Great
Vine's Expository Dictionary of NT Words [1]
is used (a) of external from, size, measure, e.g., of a stone, Matthew 27:60; fish, John 21:11; (b) of degree and intensity, e.g., of fear, Mark 4:41; wind, John 6:18; Revelation 6:13 , RV, "great" (AV, "mighty"); of a circumstance, 1—Corinthians 9:11; 2—Corinthians 11:15; in Revelation 5:2,12 , the RV has "great" (AV, "loud"), of a voice; (c) of rank, whether of persons, e.g., God, Titus 2:13; Christ as a "great Priest," Hebrews 10:21 , RV; Diana, Acts 19:27; Simon Magus, Acts 8:9 "(some) great one;" in the plural, "great ones," Matthew 20:25; Mark 10:42 , those who hold positions of authority in gentile nations; or of things, e.g., a mystery, Ephesians 5:32 . Some mss. have it in Acts 8:8 , of joy (see No. 2). See also Note (2) below. See Greatest , High , Loud , Mighty , Strong.
"much, many, great," is used of number, e.g., Luke 5:6; Acts 11:21; degree, e.g., of harvest, Matthew 9:37 [See Note (8)]; mercy, 1—Peter 1:3 , Rv , "great" (AV, "abundant"); glory, Matthew 24:30; joy, Philemon 1:7 , Rv , "much" (AV, "great"); peace, Acts 24:2 . The best mss. have it in Acts 8:8 (RV, "much"), of joy. See Abundant , Common , Note (1), Long , Many , Much , Oft , Sore , Straitly.
lit., "reaching to" (from hikano, "to reach"), denotes "sufficient, competent, fit," and is sometimes rendered "great," e.g., of number (of people), Mark 10:46; of degree (of light), Acts 22:6 . See Able , Enough , Good , Large , Long , Many , Meet , Much , Security , Sufficient , Worthy.
primarily denotes "as big as, as old as (akin to helikia, "an age"); then, as an indirect interrogation, "what, what size, how great, how small" (the context determines the meaning), said of a spiritual conflit, Colossians 2:1 , AV, "what great (conflict) I have;" RV, "how greatly (I strive);" of much wood as kindled by a little fire, James 3:5 (twice in the best mss.), "how much (wood is kindled by) how small (a fire)," RV, said metaphorically of the use of the tongue. Some mss. have No. 4 in Galatians 6:11; the most authentic have No. 5.
primarily a direct interrogative, "how large? how great?" is used in exclamations, indicating magnitude, like No. 4 (No. 6 indicates quantity), in Galatians 6:11 , of letter characters (see No. 4, Note); in Hebrews 7:4 , metaphorically, of the distinguished character of Melchizedek.
an adjective of number, magnitude, degree etc., is rendered "how great" in Matthew 6:23 . See Many , Much.
"how much, how many," is used in the neuter plural to signify how great things, Mark 5:19,20; Luke 8:39 (twice); Acts 9:16 , AV (RV, "how many things"); in Revelation 21:16 (in the best mss.), "as great as," RV (AV, "as large as," said of length). See All , Many , No. 5, Whatsoever
"so great, so many, so much," of quantity, size, etc., is rendered "so great," in Matthew 8:10; Luke 7:9 , of faith; Matthew 15:33 , of a multitude; Hebrews 12:1 , of a cloud of witnesses; Revelation 18:17 , of riches. See Large , Long , Many , Much.
"so great," is used in the NT of things only, a death, 2—Corinthians 1:10; salvation, Hebrews 2:3; ships, James 3:4; an earthquake, Revelation 16:18 , AV, "so mighty," corrected in the RV to "so great." See Mighty.
Mark 7:36 Mark 10:48 Mark 6:21 Revelation 6:15 18:23Prince. Luke 1:58 Luke 10:13 2—Peter 1:4 Matthew 21:8 Revelation 21:10 Luke 10:2 Mark 1:35Day Luke 1:49
King James Dictionary [2]
GREAT, a. L. crassus.
1. Large in bulk or dimensions a term of comparison, denoting more magnitude or extension than something else, or beyond what is usual as a great body a great house a great farm. 2. Being of extended length or breadth as a great distance a great lake. 3. Large in number as a great many a great multitude. 4. Expressing a large, extensive or unusual degree of any thing as great fear great love great strength great wealth great power great influence great folly. 5. Long continued as a great while. 6. Important weighty as a great argument a great truth a great event a thing of no great consequence it is no great matter. 7. Chief principal as the great seal of England. 8. Chief of vast power and excellence supreme illustrious as the great God the great Creator. 9. Vast extensive wonderful admirable.
Great are thy works. Jehovah.
10. Possessing large or strong powers of mind as a great genius. 11. Having made extensive or unusual acquisitions of science or knowledge as a great philosopher or botanist a great scholar. 12. Distinguished by rank, office or power elevated eminent as a great lord the great men of the nation the great Mogul Alexander the great. 13. Dignified in aspect,mien or manner.
Amidst the crowd she walks serenely great.
14. Magnanimous generous of elevated sentiments high-minded. He has a great soul. 15. Rich sumptuous magnificent. He disdained not to appear at great tables. A great feast or entertainment. 16. Vast sublime as a great conception or idea. 17. Dignified noble.
Nothing can be great which is not right.
18. Swelling proud as, he was not disheartened by great looks. 19. Chief principal much traveled as a great road. The ocean is called the great highway of nations. 20. Pregnant teeming as great with young. 21. Hard difficult. It is no great matter to live in peace with meek people. 22. Familiar intimate. Vulgar. 23. Distinguished by extraordinary events, or unusual importance. Jude 1:6 . 24. Denoting a degree of consanguinity, in the ascending or descending line, as great grandfather, the father of a grandfather great great grandfather, the father of a great grandfather, and so on indefinitely and great grandson, great great grandson. &c. 25. Superior preeminent as great chamberlain great marshal.
The sense of great is to be understood by the things it is intended to qualify. Great pain or wrath is violent pain or wrath great love is ardent love great peace is entire peace a great name is extensive renown a great evil or sin, is a sin of deep malignity, &c.
GREAT, n. The whole the gross the lump or mass as, a carpenter contracts to build a ship by the great.
1. People of rank or distinction. The poor envy the great, and the great despise the poor.
Holman Bible Dictionary [3]
Acts 8:9-10
