G5425: φρίσσω (phríssō)

G5425 φρίσσω (phríssō)

Greek 📖 Word Study

Quick Definition

φρίσσω v. I shudder

Strong's Definition

apparently a primary verb; to "bristle" or chill, i.e. shudder (fear)

KJV Usage: tremble

UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament

φρίσσω (G5425)

verb

25.260 · Attitudes and Emotions · Fear, Terror, Alarm

to shudder with fear, to be extremely afraid to be so afraid as to shudder or tremble

JAS 2:19

¹ It is possible to regard τρέμω[b] (25.259) and φρίσσω (25.260) as belonging simultaneously to two quite distinct semantic domains, the one being physiological, that is to say, a type of uncontrolled physical response because of fear or great awe, and a psychological experience of fear or terror. Since, however, it is the latter which gives rise to the former, one would seem to be more justified in treating these meanings as matters of emotive responses rather than as physiological events.

UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament © United Bible Societies, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Thayer's Greek Lexicon

φρίσσω; very often in Grk. writ. fr. Hom. down; to be rough, Lat. horreo, horresco, i.e. 1. to bristle, stiffen, stand up: ἔφριξάν μου τρίχες, Job iv. 15 Sept.; with ὀρθαί added, Hes. opp. 510; ὀρθὰς... . φρίσσει τρίχας (cogn. ace. of the part affected), Hes. scut. 391; with cold, διὰ τὸ ψῦχος, Plut. quaest. nat. 13, 2 p.915b. 2. to shudder, to be struck with extreme fear, to be horrified : absol., Jas. ii. 19; 4 Mace. xiv. 9; like the Lat. horreo, horresco, constr. with an acc. of the object exciting the fear, Hom. ἢ. 11, 383, and often.

Mounce Concise Greek Dictionary

φρίσσω phrissō 1x

to be ruffled, to bristle; to shiver, shudder from fear, Jas. 2:19*

Abbott-Smith Greek Lexicon

φρίσσω

(Att.. -ττω, and so IV Mac 14:9 17:7) [in LXX: Jb 4:15 (סמר pi.), etc. ;]

to be rough, bristle.

to shiver, shudder, tremble, from fear: Ja 2:19 (v. Hort, in l.).†

Moulton & Milligan — Vocabulary of the Greek NT

φρίσσω, which is ‘‘specially used of awe of a mysterious Divine power ” (Hort ad Jas 2"), is well illustrated by P Leid Viv. 2 (iii/iv A.D.) (=IL. p. 17) τὸ μέγα ὄνομα λέγειν: Aw, ὃν (2 δὴ πᾶς θεὸς προσκύνει, καὶ π[ᾶ]ς δαίμων φρείσσει (1 φρίσσει). Cf. Herodas VI. 44 τοὺς γὰρ τελώνας πᾶσα νῦν θύρη φρίσσει, “for every door now-a-days shudders at the tax-gatherers” (Knox). The verbal φρικτός is common in magical papyri, e.g. P Leid WY: (ii/iii A.D.) (= 11. p. 95) ὀνόματι ἁγείῳ (ἁγίῳ) . . φοβερῷ kal φρικτῷ, P Lond 12194 (jii/a.p.) (=I. p. 94) ὀνεί[ρ]ους τε φρικτούς, 74. 468° (iv/a.D.) (=I. p. 68) κατὰ τῶν φρικτῶν ὀνομάτων, 50 118, and 7b, 12.319 (iv/v A.D.) (=I. Ῥ- 121) κατὰ τῆς φρικτῆς ἀνάγκης. See also Deissmann BS p. 288, and the magic P Osl I. 19 (iv/a.p.) τόν σου υἱὸν φροῖξον, ‘shudder at thine own son’’ with the editor’s note (p. 36) that “" φρίσσειν (cf. τὰ φρικτὰ ὀνόματα) is constantly used of the effect that the sorcerer wishes to bring about by means of his magic.” The verb occurs in two poems on the death of a dog, Preisigke 6754°- (iii/B.c.) (= Archiv vi. p- 453£.). See also the reff. in Preuschen-Bauer, Worterd. s.v. For the subst. φρίξ, cf. the Gnostic charm P Oxy VI. 924° (iv/A.D.) συντηρήσῃς ᾿Αρίας (/. ᾿Αρίαν) ἀπὸ τοῦ ἐπιημερινοῦ (/. τῆς ἐφημερινῆς) φρικός, “protect Aria from ague by day,” and 4, and Sy//8®° (---ὃ 1239)}9(ii/a.p.) where a tomb is entrusted to the care of the καταχθόνιοι θεοί with the prayer that whoever violates it shall be submitted to various ills kal φρείκῃ [κ]α}] πυρετῷ κτλ.

