This verb appears in James 3:5, where James uses the tongue as an illustration of something small that boasts great things. The compound combines μέγας (great) with αὐχέω (to boast), intensifying the basic idea of boasting into grand, excessive claims. James compares the tongue to a small fire that sets a great forest ablaze — its capacity for destruction far exceeds its size. The context warns about the power of speech to cause disproportionate harm. While small, the tongue claims to accomplish much and often delivers proportionate damage through its boasts and lies.