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…