χρεία
Alt. χρεία, ionicχρείη, ἡ,
Etym. χράομαι, χρέος
I. "use, advantage, service", Theogn., Plat.; τὰ οὐδὲν εἰς χρείαν things of no "use or service", Dem.; χρείαν ἐρευνᾶν, v. ἐρευνάω 1: —pl. "services", Pind., Dem.
2. as an action, "using, use", κτῆσις καὶ χρ. having and "using", Xen., Plat.; πρὸς τὴν ἀνθρωπίνην χρ. Xen.
3. of persons, "familiarity, intimacy, intercourse", πρός τινα "with" one, Plat.
II. like Lat. opus, need, want, necessity, Aesch., etc.; ἵν᾽ ἕσταμεν χρείας considering in what great "need" we are, Soph.; χρείᾳ πολεμεῖν to war with "necessity", id=Soph.:—c. gen. "want or lack of" a thing, Aesch., etc.; ἐν χρείᾳ δορός in the "need or stress" of war, Soph.; χρεία ἐστί [γίγνεταί] μοι τινός, Lat. opus est mihi aliqua re, Plat.; ἔτι μου χρείαν ἕξει "will have need of" my help, Aesch.; ἐν χρείᾳ εἶναί or γίγνεσθαί τινος Plat.; pl., αἱ τοῦ σώματος χρ. Xen.; αἱ ἀναγκαῖαι χρ. Dem.
2. "the result of need, want, poverty", Soph., Eur.
3. "a request of necessity", opp. to ἀξίωσις (a claim of merit), Thuc.: generally, "a request", Aesch.
4. "a needful business, a need, requirement", ὡς πρὸς τί χρείας; for what "purpose?" Soph.; ἡ πολεμικὴ χρ. καὶ ἡ εἰρηνική "the requirements" of war and of peace, Arist.
5. generally, "a business, employment", Polyb., NTest.