Quick Definition
χωρέω v. I make room, go, receive
Strong's Definition
from 5561; to be in (give) space, i.e. (intransitively) to pass, enter, or (transitively) to hold, admit (literally or figuratively)
KJV Usage: come, contain, go, have place, (can, be room to) receive
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament
verb | ἀναχωρέω · ἀποχωρέω · ἐκχωρέω · εὐρύχωρος · περίχωρος · στενοχωρέομαι · στενοχωρία · ὑποχωρέω · χώρα · χωρίον
15.13 · Linear Movement · Move, Come/Go
to move on, to advance to move on from one place to another In translating MAT 15:17 it may be necessary to add an element which suggests swallowing, since something which enters a person’s mouth does not automatically go into the stomach. Accordingly, it may be necessary to translate ‘anything that goes into a person’s mouth and is swallowed goes on then into his stomach.’ It would also be possible to say ‘anything that goes into one’s throat goes on then into a person’s stomach.’
In JHN 8:37 χωρέω[a] appears to be used figuratively in the statement ὁ λόγος ὁ ἐμὸς οὐ χωρεῖ ἐν ὑμῖν ‘my word makes no progress in you,’ but it is also possible to interpret χωρέω in this context as referring to an adequate place, for example, ‘my word finds no room in you’ (see 80.4).
80.4 · Space · Space, Place
to have room for, to be space for, to contain to be a quantity of space
31.57 · Hold a View, Believe, Trust · Accept As True
to be able to accept, to receive to be able to accept a message and respond accordingly It is possible to understand χωρέω in MAT 19:11 as meaning ‘to be able to understand.’
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament © United Bible Societies, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Thayer's Greek Lexicon
χωρέω, -ὦ ; fut. inf. χωρήσειν (In. xxi. 25 Tr WH); 1 aor. ἐχώρησα ; (χῶρος, ἃ place, space, and this fr. XAQ, cf. χώρα); 1. prop. to leave a space (which may be occupied or filled by another), to make room, give place, yield, (Hom. Il. 12,406; 16, 592; al.); to retire, pass: of a thing, εἴς τι, Mt. xv. 17. metaph. to betake one’s self, turn one’s self: eis μετάνοιαν, 2 Pet. iii. 9 [A. V. come ; cf. μετάνοια, p. 406"). 2. to go forward, advance, proceed, (prop. νύξ, Aeschyl. Pers. 384); to make progress, gain ground, succeed, (Plat. Eryx. p. 398 b.; legg. 3 p. 684e.; [χωρεῖ τὸ κακόν, Arstph. nub. 907, vesp. 1483; al.]; Polyb. 10, 35, 4; 28,15,12; al.): ὁ λόγος 6 ἐμὸς ov χωρεῖ ἐν ὑμῖν, gaineth no ground among you or within you [R. V. hath not free course (with mrg. hath no place) in you], Jn. viii. 37 [cf. Field, Otium Norv. pars iii. ad loc. ]. 3. to have space or room for receiving or holding something (Germ. fassen) ; prop.: τί, a thing to fill the vacant space, Jn. xxi. 25 [not Tdf.]; of a space large enough to hold a certain number of people, Mk. ii. 2 (Gen. xiii. 6 [ef. Plut. praec. ger. reipub. 8, 5 p- 804 b.]) ; of measures, which hold a certain quantity, Jn. ii.6; 1 K. vii. 24 (38); 2 Chr. iv. 5, and in Grk. writ. fr. Hdt. down. metaph. to receive with the mind or understanding, to understand, (τὸ Κάτωνος φρόνημα, Plut. Cat. min. 64; ὅσον αὐτῷ ἡ ψυχὴ χωρεῖ, Ael. v. h. 3, 9); to be ready to receive, keep in mind, and practise: τὸν λόγον τοῦτον, this saying, Mt. xix. 11 sq. [(ef. Plut. Lycurg. 13, 5)]; τινά, to receive one into one’s heart, make room for one in one’s heart, 2 Co. vii. 2. [Comp.: ἀνα-, azo-, ἐκ-, ὑπο- χωρέω. SYN. ef. ἔρχομαι.
Mounce Concise Greek Dictionary
χωρέω chōreō 10x
to make room, either by motion or capacity; to move, pass, Mt. 15:17; to proceed, go on, 2 Pet. 3:9; to progress, make way, Jn. 8:37; trans. to hold as contents, contain, afford room for, Mk. 2:2; Jn. 2:6; 21:25; met. to give mental admittance to, to yield accordance, Mt. 19:11, 12; to admit to approbation and esteem, to regard cordially, 2 Cor. 7:2*
Abbott-Smith Greek Lexicon
χωρέω, -ῶ
[in LXX: Ge 13:6 (נשׂא), III Ki 7:26, 38 (כּוּל hi.), II Ch 4:5 (חזק hi.), Wi 7:23, 24, al. ;]
Intrans.,
to make room, give way, retire, pass: seq. εἰς, Mt 15:17; metaph. (EV, come), εἰς μετάνοιαν, II Pe 3:9.
to go forward, advance, progress (Plat., Polyb., al.) ὁ λόγος ὁ ἐμὸς οὐ χωρεῖ. ἐν ὑμῖν, Jo 8:37 (R, txt., hath not free course; R, mg., hath no place, for wh. cf. Field, Notes, 94 f.).
