to be

Greek Verb

εἰμί, with various uses and significations, like the English verb to be. I. As substantive verb. 1) Of persons and things, to be, exist: Act.17:28, Jhn.1:1, 8:58, 17:5, al; ὁ ὢν καὶ ὁ ἦν (for past ptcp.), Rev.1:4, 8, 4:8, 11:17, 16:5 (see Swete, Ap., 5; M, Pr., 228); τὰ (μὴ) ὄντα, Rom.4:17, 1Co.1:28. 2) Of times, events, etc, to be, happen, take place: Mat.24:3, Mrk.14:2, 15:42, Luk.21:23, Jhn.4:6, 23, 5:10, al. 3) to be present, be in a place, have come: Mat.2:13, 15, Mrk.1:45, 5:21, 15:40, Luk.1:80, 5:29, Jhn.7:30, al; before εἰς, Mrk.2:1; before ἐκ, (ἐξ), Mat.1:20, 21:25, Mrk.11:30, Jhn.3:31, al. 4) Impers, ἔστι, ἦν, etc; (a) there is (Fr. il y a), was, etc: Mat.16:28, Luk.16:19, Jhn.3:1, 5:2, Rom.3:10, al; with dative (of the possessor; Bl, §37, 3), Mat.16:22, Luk.1:7, Jhn.18.10, Rom.9:2, al; ἔστιν ὅς, ὅστις (chiefly in pl), Mat.16:28, 19:2, Mrk.9:1, al; (b) with inf, = ἔξεστιν (which see), it is possible: Heb.9:5, 1Co.11:20, RV (but see ICC, in l.). II. As copula uniting subject and predicate. 1) Expressing simply identity or equivalence: Mat.5:13, 14:15, Luk.1:18, 19, Jhn.1:1, 4:19, Rev.3:9, al. mult. 2) Explicative, as in parable, figure, type, etc: Mat.13:19, 1Co.9:2, 10:4, 11:25, Gal.4:24, Rev.17:15, al; ταῦτ᾽ ἔστιν, Mat.27:46, Mrk.7:2, Rom.7:18 al; ὅ ἐστιν, Mrk.3:17, Col.1:24, Heb.7:2, al; akin to this is the sacramental usage: Mat.26:26-28, Mrk.14:22, 24, Luk.22:19, 1Co.11:24 (see ICC on Mk, I Co, ll. with; DB, iii, 148 f.). 3) C. genitive: qual, etc, Mrk.5:42, Luk.3:23, 1Co.14:33, Heb.12:11, al; part, 1Ti.1:20, 2Ti.1:15; poss, Mat.5:3, 10, Mrk.12:7, Luk.4:7; of service or partisanship, Rom.8:9, 1Co.1:12, 2Co.10:7, 2Ti.2:19. 4) C. dative (BL, §37, 3): Act.1:8, 9:15, Rom.4:12, 1Co.1:18, 2:14, Rev.21:7, al. 5) C. ptcp, as a periphrasis for the simple verb (Bl, §62, 1, 2; M, Pr., 225 ff.); (a) with ptcp. pf. (cl.): Mat.10:30, Luk.9:32, Jhn.3:24, Act.21:35, 1Co.15:19, al; (b) with ptcp. pr. (esp. in impf, as in Heb. and Aram; Dalman, Words, 35 f.), Mat.7:29, Mrk.1:22, Luk.4:31, 14:1, Act.1:10, al. mult, id. for imper. (M, Pr., 180f, 182f.), with ellipsis of εἰμί, Rom.12:9, 10, Heb.13:5, al; (with) with ptcp. aor. (cl), Luk.23:9. 6) Seq. εἰς (cf. Heb. הָיָה לְ), a vernac. usage (M, Pr., 71): Mat.19:5, Mrk.10:8, Heb.8:10, al. 7) C. adv: Mat.19:20, Mrk.4:26, Luk.18:11, al. 8) Ellipses; (a) of the copula (Bl, §30, 3): Mat.8:29, 24:32, Jhn.21:22, 23, Heb.6:4, al; (b) of the predicate: ἐγώ εἰμί, Mat.14:27, Mrk.6:50, al; absol. (cf. Deu.32:39; אֲנִי הוּא), Mrk.13:6, Jhn.4:26, al. (cf. ἄπ, ἔν, πάρ, συμ-πάρ, σύν-ειμι). (AS)

to be

Greek Verb

