συκοφαντέω, συκοφάντω; 1 aorist ἐσυκοφάντησα; (from συκοφάντης, and this from σῦκον ’fig’, and φαίνω ’to show’. At Athens those were called συκοφανται whose business it was to inform against anyone whom they might detect exporting figs out of Attica; and as sometimes they seem to have extorted money from those loath to he exposed, the name συκοφάντης from the time of Aristophanes down was a general term of opprobrium to designate a malignant informer, a calumniator; a malignant and base accuser from love of gain (but cf. Liddell and Scott, under the word); hence, the verb συκοφάντω signifies)

1. to accuse wrongfully, to calumniate, to attack by malicious devices (Aristophanes, Xenophon, Plato, others).

2. to exact money wrongfully; to extort from, defraud: Luk 3:14 (here R. V. margin accuse wrongfully); with a genitive of the person and accusative of the thing, Luk 19:8 (τριάκοντα μνᾶς παρά τίνος Lysias, p. 177, 32. The Sept. for òÈùÇÑ÷, to oppress, defraud, Job 35:9; Ecc 4:1; Psalm 118:122 (); πένητα, Pro 14:31; Pro 22:16; πτωχούς, Pro 28:3).