μᾶλλον
English (LSJ)
Adv. Comp. of μάλα,
A v. μάλα 11.
German (Pape)
Greek (Liddell-Scott)
μᾶλλον: ἐπίρρ., συγκρ. τοῦ μάλα, ἴδε μάλα ΙΙ.
French (Bailly abrégé)
v. μάλα.
English (Autenrieth)
see μάλα.
English (Strong)
neuter of the comparative of the same as μάλιστα; (adverbially) more (in a greater degree)) or rather: + better, X far, (the) more (and more), (so) much (the more), rather.
English (Thayer)
(comparitive of μάλα, very, very much) (from Homer down), adverb, more, to a greater degree; rather;
1. added to verbs and adjectives, it denotes increase, a greater quantity, a larger measure, a higher degree, more, more fully (German in höherem Grade, Maasse);
a. words defining the measure or size are joined to it in the ablative (dative): πολλῷ much, by far, Isaiah , the measure of salvation for which we are indebted to Christ is far greater than that of the ruin which came from Adam; for the difference between the consequences traceable to Adam and to Christ is not only one of quality, but of quantity also; cf. Rückert, Commentary on Romans , vol. i. 281 f (others (from Chrysostom to Meyer and Godet) content themselves here with a logical increase, far more certainly)); πόσῳ how much, τοσούτῳ by so much, ὅσῳ by as much (namely, μᾶλλον), than before must be mentally added (A. V. the more, so much the more), as μᾶλλον θόρυβος γίνεται (but others refer this to 2b. ἆ. below)); διήρχετο μᾶλλον); μᾶλλον ἐζήτουν); ἔτι μᾶλλον καί μᾶλλον, πολλῷ μᾶλλον κρεῖσσον, Wetstein on Philippians , the passage cited); Winer s Grammar, § 35,1cf. 603 (561); (Buttmann, § 123,11); to verbs that have a comparative force, μᾶλλον διαφέρειν τίνος, to be of much more value than one, μᾶλλον ἤ, more than, μᾶλλον with the genitive, πάντων ὑμῶν, Xenophon, mem. 3,17, 1). joined to positive terms it forms a periphrasis for a comparative (cf. Winer's Grammar, § 35,2a.), followed by ἤ, as μακάριον, μᾶλλον for μακαριωτερον, πολλῷ μᾶλλον ἀναγκαῖά, μᾶλλον, seems to be omitted before ἤ; see under ἤ, 3f. c. μᾶλλον δέ, what moreover is of greater moment (A. V. yea rather): rather, sooner (German eher, vielmehr, lieber);
a. it denotes that which occurs more easily than something else, and may be rendered sooner (German eher): thus πολλῷ μᾶλλον in arguing from the less to the greater, L T Tr WH πολι μᾶλλον); also πολύ (R G πολλῷ) μᾶλλον namely, οὐκ ἐκφευξόμεθα, i. e. much more shall we not escape (cf. Winer s Grammar, p. 633 (588) note (Buttmann, § 148,3b.)), or even ἔνδικον μισθαποδοσίαν ληψόμεθα (Matthiae, § 634,3), πόσῳ μᾶλλον, οὐ μᾶλλον; (Latin nonne potius?) (do not ... more), the rather (German vielmehr); α. after a preceding negative or prohibitive sentence: μᾶλλον δέ, οὐχί μᾶλλον; (nonne potius ?) not rather etc.? β. so that μᾶλλον belongs to the thing which is preferred, consequently to a noun, not to a verb: ἠγάπησαν μᾶλλον τό σκότος ἡ τό φῶς, i. e. when they ought to have loved the light they (hated it, and) loved the darkness, Winer's Grammar, § 35,4): ἤ τόν Ἰησοῦν); Isaiah , 'so far is the gospel from suffering any loss or disadvantage from my imprisonment, that the number of disciples is increased in consequence of it'). γ. by way of correction, μᾶλλον δέ, nay rather; to speak more correctly: Josephus, Antiquities 15,11, 3; Aelian v. h. 2,13and often in secular authors; cf. Grimm, Exeg. Hdbch. on Sap., p. 176f).
c. it does not do away with that with which it is in opposition, but marks what has the preference: more willingly, more readily, sooner (German lieber), θέλω μᾶλλον and εὐδοκῶ μᾶλλον, to prefer, βούλομαι μᾶλλον, Xenophon, Cyril 1,1, 1); ζηλουν, μᾶλλον namely, ζηλοῦτε); χρωμαι, 1 Corinthians 7:21.