εἰμί (sum), Aeolic dialect ἔμμι [Refs 7th c.BC+]; Cretan dialect ἠμί [Refs]; 2nd pers. singular εἶ, Epic dialect and Ionic dialect εἰς [Refs 8th c.BC+], Epic dialect and Doric dialect ἐσσί [Refs 8th c.BC+]; 3rd.pers. singular ἐστί, Doric dialect ἐντί [Refs 3rd c.BC+]; 3rd.pers. dual ἐστόν [Refs 5th c.BC+]; 1st pers. plural ἐσμέν, Epic dialect and Ionic dialect εἰμέν (also in [Refs 5th c.BC+], Doric dialect εἰμές [Refs 3rd c.BC+]; 3rd.pers. plural εἰσί (-ίν), Epic dialect and Ionic dialect ἔασι (-ιν) [Refs 8th c.BC+], Doric dialect ἐντί [Refs 5th c.BC+], Epic dialect and Lyric poetry also in middle form ἔσσο [Refs 8th c.BC+]; 3rd.pers. singular ἔστω (ἤτω [LXX+5th c.BC+]; 3rd.pers. plural ἔστωσαν, but ἔστων [Refs 8th c.BC+], and early Attic dialect Inscrr, [Refs 2nd c.BC+]subjunctive ὦ, ᾖς, ᾖ, Epic dialect ἔω [Refs 8th c.BC+]; 3rd.pers. singular ἔῃ [Refs 8th c.BC+], also Boeotian dialect ἔνθω [Refs 8th c.BC+]; Doric dialect 3rd.pers. plural ὦντι [Refs], Boeotian dialect ἴωνθι [Refs 6th c.BC+], -η, also ἔοις, ἔοι, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; 3rd.pers. plural εἴοισαν Ἀρχ. Ἐφ. [Refs]; 3rd.pers. dual εἴτην [Refs 5th c.BC+]; 1st pers. plural εἶμεν [Refs 5th c.BC+]; 2nd pers. plural εἶτε [Refs 8th c.BC+]; 3rd.pers. plural εἶεν [Refs 8th c.BC+]; Elean ἔα, ={εἴη}, [Refs 6th c.BC+]infinitive εἶναι, [Refs 4th c.BC+]; Epic dialect ἔμμεναι (also Aeolic dialect ἔμμεν᾽ [Refs 7th c.BC+]; Doric dialect εἶμεν Foed. cited in [Refs 5th c.BC+]participle ὤν, Epic dialect ἐών, ἐοῦσα, ἐόν, [Refs 5th c.AD+]; Boeotian dialect feminine ἰῶσα [Refs], Aeolic dialect and Doric dialect feminine ἔσσα [Refs 7th c.BC+] (also Ionic dialect, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; nominative singular εἴς in [Refs 7th c.BC+]: imperfect ἦν [Refs 8th c.BC+] (also Aeolic dialect, [Refs 7th c.BC+] (uncertain in Aeolic dialect, [Refs 7th c.BC+] is required by metre in [Refs 8th c.BC+], whence Hom.and later Ionic dialect ἔᾱ [Refs 8th c.BC+]; Epic dialect 3rd.pers. singular ἦεν, always with ν in [Refs 8th c.BC+]; ἔην as 1st pers. singular, only [Refs 8th c.BC+]; 2nd pers. singular ἦσθα, later ἦς (which is variant in [NT+5th c.BC+]; 3rd.pers. singular ἦν, Epic dialect ἔην, ἤην, ἦεν (see. above), Doric dialect and Aeolic dialect ἦς [Refs 7th c.BC+]; 3rd.pers. dual ἤστην [Refs 8th c.BC+]; Doric dialect 1st pers. plural ἦμες [Refs 1st c.AD+]; 2nd pers. plural ἦτε [Refs 5th c.BC+]; 3rd.pers. plural ἦσαν, Ionic dialect and poetical ἔσαν (in [Refs 8th c.BC+], but is rather a peculiarity of syntax, see below see, but is 3rd.pers. plural in [Refs 5th c.BC+]; Aeolic dialect ἔον [NT+5th c.BC+], 2nd pers. singular ἦσο [Refs], 3rd.pers. singular ἦστο [Refs], 1st pers. plural ἤμεθα [NT+3rd c.BC+]; subjunctive ὦμαι [Refs 2nd c.BC+]; Ionic dialect and Epic dialect also ἔσκον, used by [Refs 4th c.BC+]future ἔσομαι, ἔσται, Epic dialect and Aeolic dialect also ἔσσομαι, ἔσεται, ἔσσετα; Aeolic dialect 2nd pers. singular ἔσσῃ probably in [Refs 8th c.BC+], infinitive ἐσσεῖσθαι [Refs 5th c.BC+] —All forms of the present indicative are enclitic (except 2nd pers. singular εἶ and 3rd.pers. plural ἔασι); but 3rd.pers. singular is written ἔστι when it begins a sentence or verse, or when it immediately follows οὐκ, καί, εἰ, ὡς, ἀλλά, or τοῦτ᾽, Hdn.Gr.