Liddell-Scott-Jones — Greek-English Lexicon

φρίσσω (phrissō) — to shudder. φρίσσω, Attic dialect φρίττω [Refs 5th c.BC+]: future φρίξω [Refs 2nd c.AD+]: aorist ἔφριξα [Refs 8th c.BC+]: perfect πέφρῑκα [Refs]; poetry participle πεφρίκοντες [Refs 5th c.BC+]: pluperfect ἐπεφρίκει [Refs 1st c.AD+] —middle, aorist 1 ἐφριξάμην falsa lectio in [Refs 8th c.BC+]:—to be rough or uneven on the surface, bristle, φρίσσουσιν ἄρουραι (i.e. σταχύεσσι) [Refs 8th c.BC+]; of a line of battle, ἔφριξεν μάχη ἐγχείῃσιν [Refs 8th c.BC+]; φρίξας εὐλόφῳ σφηκώματι, of the crest of a helmet, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; of a tree, φρίσσουσα ζεφύροις [Refs 5th c.BC+]; χερσὶ δεξιωνύμοις ἔφριξεν αἰθήρ, of a crowd holding up their hands to vote, [Refs 4th c.BC+]; of hair, mane, or bristles, bristle up, stand on end, μηδ᾽ ὀρθαὶ φρίσσωσιν [τρίχες] [Refs 8th c.BC+]; of foliage, φύλλα πεφρικότα, opposed to κεκλιμένα, [Refs 4th c.BC+] having set up his bristly mane, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; φ. νῶτον, αὐχένας, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; also πτεροῖσι νῶτα πεφρίκοντες bristling on their backs with feathers, [Refs 5th c.BC+]

2. ἄσθματι φρίσσων πνοάς ruckling in his throat, of one just dying, uncertain reading in [Refs 5th c.BC+]

3. of the rippling surface of smooth water [Refs 2nd c.AD+]; of breakers, ῥηγμῖνες φ. [Refs 3rd c.BC+]; also of rain, φρίσσοντες ὄμβροι [Refs 5th c.BC+]

II. frequently of a feeling of chill, shiver, shudder:

II.1. of the effect of cold, shiver, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; χωρὶς τοῦ φρῖξαι unless he catch a chill, [Refs 2nd c.AD+]; of the teeth, chatter, [Refs 1st c.BC+]

II.2. of the effect of fear, shudder, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἅλω δὲ πολλὴν.. ἔφριζα δινήσαντος I shuddered when he swung the vast shield round, [Refs 4th c.BC+]; οὐ φρίττουσιν (i.e. animals) ὡς φρίττουσιν οἱ ἄνθρωποι [Refs 1st c.BC+]: with accusative, shudder at one, οἵ τέ σε πεφρίκασι [Refs 8th c.BC+]infinitive, πέφρικα.. Ἐρινὺν τελέσαι I tremble at the thought of her accomplishing.., [Refs 4th c.BC+] they shall shudder at the oars is falsa lectio for{φρύξουσι} in Oracle texts cited in [Refs 5th c.BC+]participle, πέφρικα λεύσσων I shudder at seeing, [Refs 4th c.BC+]: with infinitive, fear to do, [Refs 4th c.BC+]

II.3. feel a holy thrill or awe at, ἐν ἱερῷ φ. ἅπαντα καὶ προσκυνεῖν [Refs 1st c.AD+]

II.4. thrill with passionate joy, ἔφριξ᾽ ἔρωτι [Refs 5th c.BC+].—Rare in early Prose, except in the sense of shuddering, fearing, [Refs 5th c.BC+]