Quick Definition
βία, ας, ἡ n.f. force, violence
Strong's Definition
probably akin to 970 (through the idea of vital activity); force
KJV Usage: violence
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament
noun, f. | -ας | βιάζω
20.1 · Violence, Harm, Destroy, Kill · Violence
force, violence a strong, destructive force In some languages it is difficult, if not impossible, to find a term such as ‘violence,’ but one may describe the effects of violence by expressions which indicate the harm that is done. For example, ACT 5:26 may be translated ‘they did not wish to harm anyone, for they were afraid of the people,’ and similarly in ACT 27:41, one may translate ‘the waves did great damage to the stern.’
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament © United Bible Societies, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Mounce Concise Greek Dictionary
βία bia 3x
force, impetus, violence, Acts 5:26; 21:35; 27:41*
Abbott-Smith Greek Lexicon
βία, -ας, ἡ,
[in LXX for פֶּרֶךְ, etc.;]
strength, force, violence: Ac 5:26 21:35 24:7 27:41.†
Liddell-Scott-Jones — Greek-English Lexicon
βία (bia) — force. βία, Ionic dialect βίη [ῐ], ἡ: Epic dialect dative βίηφι [Refs 8th c.BC+]:—bodily strength, force, [Refs 8th c.BC+], periphrastic of strong men, βίη Ἡρακληείη [Refs 8th c.BC+]participle masculine πέρσας follows, compare [Refs]; βίη Ἐτεοκληείη, Ἰφικλείη,[Refs 8th c.BC+]: so in Lyric poetry and Trag., Πέλοπος βία [Refs 5th c.BC+]; Τυδέως βία, Πολυνείκους β., [Refs 4th c.BC+]; θήρειος β., ={Κένταυροι}, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
2. personified, Κράτος Βία τε [Refs 4th c.BC+]
3. of the mind, οὐκ ἔστι βίη φρεσίν [Refs 8th c.BC+]
3. b of an argument, βίαν οὐκ ἔχειν πρὸς [τὸ] ἀποδειξαι [Refs 1st c.BC+]
II. act of violence, ὕβρις τε βίη τε [Refs 8th c.BC+]: mostly in plural, κείνων γε βίας ἀποτείσεαι [Refs 8th c.BC+]
II.2. βίᾳ τινός against one's will, in spite of him, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; β. alone as adverb, perforce, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; opposed to κατὰ φύσιν, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; opposed to ἑκών, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; of Zeus, εὐμενεῖ βία κτίσας [Refs 4th c.BC+]
II.3. in Attic dialect law, rape, βίας δίκη [Refs 5th c.BC+]
II.4. = Latin vis, βίας γραφή D C.37.31, compare 33; μαρτύρομαι τὴν βίαν [Refs 3rd c.AD+]. (Cf. Sanskrit jyā´ jiyā´ 'preponderating power', jināti 'oppress'.)