μνηστ-εύω,
Doric dialect μναστ-, aorist ἐμνήστευσα: perfect μεμνήστευκα [[ 1st c.BC: Diodorus Siculus Historicus 18.23 ] Refs 1st c.BC+]:—middle, future μνηστεύσομαι [[ 4th c.AD: Palaephatus Paradoxographus 29 ] Refs 4th c.AD+]: perfect μεμνήστευμαι [[ 2nd c.AD: Lucianus Sophista (see. below)] Refs 2nd c.AD+], in passive sense, [[ NT.Luke.1.27, 2.5 (variant{ἐμν}-)] NT]:—court, seek in marriage, with accusative, ἀγαθήν τε γυναῖκα καὶ ἀφνειοῖο θύγατρα μνηστεύειν [[ 8th c.BC: Odyssea Homerus Epicus “Odyssey” 18.277; τὴν πλεῖστοι.. μνήστευον 8th-7th c.BC: Hesiodus Epicus “Fragmenta” 33.2; ἐμνήστευσε τὴν γυναῖκα λαβεῖν 5th-6th c.BC: Xenophon Historicus “Historia Graeca (Hellenica)” 6.4.37; μ. γάμους 5th c.BC: Euripides Tragicus “Iphigenia Aulidensis” 847, compare 5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Leges” 773b ] Refs 8th c.BC+]; woo and win, espouse, [[ 6th c.BC: Theognis Elegiacus 1112, 3rd c.BC: Theocritus Poeta Bucolicus 18.6 ] Refs 6th c.BC+]:—middle, court for oneself, Περσεφόνης γάμον [[ 2nd c.AD: Apollodorus Damascenus Mechanicus 2.5.12, compare 1st c.AD: Josephus Historicus “Antiquitates Judaicae” 4.8.23, 4th c.AD: Palaephatus Paradoxographus [same place]: censured by 2nd c.AD: Lucianus Sophista “Sol.” 9, but used by him, “Merc.Cond.” 23, “Tox.” 37; ὁ τὴν κόρην μεμνηστευμένος [prev. author] “Asin.” 26; - ευσαμένου μου τῷ.. υἱῷ.. τὴν.. θυγατέρα “PFlor.” 36.4 (4th c.AD)] Refs 1st c.AD+]:—passive, of the woman, μναστευθείσᾳ᾽ ξ Ἑλλάνων [[ 5th c.BC: Euripides Tragicus “Iphigenia Taurica” 208 (Lyric poetry), compare 5th-6th c.BC: Isocrates Orator 10.39. ] Refs 5th c.BC+]
__II promise in marriage, betroth, τινά τινι [[ 5th c.BC: Euripides Tragicus “Electra” 313 ] Refs 5th c.BC+]; γάμον μνηστεύειν (with or without τινι) to bring about a marriage for another, help him to a wife, [[ 3rd c.BC: Callimachus Epicus “Hymnus in Dianam” 265, 3rd c.BC: Apollonius Rhodius Epicus 2.511:] Refs 3rd c.BC+] —passive, τῇ μεμνηστευμένῃ αὐτῷ γυναικί his betrothed wife, [[ NT.Luke.2.5. ] NT]