Greek word · G5551
χρονοτριβέω
chronotribeō
to spend time
To spend time, use up time, linger, lose or waste time. It is built from chronos (time) and tribō (to rub, wear away), so the picture is of time being worn down.
Appears once in the Greek New Testament. ·
What it means
From G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament (1922), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).
In depth
- Range of meaning
To spend time, use up time, linger, lose or waste time. It is built from chronos (time) and tribō (to rub, wear away), so the picture is of time being worn down.
- Against the English
'Spend time' (BSB, ESV, NASB, WEB) is accurate but flat. The word often carries the idea of time lost or eaten up against one's wishes. YLT's 'a loss of time' and the KJV's 'spend the time' come closer to that.
- Used elsewhere in the period
It appears only here in the New Testament. It is used in classical and Hellenistic prose, for example Aristotle and Plutarch, for dawdling or for delay that uses up an opportunity (BDAG s.v.; LSJ s.v.).
Similar words
Where it appears
Acts · 1
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Acts 20:16 χρονοτριβῆσαι to spend time
Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus to avoid spending time in the province of Asia, because he was in a hurry to reach Jerusalem, if possible, by the day of Pentecost.
Here: Literally 'to wear away time' (chronos 'time' + tribō 'rub, wear down'). It means being tied up or losing time, not just 'staying'. YLT catches this with 'a loss of time'. It appears only here in the New Testament.
Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.