1 surely.

2 with a restrictive force, emphasizing what follows:

a. in contrast to what precedes, howbeit;

b. in contrast with other ideas Generally, only

1 asseverative, often introducing with emphasis the expression of a truth (or supposed truth) newly perceived, especially in colloquial language, surely, no doubt (doch wohl); Genesis 26:9 אַךְ הִנֵּה אִשְׁתְּךָ הִוא of a surety, lo, she is thy wife ! Genesis 29:14; Genesis 44:28; Judges 3:24; Judges 20:39; 1 Samuel 16:6 surely the anointed of ׳י is before him ! 1 Samuel 25:21; Jeremiah 5:4; Psalm 58:12; Psalm 73:1; Psalm 73:13; but also in other cases, though rarely, Isaiah 34:14,15; Zephaniah 3:7; Psalm 23:6; Psalm 139:11; Psalm 140:14; Job 16:7; Job 18:21; & rather singularly Exodus 12:15; Exodus 31:13; Leviticus 23:27,39 (all P).

2 restrictive:

a. in contrast to what precedes, howbeit, yet, but : Genesis 9:4 howbeit, flesh with the life thereof . . . ye shall not eat, Genesis 20:12; Exodus 21:21; Leviticus 21:23; Leviticus 27:26; Numbers 18:15,17; 2 Samuel 3:13; Jeremiah 10:24 correct me, אַךְ בְּמִשְׁמָּט but with judgment, Job 2:6; Job 13:15; sometimes with an adversative force, as Isaiah 14:15; Isaiah 43:24; before an imperative (minimizing the request), Genesis 23:13 only, if thou wilt, I pray thee, hear me ! Genesis 27:13; Judges 10:15; 1 Samuel 18:17; 1 Kings 17:13 and elsewhere So 1 Samuel 8:9 אַךְ כִּי (see כִּי; and compare πλὴν ὅτι).

b. in contrast to other ideas Generally : — (α) Genesis 7:23; Genesis 18:32 אַךְ הַמַּעַם only this once (so Exodus 10:17 and elsewhere) Exodus 34:15; Exodus 12:16 (note accents), 1 Samuel 18:8 וְעוֺד לוֺ אַךְ תַמְּלוּכָה and there yet remains for him only the kingdom, 1 Samuel 21:5; Isaiah 45:14 אַךָ בְּךָ אֵל only in thee is God! Psalm 62:2 etc. Job 14:22; Psalm 37:8 fret not thyself אַךְ לְהָרֵעַ (which leadeth) only to do evil, Proverbs 11:24 he that withholdeth more than is meet אַךְ לְמַחְסוֺר (tendeth) only to penury, Proverbs 14:23; Proverbs 21:5; Proverbs 22:16; (β) attaching itself closely to the following word (usually an adjective, rarely a verb), only, i.e. exclusively, altogether, utterly Deuteronomy 16:15 and thou shalt be אַךְ שָׂמֵחַ altogether rejoicing, Deuteronomy 28:29 (compare Deuteronomy 28:33 רַק) Isaiah 16:7 אַךְ נְכָאִים utterly stricken, Isaiah 19:11; Jeremiah 16:19 nought but lies, Jeremiah 32:30; Hosea 12:12; Job 19:13 אַךְ זָרוּ are wholly estranged (with play on אַכְזָר cruel).

c. as an adverb of time (with infinitive absolute), twice: Genesis 27:30 אַךְ יָצאֹ יָצָא יַעֲקֹבוְ֗֗֗עֵשָׂו בָּא only just (or scarcely) had Jacob gone out, . . . and (= when) Esau came in, Judges 7:19. — וְאַח thrice : Genesis 9:5 and only (second limitation of Genesis 9:3); Numbers 22:20 but only; Joshua 22:19 but howbeit.

Note. — In some passages the affirmative and restrictive senses agree equally with the context; and authorities read the Hebrew differently. Thus only = nought but, altogether, is adopted by Ges Ew Hi De in Psalm 23:6; Psalm 62:10; Psalm 73:1; Psalm 73:13; by Ew Hi De in Psalm 39:6; Psalm 39:7 (Che surely); by Ges Ew De in Psalm 39:12 (but Hi Che surely); by Ew Hi in Psalm 73:18 (De Che surely); by Ges Hi De in Psalm 139:11 (Ew doch). Isaiah 45:14 Ges Ew Hi Di only; but De Che of a truth.