UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament

Sense 1: many, a great deal of, a great number of

Semantic entry: 59.1

Semantic domains: Quantity

Subdomains: Many, Few [Countables]

Definition: a relatively large quantity of objects or events

Collocations: πλείων; πολύς

Sense 2: much, great, extensive

Semantic entry: 59.11

Semantic domains: Quantity

Subdomains: Much, Little [Masses, Collectives, Extensions]

Definition: a relatively large quantity

Sense 3: great, greatly, much, a great deal

Semantic entry: 78.3

Semantic domains: Degree

Subdomains: Much, Little [Positive-Negative Degree]

Definition: the upper range of a scale of extent, but probably somewhat less than for μέγας [source selector 000001][b], μεγάλως, and μέγεθος (78.2: μεγάλως / 78.2: μέγας / 78.2: μέγεθος)

Notes: In OET MRK 3:12 πολλά indicates only degree, but it may be rendered in English as ‘sternly’ because part of the meaning of ἐπετίμα may be appropriately transferred to the adverbial attributive so as to express the extent and nature of the warning. In OET ACT 21:40 the phrase πολλῆς δὲ σιγῆς γενομένης refers to the fact that the crowd became very quiet. πολλῆς clearly indicates the degree of quietness, though in many languages one cannot speak of something being ‘very quiet’; on the contrary, such a state can only be described in terms of the absence of noise, for example, ‘when nobody was saying anything.’

Sense 4: the most, not more than

Semantic entry: 59.8

Semantic domains: Quantity

Subdomains: Many, Few [Countables]

Definition: the largest number of objects or events possible under the circumstances

Collocations: τὸ πλεῖστον

Sense 5: more, more than, to a greater degree, even more

Semantic entry: 78.28

Semantic domains: Degree

Subdomains: More Than, Less Than [Comparative Degree]

Definition: a degree which surpasses in some manner a point on an explicit or implicit scale of extent{N:001}

Collocations: πλείων

Sense 6: more appropriate, better, more acceptable

Semantic entry: 66.11

Semantic domains: Proper, Improper

Definition: pertaining to being more appropriate or fitting

Collocations: πλείων

Sense 7: often, many times

Semantic entry: 67.11

Semantic domains: Time

Subdomains: A Point of Time without Reference to Other Points of Time: Time, Occasion, Ever, Often

Definition: a number of related points of time

Collocations: πολλά

Sense 8: long, long time, for some time

Semantic entry: 67.89

Semantic domains: Time

Subdomains: Duration of Time without Reference to Points or Units of Time: Time, Spend Time, Always, Eternal, Old, Immediately, Young

Definition: pertaining to a relatively long duration of time

Collocations: ἐπὶ πολύ