τρίζω
trízō
G5149 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To make a shrill or harsh grating or squeaking sound; in extended and figurative uses, to clench or grind the teeth, especially as an expression of intense emotion such as pain, rage, or anguish. While the core meaning refers to a physical or mechanical noise (creak, squeak), the word is commonly used in literature and especially in biblical contexts to describe the gnashing or grinding of teeth, often associated with weeping and severe distress or anger.
Semantic Range
to creak, to make a harsh or shrill noise, to squeak, to grind or gnash the teeth (out of pain, rage, or intense emotion), to express extreme emotion through the grinding of teeth
Root / Etymology
Root is τριζ- (triz-), onomatopoeic in character, imitating a shrill or harsh noise. Not demonstrably derived from another Greek term; considered a primary/root verb in Greek. Etymologically related to similar-sounding verbs imitative of grating or gnashing, but its independent development is likely onomatopoeic.
Historical & Contextual Notes
The verb τρίζω appears infrequently in extant Greek literature. In earlier Greek (classical and Hellenistic periods), it can refer to creaking noises, such as those made by doors or other objects. In the Septuagint and New Testament (e.g., Matthew 8:12 and parallels), its figurative use predominates, denoting the grinding or grating of teeth in reaction to intense emotional states, such as rage or agony—often as an element in descriptions of punishment or exclusion, e.g., 'there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.' This idiom became formulaic in Jewish apocalyptic and early Christian literature to express ultimate despair or anger, diverging from the more mundane material noises of earlier Greek usage. Standard English translations, rendering this as 'gnash (the teeth),' capture the biblical nuance but do not convey the full idiomatic resonance the term had in Koine, nor its earlier, more general physical reference. Comparable ancient Greek verbs include βρυχάομαι (often for the bellowing of animals), but τρίζω is particularly associated with harsh, grating sounds, whether mechanical or physiological.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
apparently a primary verb; to creak (squeak), i.e. (by analogy) to grate the teeth (in frenzy):--gnash.
Root Family
τριζ- (trízō) — to creak, to make a grating sound, to gnash (teeth)
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G5149-01 |
τρίζει | trizei | V PRS ACT IND 3P SG |
gnashes | he/she gnashes | he gnashes | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G5149-01 |
Mark 9:18 | τρίζει | trizei | V PRS ACT IND 3P SG |
gnashes | he/she gnashes | he gnashes |