Trans., to have space for holding, to hold: Mk 2:2 (cf. Ge, l.c.), Jo 21:25; of measures (III Ki, II Ch, ll. c.), Jo 2:6. Metaph., of having or making room in mind or heart: Mt 19:11, 12 (EV, receive), II Co 7:2 (R, txt., open your hearts; mg., make room) (cf. ἀνα-, ἀπο-, ἐκ-, ὑπο-χωρέω).†
Moulton & Milligan — Vocabulary of the Greek NT
χωρέω is used with the same variety of connotation in ordinary usage as in the NT., as the following exx. will show :— (1) ‘go away,” ‘‘ withdraw,” followed by eis (Mt 151’, 2 Pet 3%): P Oxy VII. 10214 (A.D. 54) ὁ μὲν ὀφειλόμενος τοῖς προγόνοις καὶ ἐνφανὴς θεὸς Καῖσαρ εἰς αὐτοὺς κεχώρηκε, ‘‘the Caesar who had to pay his debt to his ancestors, god manifest, has joined them’’ (Ed.), with reference to the decease of the Emperor Claudius: cf. BGU III. 760° (ii/A.p.) ἄχυρα τὰ καὶ χωροῦντα ts ὑπόκαυσιν τοῦ με[γάϊλου γυμίνασίου), P Tebt II. 397°? (A.D. 198) τῶν δραχμῶν χωρουσῶν is τὸ δημόσιον ὑπὲρ τιμῆς πυροῦ, ‘the drachmae are being paid to the treasury as the price of wheat” (Edd.), 76. 423° (early iii/A.D.) χωρησάτω eis τὴν Τβεκλῦτιν χορτάρακός τε kal ἄρακος plolvaxds εἰς σπέρματα, ““Ἰεῖ the grass aracus and the aracus go alone to ‘Ibeklutis for seed,” P Oxy X. 1278°3 (a.p. 214) τὸ]ν κ[όϊπρον χωρῆσαι κατ᾽ ἔϊτος εἰς TO προκείμ]ενον af ὑἸτῶν ἀμπελ[ικὸν κτῆμα, ‘the dung is to go annually to their aforesaid vineyard” (Edd.), and P Ryl IT. 236° (a.p. 256) ποίησον - ὥμους δύο ἐλαιουργικοὺς κοπῆναι ἵνα χωρήσωσιν εἰς τὸ ἐλαιουργῖον ᾿Αμμωνίου, ‘‘have two beams(?) cut for oil-presses so that they may go to the press of Ammonius.” (2) “pass,” ‘‘pass nuuster’’?: P Lond 356"? (i/a.v.) (=II. p. 252, Selections, p. 59) σαπρὸν αὐτῷ δοῦναι τὸ μὴ χωροῦν ἐν τῇ ᾿Αλεξανδρείᾳ, ‘‘gave him stale stuff, which will not pass muster in Alexandria,” with reference to drugs. (3) ‘‘give place to,’’ ‘‘make room for,” lit., P Cairo Zen III. 59509° (iii/B.c.) 6 yap b)rapxwy (sc. θησαυρὸς) οὐχ ἱκαν[ός ἐστι] χωρεῖν τὸν σῖτον, of a granary which is not large enough to hold the crop, and metaph., as in 2 Cor 72, Chrest. I. 2388 (c. A.D. 117) ἐπεὶ οὔτε ὑμεῖς τὴν ὑπόνοιαν ταύτην χωρεῖτε, and Sy// 376 (= *814)" (A.D. 67) χαρίζομαι τοσαύτην ὅσην οὐκ ἐχωρήσατε αἰτεῖσθαι, Nero’s speech regarding Greek liberty. , χωρίζω, “separate,” “divide”; cf. Wiinsch 42 p. 1274 ἐξορκίζω ὑμᾶς κατὰ τοῦ ἐπάν(ω) Tod οὐρανοῦ θεοῦ. . . ὁ διορίσας τὴν γῆν καὶ χωρίσας τὴν θάλασσαν : cf. Gen 1’, Isai 457°. See also P Fay 110! (A.D. 94) χώρισον τὸ κόπριον εἰς τὴν κοπρηγίαν, ‘‘take away the manure to the manure-heap a (Edd.). In mid. and pass. the verb passes into the meaning ‘separate oneself from,” ‘‘depart,” as in P Tor I. 1%
Liddell-Scott-Jones — Greek-English Lexicon
χωρέω (chōreō) — to make room for. χωρ-έω, [Refs 6th c.BC+]; future χωρήσω [Refs 8th c.BC+], and in later Prose, as [Refs 1st c.BC+]; Attic dialect only in [Refs 5th c.BC+]; elsewhere in Trag. and Attic dialect always in middle form, χωρήσομαι, [Refs 5th c.BC+]aorist ἐχώρησα, Epic dialect χώρησα, [Refs 8th c.BC+]: perfect κεχώρηκα [Refs 5th c.BC+] —passive, future χωρηθήσομαι (συγ-) [Refs 2nd c.BC+]aorist ἐχωρήθην (συν-) [Refs 5th c.BC+]perfect κεχώρηται (παρα-) [Refs 5th c.BC+]: (χῶρος):—make room for another, give way, withdraw, ἐχώρησαν πάλιν αὖτις [Refs 8th c.BC+]; γαῖα ἔνερθε χώρησεν the earth gave way from beneath, i. e. opened, [Refs]; χ. πρύμναν, ={κρούεσθαι πρύμναν}, put back, retire, [Refs 5th c.BC+]begone! [Refs 5th c.BC+]—The uncom pounded word does not occur in [Refs 8th c.BC+] and only future and aorist in [Refs 8th c.BC+] —Construction:
1. with genitive of things vel loci, χώρησεν τυτθὺν ἐπάλξιος [Refs 8th c.BC+]
2. with dative person, give way to one, make way for him, retire before him, οὐδ᾽ ἂν Ἀχιλλῆϊ χωρήσειεν [Refs 8th c.BC+]
II. after [Refs 8th c.BC+], go forward, advance, τὸ πῦρ.. πρόσω κεχώρηκεν [Refs]; simply, go or come, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; go on one's journey, travel, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; χ. πρὸς ἔργον come to action, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; χ. πρὸς ἧπαρ go to one's heart, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; χωρῶν ἀπείλει νῦν go and threaten, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; τὰ τοξεύματα ἐχώρει διὰ τῶν ἀσπίδων, of weapons, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; τὸ ὕδωρ κατὰ τὰς τάφρους ἐχώρει it went off by.., [Refs 5th c.BC+]; χώρει κάτω go downwards, i.e. beginning from the upper parts of the body, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; χ. κύκλῳ [ὁ ποταυός] [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ὁμόσε χ. τισί to join battle, [Refs 5th c.BC+] the night was passing, near an end, [Refs 4th c.BC+]wander about, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; also of the menses, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
II. b to be in motion or flux, πάντα χωρεῖ [Refs 5th c.BC+]
II.2. go forward, make progress, τοὔργον οὐ χωρεῖ πρόσω [Refs 5th c.BC+]; χωρεῖ.. τὸ πρᾶγμα[Refs]
II.3. come to an issue, turn out in a certain manner, παρὰ σμικρὰ.. κεχώρηκε have come to little, of the event of oracles, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; κακῶς χ. turn out ill, [Refs 5th c.BC+]: frequently absolutely, advance, succeed, [NT+5th c.BC+]; also, to be possible, οὐ γάρ οἱ χωρεῖ περιβαλεῖν κτλ. [Refs 2nd c.AD+]
II.4. to be spread abroad, ἡ φάτις κεχώρηκε a report spread, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; διὰ πάντων οὕτως ἐχώρει τίς ἕψετα;” [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ὄνομα δόξῃ διὰ πάντων ἀνθρώπων κεχωρηκός a name spread abroad, [Refs]
II.5. of money, to be spent, τὰς μὲν δαπάνας χωρεῖν ἐντελεῖς ἐκ τῶν οἴκων, τὰ δὲ ἔργα μὴ τελείσθαι λυσιτελούντως πρὸς τὴν δαπάνην [Refs 5th c.BC+]
III. transitive, have room for a thing, hold, contain, frequently of measures, κρητὴρ χωρέων ἀμφορέας ἑξακοσίους [LXX+5th c.BC+]; χωρήσατε ἡμᾶς take us into your hearis! [NT]find room for.., [NT]; to be capable of, τὸ Κάτωνος φρόνημα [Refs 1st c.AD+]: with infinitive, to be capable of doing, οὐ χωρεῖ μεγάλην διδαχὴν ἀδίδακτος ἀκούειν (variant for{ἀκουή}) [Refs 1st c.AD+]
III.2. impersonal, ὅταν μηκέτι χωρῇ αὐταῖς ἐργαζομέναις [ταῖς μελίτταις] when there is no more room for them, [Refs 4th c.BC+]