[Refs]; later Grammars wrote ἔστι as substantive Verb, [Refs 9th c.AD+] A) as the substantive Verb, A.I) of persons, exist, οὐκ ἔσθ᾽ οὗτος ἀνήρ, οὐδ᾽ ἔσσεται [Refs 8th c.BC+]; ἔτ᾽ εἰσί they are still in being,[Refs 8th c.BC+]; οὐκέτ᾽ ἐστί he is no more, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; οὐδὲ δὴν ἦν he was not long-lived, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; ὁ οὐκ ὤν, οἱ οὐκ ὄντες, of those who are no more, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; οἱ ὄντες the living, [Refs 2nd c.BC+]; ὁ ὤν the [LXX+8th c.BC+]; ἐσσόμενοι posterity,[Refs 5th c.BC+]; ὡς ἂν εἶεν ἅνθρωποι might continue in being, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; of things, εἰ ἔστι ἀληθέως [ἡ τράπεζα] [Refs 5th c.BC+]; of cities, ὄλωλεν, οὐδ᾽ ἔτ᾽ ἐστὶ Τροία [Refs 5th c.BC+]; δοκεῖ μοι Καρχηδόνα μὴ εἶναι censeo Carthaginem esse delendam, [Refs 1st c.AD+]; ἂν ᾖ τὸ στράτευμα be in existence, [Refs 4th c.BC+]; of money, to be in hand, τῶν ὄντων χρημάτων καὶ τῶν προσιόντων [Refs]; τὰ ὄντα property, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; τὸ ἐσόμενον ἐκ. future revenue from, [Refs 1st c.BC+]; of place, τὴν οὖσαν ἐκκλησίαν the local church, [NT]; of time, τοῦ ὄντος μηνός in the current month, [Refs]; in office, ἱερέων τῶν ὄντων [Refs 2nd c.BC+]; αἱ οὖσαι [ἐξουσίαι] the powers that be, Ep. Rom.[Refs] A.II) of the real world, be, opposed to become, γίγνεται πάντα ἃ δή φαμεν εἶναι [Refs 5th c.BC+]; τὸ ὄν [Refs 5th c.BC+]; opposed to τὸ μὴ ὄν, [LXX+5th c.BC+]; τὰ ὄντα the world of things, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ὄνindeclinable, τῶν ὂν εἰδῶν species of Being, [Refs 3rd c.AD+] A.II.2) of circumstances, events, etc, to happen, τά τ᾽ ἐόντα, τά τ᾽ ἐσσόμενα, πρό τ᾽ ἐόντα [Refs 8th c.BC+]; τῆς προδοσίας οὔσης since treachery was there, [Refs]; ἕως ἂν ὁ πόλεμος ᾖ so long as it last, [Refs]; τί ἐστι; what is it? what's the matter? [Refs 5th c.BC+]; τί οὖν ἦν τοῦτ; how came it to pass? [Refs 5th c.BC+] things are as they are, i.e. are ill, [Refs 4th c.BC+] A.III) be the fact or the case, διπλασίαν ἂν τὴν δύναμιν εἰκάζεσθαι ἤ ἐστιν twice as large as it really is, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; αὐτὸ ὅ ἐστι καλόν beauty in its essence, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; frequently in participle, τὸν ἐόντα λόγον λέγειν or φαίνειν the true story, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; τῷ ἐόντι χρήσασθαι tell the truth,[Refs 5th c.BC+]; σκῆψιν οὐκ οὖσαν, λόγον οὐκ ὄντα, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; τῷ ὄντι in reality, in fact, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; to apply a quotation to a case in point, τῷ ὄντι κλαυσίγελως real 'smiles through tears' (with allusion to [Refs 8th c.BC+]; κατὰ τὸ ἐόν according to the fact, rightly, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; πᾶν τὸ ἐόν the whole truth, [Refs 5th c.BC+] A.IV) followed by the relative, οὐκ ἔστιν ὅς or ὅστις no one, οὐκ ἔσθ᾽ ὃς. ἀπαλάλκοι [Refs 8th c.BC+]; οὐκ ἔ. ὅτῳ, ={οὐδενί}, [Refs 4th c.BC+], = Latin sunt qui, used exactly like{ἔνιοι}, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἐστὶν ἃ χωρία, πολίσματα, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; the singular Verb