μᾶλλον (comparitive of μάλα, very, very much) (from Homer down), adverb, more, to a greater degree; rather;

1. added to verbs and adjectives, it denotes increase, a greater quantity, a larger measure, a higher degree, more, more fully (German in höherem Grade, Maasse);

a. words defining the measure or size are joined to it in the ablative (dative): πολλῷ much, by far, Mar 10:48; Luk 18:39; Rom 5:15; Rom 5:17 (in both these verses the underlying thought is, the measure of salvation for which we are indebted to Christ is far greater than that of the ruin which came from Adam; for the difference between the consequences traceable to Adam and to Christ is not only one of quality, but of quantity also; cf. Rückert, Commentary on Romans, vol. i. 281f (others (from Chrysostom to Meyer and Godet) content themselves here with a logical increase, far more certainly)); 2Co 3:9; 2Co 3:11; Php 2:12; πόσῳ how much, Luk 12:24; Rom 11:12; Phm 1:16; Heb 9:14; τοσούτῳ by so much, ὅσῳ by as much (namely, μᾶλλον), Heb 10:25.

b. in comparison it often so stands that than before must be mentally added (A. V. the more, so much the more), as Mat 27:24 (μᾶλλον θόρυβος γίνεται (but others refer this to 2 b. ἆ. below)); Luk 5:15 (διήρχετο μᾶλλον); Joh 5:18 (μᾶλλον ἐζήτουν); ; Act 5:14; Act 9:22; Act 22:2; 2Co 7:7; 1Th 4:1; 1Th 4:10; 2Pe 1:10; ἔτι μᾶλλον καί μᾶλλον, Php 1:9; or the person or thing with which the comparison is made is evident from what precedes, as Php 3:4; it is added to comparatives, Mar 7:36; 2Co 7:13; πολλῷ μᾶλλον κρεῖσσον, Php 1:23; see (Wetstein on Philippians, the passage cited); Winers Grammar, § 35, 1 cf. 603 (561); (Buttmann, § 123, 11); to verbs that have a comparative force, μᾶλλον διαφέρειν τίνος, to be of much more value than one, Mat 6:26. μᾶλλον ἤ, more than, Mat 18:13; μᾶλλον with the genitive, πάντων ὑμῶν, 1Co 14:18 (Xenophon, mem. 3, 17, 1). joined to positive terms it forms a periphrasis for a comparative (cf. Winer’s Grammar, § 35, 2 a.), followed by ἤ, as μακάριον, μᾶλλον for μακαριωτερον, Act 20:35; add, 1Co 9:15; Gal 4:27; πολλῷ μᾶλλον ἀναγκαῖά, 1Co 12:22; sometimes μᾶλλον, seems to be omitted before ἤ; see under ἤ, 3 f. c. μᾶλλον δέ, what moreover is of greater moment (A. V. yea rather): Rom 8:34 (2Ma 6:23).

2. it marks the preference of one thing above another, and is to be rendered rather, sooner (German eher, vielmehr, lieber);

a. it denotes that which occurs more easily than something else, and may be rendered sooner (German eher): thus πολλῷ μᾶλλον in arguing from the less to the greater, Mat 6:30; Rom 5:9; Heb 12:9 (here L T Tr WH πολι μᾶλλον); also πολύ (R G πολλῷ) μᾶλλον namely, οὐκ ἐκφευξόμεθα, i. e. much more shall we not escape (cf. Winers Grammar, p. 633 (588) note (Buttmann, § 148, 3 b.)), or even ἔνδικον μισθαποδοσίαν ληψόμεθα (Heb 2:2), or something similar (cf. Matthiae, § 634, 3), Heb 12:25. πόσῳ μᾶλλον, Mat 7:11; Mat 10:25; Luk 12:28; Rom 11:12; Rom 11:24; Phm 1:16. in a question, οὐ μᾶλλον; (Latinnonne potius?) (do not ... more), 1Co 9:12.

b. it is opposed to something else and does away with it; accordingly it may be rendered the rather (German vielmehr); α. after a preceding negative or prohibitive sentence: Mat 10:6; Mat 10:28; Mat 25:9; Mar 5:26; Rom 14:13; 1Ti 6:2; Heb 12:13; μᾶλλον δέ, Eph 4:28; Eph 5:11. οὐχί μᾶλλον; (nonne potius ?) not rather etc.? 1Co 5:2; 1Co 6:7. β. so that μᾶλλον belongs to the thing which is preferred, consequently to a noun, not to a verb: Joh 3:19 (ἠγάπησαν μᾶλλον τό σκότος ἡ τό φῶς, i. e. when they ought to have loved the light they (hated it, and) loved the darkness, Joh 3:20); ; Act 4:19; Act 5:29; 2Ti 3:4 that which it opposes and sets aside must be learned from the context (cf. Winer’s Grammar, § 35, 4): Mar 15:11 (namely, ἤ τόν Ἰησοῦν); Php 1:12 (where the meaning is, ’so far is the gospel from suffering any loss or disadvantage from my imprisonment, that the number of disciples is increased in consequence of it’). γ. by way of correction, μᾶλλον δέ, nay rather; to speak more correctly: Gal 4:9 (Josephus, Antiquities 15, 11, 3; Aelian v. h. 2, 13 and often in secular authors; cf. Grimm, Exeg. Hdbch. on Sap., p. 176f).

c. it does not do away with that with which it is in opposition, but marks what has the preference: more willingly, more readily, sooner (German lieber), θέλω μᾶλλον and εὐδοκῶ μᾶλλον, to prefer, 1Co 14:5; 2Co 5:8 (βούλομαι μᾶλλον, Xenophon, Cyril 1, 1, 1); ζηλουν, 1Co 14:1 (μᾶλλον namely, ζηλοῦτε); χρωμαι, 1Co 7:21.