λακτίζω
laktízō
G2979 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To strike with the heel or kick, especially as an act of resistance against authority or restriction. In figurative usage, to oppose stubbornly or struggle against something, especially a higher power or authority. The base sense is that of 'kicking,' but in extended metaphorical use, it signifies futile or self-damaging resistance.
Semantic Range
to kick, to strike with the heel, to offer stubborn resistance, to oppose or rebel futilely, especially in the idiom 'kick against the goads'
Root / Etymology
From the adverb λακτί, meaning 'with the heel' or 'heelwise,' itself from the noun πτέρνα (heel). The verb formation refers to performing the action of the heel—i.e., to kick. Not directly derived from earlier Greek, but built on existing roots for 'heel' and verb endings.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In classical and Hellenistic Greek, λακτίζω primarily referred empirically to physical kicking. By the Hellenistic and Koine periods, its metaphorical use became more salient, especially in proverbial phrases such as 'to kick against the goads' (λακτίζειν πρὸς κέντρα), which meant to resist guidance or control to one's own detriment. This idiom appears in both Greek literature and the New Testament (e.g., Acts 26:14), retaining the sense of futile or self-injurious resistance. English translations typically render the idiom as 'kick against the goads,' often missing the nuanced metaphor of senseless resistance. The word is rare outside proverbial constructions in Koine sources. Comparative terms: παίω (to strike), τιτρώσκω (to wound). The word implies not only the act but also its counterproductive consequences.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from adverb (heelwise); to recalcitrate:--kick.
Root Family
λακτ- (laktízō) — to kick, to strike with the heel
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G2979-01 |
λακτίζειν | laktizein | V PRS ACT INF |
to kick | to kick | to kick | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G2979-01 |
Acts 26:14 | λακτίζειν | laktizein | V PRS ACT INF |
to kick | to kick | to kick |