is used even with masculine and feminine plural, ἐστὶν οἵ, αἵ, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; more frequently in oblique cases, ποταμῶν ἐστὶ ὧν [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἐστὶ παρ᾽ οἷς, ἐστὶν ἐν οἷς, [Refs 5th c.BC+], = Latin est ubi, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἐ. ὅπῃ, ἔσθ᾽ ὅπου, somehow, somewhere, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; in questions expecting a negative answer, ἐ. ὁπόθεν, ὅπω; [Refs 5th c.BC+]; οὐκ ἔ. ὅπως οὐ in any case, necessarily, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἐ. ὅτε, ἔσθ᾽ ὅτε, sometimes, [Refs 5th c.BC+] A.V) ἦν is sometimes used with plural masculine and feminine, usually at the beginning of a sentence, there was, τῆς δ᾽ ἦν τρεῖς κεφαλαί [Refs 8th c.BC+]; ἦν δ᾽ ἀμφίπλεκτοι κλίμακες [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἦν ἄρα κἀκεῖνοι ταλακάρδιοι epigram cited in [Refs 5th c.BC+]; before dual Nouns, [Refs 5th c.BC+] A.VI) ἔστι impersonal, with infinitive, it is possible, ἔστι γὰρ ἀμφοτέροισιν ὀνείδεα μυθήσασθαι [Refs 8th c.BC+]; εἴ τί πού ἐστι (i.e. πιθέσθαι)[Refs 5th c.BC+]; so in imperative, optative, and subjunctive, ἔστω ἀποφέρεσθαι τῷ βουλομένῳ [Refs 8th c.BC+]; followed by ὥστε with infinitive, [Refs 5th c.BC+]: with accusative et infinitive, ἁδόντα δ᾽ εἴη με τοῖς ἀγαθοῖς ὁμιλεῖν [Refs 5th c.BC+]: sometimes not impersonal in this sense, θάλασσα δ᾽ οὐκέτ᾽ ἦν ἰδεῖν [Refs] A.VI.b) ἔστω in argument, let it be granted, ἔστω τοῦτο ἀληθὲς εἶναι [Refs 4th c.BC+] B) most frequently, to be, the Copula connecting the predicate with the Subject, both being in the same case: hence, signify, import, τὸ γὰρ εἴρειν λέγειν ἐστίν [Refs 5th c.BC+]; especially in the phrase τοῦτ᾽ ἔστι, hoc est; Σκαιόλαν, ὅπερ ἐστὶ Λαϊόν [Refs 1st c.AD+] twice five are ten, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; εἶναί τις or τι, to be somebody, something, be of some consequence, see at {τι; οὐδὲν εἶναι} [Refs 5th c.BC+] B.2) periphrastic with the Participle to represent the finite Verb: with perfect participle once in [Refs 8th c.BC+]; so in Trag. and Attic dialect, ἦν τεθνηκώς, for ἐτεθνήκει, [Refs 4th c.BC+]; ἔσται δεδορκώς[Refs 5th c.BC+]: with aorist participle, once in [Refs 8th c.BC+]; so προδείσας εἰμί, οὐ σιωπήσας ἔσε; [Refs 5th c.BC+]: with present participle, ἦν προκείμενον [Refs 5th c.BC+]; τί δ᾽ ἐστί. φέρο; [Refs 5th c.BC+] — if the _Article_ is joined with the Part, the noun is made emphatic, Κᾶρές εἰσι οἱ καταδέξαντες the persons who showed her were Carians, [Refs 5th c.BC+] C) εἶναι is frequently modified in sense by the addition of adverbs, or the cases of Nouns without or with Preps: C.I) εἶναι with adverbs, where the adverb often merely represents a Noun and stands as the predicate, ἅλις δέ οἱ ἦσαν ἄρουραι [Refs 8th c.BC+]; ἀκέων, ἀκήν εἶναι, to be silent,[Refs 8th c.BC+]; ἀσφαλέως ἡ κομιδὴ ἔσται will go on safely, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἐγγύς, πόρρω εἶναι, [Refs 5th c.BC+] it fared ill with them, [Refs 8th c.BC+] C.II) with genitive, to express descent or extraction, πατρὸς δ᾽ εἴμ᾽ ἀγαθοῖο [Refs 8th c.BC+] C.II.b) to express the material of which a thing is made, ἡ κρηπίς ἐστι λίθων μεγάλων consists of, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; τοιούτων ἔργων ἐστὶ ἡ τυραννίς is made up of, [Refs].