ὡσεί G5616
Approximately, about (with numbers); like, as if, as though (in comparisons)
This small but versatile adverb does double duty in the New Testament. With numbers and measurements, hōsei means 'approximately'—'about five thousand men' (Matt 14:21), 'about thirty years of age' (Luke 3:23). The French 'environ' and German 'etwa' capture this approximating function precisely. In its comparative use, the word introduces vivid similes: the Spirit descends 'as a dove' (Matt 3:16), the crowd is 'like sheep without a shepherd' (Matt 9:36), and Jesus' sweat becomes 'as drops of blood' (Luke 22:44). Though easily overlooked, hōsei is the quiet architect of some of Scripture's most memorable imagery.
Senses
1. sense 1 — Used with numerals or time expressions to indicate approximation: 'about, approximately, roughly.' Luke particularly favors this usage—'about five thousand' (Luke 9:14), 'about thirty years old' (Luke 3:23), 'about eight days later' (Luke 9:28). The French 'environ' and German 'etwa' are near-perfect equivalents, while Spanish 'como' serves both this and the comparative sense. Covers 12 of 21 occurrences. 12×
AR["نَحْوَ"]·ben["প্রায়","ὡσεὶ-প্রায়"]·DE["etwa"]·EN["about"]·FR["environ"]·heb["כְּ-","כְּבֶן-","כְּמוֹ"]·HI["जैसे","लगभग"]·ID["kira-kira","sekitar"]·IT["come"]·jav["kados","kira-kira","kirang-langkung"]·KO["같은","대략","마치","약"]·PT["cerca-de","de-cerca-de"]·RU["на-","около","около-"]·ES["como"]·SW["kama","karibu","karibu-"]·TR["gibi","yaklaşık","üç-bin"]·urd["تقریباً","جیسا","قریباً"]
2. sense 2 — Introduces comparisons and similes: 'like, as if, as though.' The Spirit descends upon Jesus 'as a dove' (Matt 3:16), the crowds are 'as sheep without a shepherd' (Matt 9:36), and in Gethsemane Jesus' sweat falls 'as drops of blood' (Luke 22:44). The disciples dismissed the women's report 'as idle talk' (Luke 24:11). The Spanish 'como' and German 'etwa' overlap here, but the comparative force is distinct from mere approximation. Covers 9 occurrences. 9×
AR["كَ","كَ-","كَأَنَّهُ","كَرِدَاءٍ","كَـ","كَـ-"]·ben["মত","মতন","মতো","যেন","যেমন"]·DE["etwa"]·EN["as","as-","as-if","as-of","like","like-"]·FR["environ","etwa"]·heb["כְּ","כְּ-","כְּמוֹ","כְּמוֹ-"]·HI["जैसा","जैसे","मानो"]·ID["seperti"]·IT["come","ōsei"]·jav["kados"]·KO["-처럼","같이","같이-","마치"]·PT["como","como-se"]·RU["живых","как","как-","как-будто"]·ES["como"]·SW["kama","kama-"]·TR["gibi","gibi-","sanki"]·urd["جیسا","جیسے"]
BDB / Lexicon Reference
ὡσεί or ὡς εἰ, adverb as if, as though; with various moods: __I with optative, ἴσαν, ὡς εἴ τε πυρὶ χθὼν πᾶσα νέμοιτο Refs 8th c.BC+ __I.2 ὡσεί τε with subjunctive, ἐρίλησ᾽ ὡς εἴ τε πατὴρ ὃν παῖδα φιλήσῃ Refs 8th c.BC+ __I.3 ὡς εἰ or ὡς εἴ τε, with indicative, ἕπονθ᾽ ὡς εἴ τε μετὰ κτίλον ἕσπετο μῆλα Refs 8th c.BC+ __II in comparisons, like, just as, Refs 8th c.BC+, etc.: with participle, Refs 8th…