Quick Definition
I slay
Strong's Definition
to butcher (especially an animal for food or in sacrifice) or (generally) to slaughter, or (specially), to maim (violently)
Derivation: a primary verb;
KJV Usage: kill, slay, wound
Thayer's Greek Lexicon
σφάζω, Attic σφάττω: future σφάξω, Rev_6:4 L T Tr WH; 1 aorist ἐσφαξα; passive, perfect participle ἐσφαγμένος; 2 aorist ἐσφαγην; from Homer down; the Sept. very often for ωΘΡηΗθ, to slay, slaughter, butcher: properly, ἀρνίον, Rev_5:6; Rev_5:12; Rev_13:8; τινα, to put to death by violence (often so in Greek writings from Herodotus down), 1Jn_3:12; Rev_5:9; Rev_6:4; Rev_6:9; Rev_18:24. κεφαλή ἐσφαγμενη εἰς θάνατον, mortally wounded (R. V. smitten unto death), Rev_13:3. (Compare: κατασφάζω.)
Mounce Concise Greek Dictionary
σφάζω sphazō 10x
also spelled σφάττω ,
to slaughter, kill, slay;
pr. used of animals killed in sacrifice, etc., Rev_5:6 ; Rev_5:9 ; Rev_5:12 ; Rev_13:8 ;
of persons, etc., 1Jn_3:12 ; Rev_6:4 ; Rev_6:9 ; Rev_18:24 ;
to wound mortally, Rev_13:3 * slay.
Abbott-Smith Greek Lexicon
σφάζω ,
[in LXX chiefly for H7819 ;]
to slay, slaughter ( esp . of victims for sacrifice): ἀρνίον , Rev_5:6 ; Rev_5:12 ; Rev_13:8 ; of persons, 1Jn_3:12 , Rev_5:9 ; Rev_6:4 ; Rev_6:9 ; Rev_18:24 ; ἐσφαγμένη εἰς θάνατον ( RV , smitten unto death ), Rev_13:3 ( cf. κατα -σφάζω ).†
Moulton & Milligan — Vocabulary of the Greek NT
σφάζω [page 617]
slay, slaughter : cf. BGU II. 388 ii. 21 (ii/iii A.D.) ὅτε ἐσημάνθη , ὅτι ἐσφάγη [Σ ]εμπρώνιος , and OGIS 697 .6 ἐσφαγμένοι ἐν ὅρμῳ Πούχεως . See also the magic P Osl I. 1 .5 (iv/A.D.) ὁ τὸν ἴδιον ἀδελφὸν σφάξας (with the editor s note). For the form σφάττω (cf. Wackemagel Hellenistica , p. 24) see Syll 615 (= .3 1024) .36 (B.C. 200) πρὸς τῶι β [ωμ ]ῶι σ [φά ]ττετ [αι ] ( sc . ἄμνος ).
The verb is used hyperbolically in P Oxy II. 259 .33 (A.D. 23) βλέπε με πῶς με ἡ μήτηρ ἡ̣μ̣ω̣ν̣ [ἔ ]σ̣φαξε χάριν τοῦ χειρογράφου : the editors compare the similar use of φονεύω in P Lond 113. 12 ( d ) .11 (vi/vii A.D.) (= I. p. 227) ὁ χρεώστης ἐφ [ό ]νευσέν με .
In Pontic and certain other dialects σπάζω takes the place of σφάζω : Thumb Handbook , p. 18. For σφαγιάζω cf. Syll 929 (= .3 685) .27 (B.C. 139) σφαγιασθέντος ἱερείου .
Liddell-Scott — Intermediate Greek Lexicon
σφάζω [Etym: Root ΣΦΑΓ] "to slay, slaughter", properly "by cutting the throat" (v. σφαγή II), Hom. esp. "to slaughter" victims for sacrifice, Il. , Eur. generally "to slay, kill", first applied to human victims, Pind. , Trag. ; σφ. τινὰ ἐς τὸν κρητῆρα so that the blood run into the bowl, Hdt.
STEPBible — Tyndale Abridged Greek Lexicon
σφάζω
[in LXX chiefly for שָׁחַט ;]
to slay, slaughter (esp. of victims for sacrifice): ἀρνίον, Rev.5:6, 12 13:8; of persons, 1Jn.3:12, Rev.5:9 6:4, 9 18:24; ἐσφαγμένη εἰς θάνατον (RV, smitten unto death), Rev.13:3 (cf. κατα-σφάζω).†
(AS)