ή, etc. C.II.c) to express the class to which a person or thing belongs, εἶ γὰρ τῶν φίλων you are one of them, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἔστι τῶν αἰσχρῶν it is in the class of disgraceful things, i. e. it is disgraceful, [Refs 4th c.BC+] C.II.d) to express that a thing belongs to another, Τροίαν Ἀχαιῶν οὖσαν [Refs 5th c.BC+]: hence, to be of the party of, ἦσαν. τινὲς μὲν φιλίππου, τινὲς δὲ τοῦ βελτίστου [Refs 4th c.BC+]; to be de pendent upon, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; to be at the mercy of, ἔστι τοῦ λέγοντος, ἢν φόβους λέγῃ [Refs] C.II.e) to express one's duty, business, custom, nature, and the like, οὔτοι γυναικός ἐστι 'tis not a woman's part, [Refs 4th c.BC+]; τὸ δὲ ναυτικὸν τέχνης ἐστίν is matter of art, requires art, [Refs 5th c.BC+] C.II.f) in LXX, to be occupied about, ἦσαν τοῦ θύειν [LXX]; ἔσεσθαι, with genitive, to be about to, ἐσόμεθα τοῦ σῶσαί σε [LXX] C.III) with the dative, ἐστί μοι I have, frequently in [Refs 8th c.BC+] C.III.2) with two datives, σφίσι τε καὶ Ἀθηναίοισι εἶναι οὐδὲν πρῆγμα that they and the Athenians have nothing to do one with another, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; more shortly, σοί τε καὶ τούτοισι πρήγμασι τί ἐστ; [Refs 5th c.BC+]; τί τῷ νόμῳ καὶ τῇ βασάν; [Refs 4th c.BC+]; τί ἐμοὶ καὶ σο; Latin quid tecum est mihi? [NT]; also ἐμοὶ οὐδὲν πρὸς τοὺς τοιούτους (i.e. ἐστίν) [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἔσται αὐτῳ πρὸς τὸν θεόν, in tomb inscriptions, [Refs] C.III.3) with ἄσμενος, βουλόμενος, etc, added, ἐμοὶ δέ κεν ἀσμένῳ εἴη 'twould be to my delight, [Refs 8th c.BC+] C.IV) with Preps, εἶναι ἀπό τινος, ={εἶναί τινος}[Refs 5th c.BC+]; but εἶναι ἀπ᾽ οἴκου to be away from, [Refs 5th c.BC+] C.IV.2) εἶναι ἔκ τινος to be sprung from, εἴμ᾽ ἐκ Παιονίης, Μυρμιδόνων ἔξ εἰμι, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; ἔστιν ἐξ ἀνάγκης it is of necessity, i. e. necessary, [Refs 5th c.BC+] C.IV.3) εἶναι ἐν. to be in a certain state, ἐν εὐπαθείῃσι [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἐν ἀθυμία, etc, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; εἶναι ἐν ἀξιώματι to be in esteem, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; οἱ ἐν τέλεϊ ἐόντες those in office, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; but εἶναι ἐν τέχνῃ, ἐν φιλοσοφία to be engaged in, [Refs 5th c.BC+] C.IV.3.b) ἐν σοί ἐστι it depends on thee, [Refs 5th c.BC+] C.IV.4) εἶναι διά, much like{εἶναι ἐν}, εἶναι διὰ φόβου, ={φοβεῖσθαι}, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; εἶναι δι᾽ ὄχλου, ={ὀχληρὸν εἶναι}, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; εἶναι δι᾽ αἰτίας, ={αἰτιᾶσθαι}, [Refs 1st c.BC+]; Geometry texts, pass through, διὰ τᾶς ἑτέρας