τολμ-άω G5111
To dare, venture boldly; to summon courage for an action others would shrink from, or to exhibit boldness as a disposition.
Rooted in the ancient Greek τολμάω, this verb captures the moment when hesitation gives way to action. In the Gospels it often marks a turning point: after the crucifixion, Joseph of Arimathea 'dared' to ask Pilate for the body of Jesus (Mark 15:43), and the religious leaders no longer 'dared' to question Jesus (Matt 22:46; Luke 20:40). Paul uses it to speak of apostolic boldness, contrasting timidity with the courage that faith demands (2 Cor 11:21). The multilingual evidence is telling — Spanish 'atreverse' and French 'oser' both carry the sense of overcoming inner reluctance, while German 'wagen' emphasizes the risk involved.
Senses
1. dare to do something — To venture or presume to do a specific action, implying that the deed requires boldness because others might hesitate or refuse. The construction typically takes an infinitive complement: the Pharisees 'no longer dared to ask him anything' (Matt 22:46; Luke 20:40), and the disciples 'did not dare to ask' the risen Lord who he was (John 21:12). Spanish 'atreverse' and French 'oser' consistently capture the sense of overcoming reluctance before a particular deed. 13×
amh["አልደፈረም"]·AR["أَتَجَرَّأَ", "أَجْتَرِئُ", "تَجَرَّأوا", "تَجَرَّأَ", "نَجرُؤُ", "يجرؤ", "يَتَجاسَرُ", "يَجرُؤُ", "يَجْرُؤونَ", "يَجْرُؤْ"]·ben["সাহস-করছিল", "সাহস-করছিলেন", "সাহস-করত", "সাহস-করতে", "সাহস-করব", "সাহস-করল", "সাহস-করলেন", "সাহস-করি", "সাহস-করে"]·ces["odvážil-se"]·dan["vovede"]·DE["wagen", "wagte-er", "ἐτόλμα", "ἐτόλμησέν", "ἐτόλμων"]·ell["ετόλμησεν"]·EN["I-will-dare", "dared", "dares", "they-were-daring", "to-dare", "was-daring", "we-dare"]·FR["oser", "pas"]·guj["હિંમત-કરી"]·hat["oze"]·hau["ya-ƙarfin-hali"]·heb["אֶעְזֹז", "הֲיִעֵז", "הֵעֵז", "הֵעֵזוּ", "העז", "יֵעֵז", "לִמְלֹאת-עֹז", "מֵעֵז", "מֵעֵזִים"]·HI["उन-से", "साहस-करता-है", "साहस-करूँगा", "साहस-किया", "हम-हिम्मत-करते", "हिम्मत-करता-था", "हिम्मत-करते-थे", "हिम्मत-करना", "हिम्मति"]·hun["mert"]·ID["Beranikah", "aku-berani", "berani", "bertindak-berani", "kami-berani", "mereka-berani"]·IT["osare", "osò", "tolman"]·jav["Purun", "kita-wantun", "kula-badhé-wantun", "tiyang-tiyang-wantun", "wani", "wantun"]·JA["彼はあえて"]·KO["감히", "감히-", "감히-하기-를", "감히-하였다", "감히-하지-못했다", "내가-감히-말하리라", "담대하기를", "담대히"]·mar["धजला"]·mya["ရဲဝံ့ခဲ့"]·nld["waagde-hij"]·nor["våget"]·pnb["ہمت-کیتی"]·pol["odważył-się"]·PT["Ousa", "ousamos", "ousar", "ousarei", "ousarem", "ousava", "ousavam", "ousou", "se-atreva"]·ron["a-îndrăznit"]·RU["Осмеливается", "ведь", "дерзают", "дерзнул", "не-смел", "осмеливались", "осмеливался", "осмелился", "осмелиться", "смеем", "смел", "умереть"]·ES["atreverme", "atreverse", "me-atreveré", "osaba", "osaban", "osamos", "se-atreve", "se-atrevió", "se-atrevía", "¿Se-atreve"]·SW["Je,-anathubutu", "alithubutu", "aliyethubutu", "angethubutu", "hakuthubutu", "hawakuthubutu", "kuthubutu", "mtu-yeyote", "nitathubutu", "tunathubutu", "wanathubutu"]·swe["vågade"]·tam["துணிந்தார்"]·tel["ధైర్యముచేసెను"]·tgl["nangahas"]·TH["กล้า"]·TR["cesaret