ἀνίημι G0447
to loosen, release, let go; to slacken restraint or give up, abandon
This verb carries a core meaning of releasing or loosening what is held fast. In Acts 16:26, an earthquake unfastens the prisoners' chains; in Acts 27:40, sailors cast off the anchors. Ephesians 6:9 uses it figuratively — masters are told to 'give up' threatening — while Hebrews 13:5 quotes the divine promise 'I will never leave you nor forsake you.' The semantic range thus spans physical unfastening to metaphorical abandonment. Spanish 'soltar/dejar' and German 'nachlassen' both capture the spectrum from loosening to relenting.
Senses
1. sense 1 — To unfasten, release, or loosen something physically restrained. In Acts 16:26 the bonds of prisoners are unfastened by an earthquake; in Acts 27:40 sailors cast loose the anchors. Spanish 'soltar/fueron-soltadas' and the participial glosses across languages point to a concrete, physical act of releasing what was bound or secured. 4×
AR["أَتْرُكَكَ", "انحَلَّت", "تارِكينَ", "لَمَّا-أَرْخَوْا"]·ben["আমি-ত্যাগ-করব", "খুলিয়া", "খুলে-গেল", "ত্যাগ-করে"]·DE["nachlassen", "ἀνέθη", "ἀνέντες"]·EN["giving-up", "having-loosened", "were-unfastened", "will-I-leave"]·FR["relâcher"]·heb["אֶת־הַ-", "אַרְפֶּה", "הֻתְּרוּ", "שִׁחְרְרוּ"]·HI["खुल-गई", "खोलकर", "छोड़ूँगा", "छोदकर"]·ID["Aku-tinggalkan,", "melepaskan", "meninggalkan", "terlepas"]·IT["anientes", "anō", "rimettere"]·jav["Kawula-nilar", "ngendhaleni", "ucul"]·KO["그치며", "내가-떠나지", "풀고", "풀렸다"]·PT["deixando", "deixarei", "soltaram-se.", "tendo-soltado"]·RU["оставлю", "оставляя", "развязавши", "развязались"]·ES["dejando", "fueron-soltadas", "habiendo-soltado", "soltaré"]·SW["mkiacha", "nitakuacha,", "wakifungua", "yalifunguliwa"]·TR["-yi-", "bırakacağım", "çözüldü", "çözüp"]·urd["چھوڑتے-ہوئے", "چھوڑوں-گا", "ڈھیلا-کر-کے", "کھل-گئیں"]
Related Senses
G0630 1. release, set free (32×)G0630 2. dismiss, send away (18×)G0630 3. divorce, put away spouse (15×)G0859 1. forgiveness (15×)G2644 1. reconcile, restore to right relationship (6×)H8059 1. (5×)G2643 1. (4×)H8058 1. release, remit (debts/land) (4×)G0604 1. (3×)H3722a 3. forgive, pardon directly (Piel) (3×)H5547 1. (3×)G0630 4. forgive, pardon (2×)G1245 1. (2×)H3722a 5. cover, conceal sin (Piel) (2×)G0630 5. (1×)G1259 1. (1×)G3929 1. (1×)G4774 1. (1×)H3722a 6. (1×)H3722a 7. (1×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
ἀνίημι, ης (ἀνιεῖς, as if from ἀνιέω, uncertain in Refs 8th c.BC+, ησι: imperfect ἀνίην, Refs 8th c.BC+ and 3rd.pers.singular εις, ει, Ionic dialect 3rd.pers.singular ἀνίηRefs 8th c.BC+; 1st pers.singular ἀνίεινRefs 2nd c.AD+future ἀνήσω: perfect ἀνεῖκα: aorist 1 ἀνῆκ; Ionic dialect ἀνέηκα.:—the Homeric forms ἀνέσειRefs 8th c.BC+, aorist optative ἀνέσαιμιRefs, participle ἀνέσαντεςRefs 8th c.BC+:…