διαμέτρου ἐόντος τοῦ ἐπιπέδου [Refs 3rd c.BC+] C.IV.5) εἶναι ἐφ᾽ ἑαυτῆς to be by oneself, [Refs 4th c.BC+]; εἶναι ἐπὶ ὀνόματος to bear a name, [Refs]; εἶναι ἐπὶ τοῖς πράγμασιν to be engaged in, [Refs]; εἶναι ἐπί τινα to be against him, [Refs]; εἶναι ἐφ᾽ ἑξήκοντα στάδια to reach sixty stadia, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; εἶναι ἐπὶ τὰς ἁφάς pass through the points of contact, [Refs 2nd c.AD+]; εἶναι ἐπί τινι, see above 3 b. C.IV.6) εἶναι πρός τινος to be in one's favour, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; to suit, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; εἶναι πρός τινι engaged in, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; πρὸς τοῖς ἰδίοις mind one's own affairs, [Refs 4th c.BC+]; πρὸς τὸ πονεῖν[Refs 5th c.BC+] C.IV.7) εἶναι παρά τινι or τινα, = παρειναι, [Refs 5th c.BC+] (assuming variant). C.IV.8) εἶναι ὑπό τινα or τινι to be subject to, [Refs 5th c.BC+] C.IV.9) περὶ τούτων ἐστίν that is the question, [Refs 4th c.BC+] C.IV.10) εἶναι ἀπό, in Geometry texts, to be constructed upon, [Refs 3rd c.BC+] D) ἐστί is very frequently omitted, mostly in the present indicative before certain predicates, as ἀνάγκη, ἄξιον, δυνατόν, εἰκός, ἕτοιμον, οἷόν τε, ῥᾴδιον, χρεών, etc, and after the neuter of Verbals in -τέος, and such forms as θαυμαστὸν ὅσον: less frequently with other persons and moods, εἰμί omitted, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; εἶ, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; ἐσμέν, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἐστέ, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; εἰσί, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; subjunctive ᾖ, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; optative εἴη, [Refs]; imperfect ἦν, [Refs]; future ἔσονται, [Refs 8th c.BC+] E) the Inf. frequently seems redundant, E.1) in phrases implying power or will to do a thing, ἑκὼν εἶναι (see. ἑκών) κατὰ δύναμιν εἶναι [Refs 5th c.BC+]; τὸ ἐπ᾽ ἐκείνοις εἶναι, quantum in illis esset, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; τὸ τήμερον, τὸ νῦν εἶναι, [Refs 4th c.BC+] E.2) after Verbs of naming or choosing, σοφιστὴν ὀνομάζουσι τὸν ἄνδρα εἶναι [Refs 5th c.BC+]; of giving, δῶκε ξεινήϊον εἶναι [Refs 8th c.BC+] F) imperfect ἦνissts. used where other languages take the present, F.1) after ἄρα, to express a fact which is and has always been the same, δέρμα δὲ ἀνθρώπου. ἦν ἄρα σχεδὸν δερμάτων πάντων λαμπρότατον human skin then it appears is, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ὡς ἄρ᾽ ἦσθ᾽ ἐμὸς πατὴρ ὀρθῶς[Refs 3rd c.BC+]; so also when there is reference to a past thought, τουτὶ τί ἦ; what is this? [Refs 5th c.BC+], used to express the essential nature of a thing, where τί ἦν (for ἐστί) takes the place of the dative in such phrases as τὸ ἀγαθῷ εἶναι, τὸ μεγέθει εἶναι, [Refs] G) ἐγώ εἰμι, in [LXX]

Greek

Verb

I exist (used only when emphatic); am, have been, X it is I, was; the first person singular present indicative; a prolonged form of a primary and defective verb