τὰ τ]οὺς νόμους τοὺς προὐυπίάρχ]ῇοντας, 7. 928 (= *679)"* (B.C. 143) στήλην λεύ]κου λίθου, ἣν καὶ στησάτω πλησίον τῆς προὐπαρχούση[ς] (sc. στήλης). Vett. Val. p. 2535 διὰ τὴν προὐπάρχουσαν ἔχθραν.
Liddell-Scott-Jones — Greek-English Lexicon
πρόφασις (prophasis) — pretense. πρόφᾰσ-ις, εως, ἡ, (προφαίνω) motive or cause alleged, whether truly or falsely: then, actual motive or cause, whether alleged or not:
I. alleged motive, plea, without implication of truth or falsity, ἐπὶ σμικρῇ π. [Refs 6th c.BC+]; καὶ ἐπὶ μεγάλῃ καὶ ἐπὶ βραχείᾳ π. whether the plea put forward be a trifle or a weighty matter, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; τῆς αἰτίας τὴν π. the plea in the case, the basis of the charge, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; τοιαύτας ἔχοντες π. καὶ αἰτίας pleas and motives, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; π. ἐπιεικής[Refs 4th c.BC+]; προφάσεις ἀληθεῖς λέγοντος pleading what was in fact true, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
I.2. falsely alleged motive (or cause), pretext, pretence, excuse, π. ἰδίης ἀβουλίης an excuse for.., [Refs 5th c.BC+] in pretence, ostensibly, στενάχοντο γυναῖκες Πάτροκλον π., σφῶν δ᾽ αὐτῶν κήδε᾽ ἑκάστη [Refs 8th c.BC+]; opposed to τὸ ἀληθές, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; προφάσει τῶν δημοσίων on the pretence that public debts are owing, [Refs 1st c.AD+]; προφάσιος [εἵνεκεν], προφάσεως ἕνεκα, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἐκ μικρᾶς π. [Refs 5th c.BC+]infinitive, αὕτη γὰρ ἦν σοι π. ἐκβαλεῖν ἐμέ for casting me out, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; π. τοῖς δειλοῖς ἔχει μὴ ἰέναι gives them an excuse or plea for not going, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; εὑρὼν π. [Refs 4th c.AD+]
I.2. b phrases, πρόφασιν διδόναι, ἐνδοῦναι, allow, afford an excuse, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; π. μηδεμίαν θέμενος making no excuse, [Refs 6th c.BC+]; π. προτεῖναι put forward a pretext, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; προφάσιας εἷλκον kept making pretences, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; π. τινὰ πρεσβείας πορισάμενοι [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἔχει προφάσεις it is excusable,[Refs 5th c.BC+]
I.2. c elliptically, μή μοι πρόφασιν no excuse, no shuffling, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
II. the actual motive, purpose, or cause, whether alleged or not, οὔτ᾽ εὐνῆς πρόφασιν κεχρημένος οὔτε τευ ἄλλου [Refs 8th c.BC+]; τὸ ἐκ προφάσεως τῶν.. στρατιωτῶν δηληγατευθὲν μέτρον ἐλαίου for the purpose of.., [Refs 4th c.AD+]; τὴν ἀληθεστάτην π., ἀφανεστάτην δὲ λόγῳ [Refs 5th c.BC+]: especially as a medical technical term, external exciting cause, ἐκ πάσης π. ἐκτιτρώσκουσι they miscarry on any provocation, [Refs 5th c.BC+]: generally, cause, σμικρὰ π. ἔξωθεν [Refs 5th c.BC+]; βραχεῖα π. [Refs 5th c.BC+]; φανερὴ π. [Refs 5th c.BC+]; βραχείας προφάσεως ἔδει μόνον ἐφ᾽ ᾗ.. δεξόμεθα.. it needed but a little to move us to.., [Refs 5th c.BC+]
II.2. occasion, θοἰμάτιον δεικνὺς τοδὶ πρόφασιν ἔφασκον, ὦ γύναι, λίαν σπαθᾷς I said à propos,.. I took occasion to say.., [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἐπὶ τῇ ἐμῇ π. à propos of me, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἐπὶ τῇ π. τῆς ἐμαυτοῦ ἀρχῆς on the occasion of my accession, [Refs 3rd c.AD+]
III. persuasion, suggestion, uncertain reading in [Refs 5th c.BC+]
IV. preface, τὰς σημειώσεις ὑπὸ μίαν ἐκθησόμεθα π. [Refs 1st c.AD+]