ediyor mu", "cesaret-edeceğim", "cesaret-edemiyordu", "cesaret-edemiyorlardı", "cesaret-eder", "cesaret-ederiz", "cesaret-ediyordu", "cesaret-etmek", "cesaret-etti", "cretlenmek"]·ukr["наважився"]·urd["جرأت-کرتے-ہیں", "جرأت-کرنا", "جرأت-کروں", "جرأت-کی", "جرات-کرتا-ہے", "جرات-کروں-گا", "ہمت-نہ-کرتا-تھا", "ہمت-نہیں-کرتے-تھے", "ہمت-کرتا-تھا", "ہمت-کرے", "ہمت-کی", "ہمّت-کرتا-تھا"]·VI["dám"]·yor["gbójú-le"]·yue["敢"]·ZH["敢"]
Matt 22:46, Mark 12:34, Luke 20:40, John 21:12, Acts 5:13, Acts 7:32, Rom 5:7, Rom 15:18, 1 Cor 6:1, 2 Cor 10:2, 2 Cor 10:12, Phil 1:14 (+1 more)
2. be bold or courageous — To exhibit boldness or courage as an inner disposition rather than toward a specific action. Joseph of Arimathea 'having taken courage' (τολμήσας) went to Pilate (Mark 15:43), where the participle describes his state of heart. Paul's use in 2 Cor 11:21 similarly frames daring as a quality of character. The multilingual glosses — Spanish 'habiendo osado,' German 'wagen' — highlight the dispositional, state-like quality distinct from a targeted venture. 3×
AR["أَجْرُؤُ", "مُتَجَرِّئًا", "يَجْرُؤُ"]·ben["সাহস-করি", "সাহস-করে"]·DE["wagen"]·EN["I-am-bold", "having-courage", "is-bold"]·FR["oser"]·heb["הֵעֵז", "הוּא", "מֵעֵז"]·HI["साहस-करके", "साहस-करता-हूं", "साहस-करे"]·ID["aku-berani", "berani", "memberanikan-diri"]·IT["osare"]·jav["kanthi-wantun", "kula-wantun", "wantun"]·KO["담대하면", "담대한다", "담대히"]·PT["ousa", "ouso", "tendo-ousado"]·RU["дерзает", "дерзаю", "осмелившись"]·ES["habiendo-osado", "me-atrevo", "se-atreva"]·SW["akijasiri", "anathubutu-", "ninathubutu"]·TR["cesaret-ederim", "cesaret-edip", "cesaretlenirse"]·urd["جرأت-کرتا-ہوں", "جرأت-کرے", "ہمت-کر-کے"]
Related Senses
G2309 1. want, desire (166×)G0025 1. to love actively (133×)H0157 1. love (verb, active Qal) (129×)H8055 1. Qal: rejoice, be glad (123×)H7453 1. neighbor, fellow man (120×)G0026 1. of love (115×)H1058 1. Qal: to weep, cry (112×)H0954 1. to be ashamed, feel shame (Qal) (95×)H8057 1. joy, gladness, delight (90×)H2781 1. disgrace, shame, dishonor (68×)G2307 1. will, desire, purpose (63×)G5463 1. rejoice, be glad (63×)G0027 1. beloved (61×)H8130 1. Qal: to hate, detest (60×)G5479 1. (59×)G1680 1. (53×)H8130 2. Qal ptcp: hater, enemy (53×)H0014 1. be willing, want (51×)H0157 2. lover, friend (Qal participle substantive) (51×)H1945 1. woe (50×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
τολμ-άω, Ionic dialect τολμέω Refs 5th c.BC+; Doric dialect 2nd pers. singular τολμῇς Refs 3rd c.BC+: future τολμήσω Refs 5th c.BC+, Doric dialect -ᾱσῶRefs 3rd c.BC+: perfect τετόλμηκα Refs 4th c.BC+, Doric dialect -ᾱκαRefs 5th c.BC+:—middle, Refs 5th c.BC+:—undertake, take heart either to do or bear anything terrible or difficult: __1 mostly absolutely, dare, endure, submit (see. Τλάω), ἐνὶ…