χρέος χράομαι, χρή that which one needs must pay, an obligation, debt, Od.; a debt for stolen cattle, Il.; χρεῖος ἀποστήσασθαι to pay a debt in full, Il.; ἀρᾶς τίνει χρ. pays the debt demanded by the curse, Aesch.; χρέος πόλει προσάπτειν to attach a further debt, i.e. guilt to the city, Soph.; χρέος ἀποδιδόναι to repay a debt, Hdt., Ar.:—in pl. debts, χρειῶν λύσις Hes.; τὴν οὐσίαν ἅπασαν χρέα κατέλιπε left all the property in outstanding debts, Dem. a needful business, an affair, matter, ἑὸν αὐτοῦ χρεῖος Od.: a requirement, a purpose, Soph.: c. gen., like χάριν, for the sake of, σὸν οὐκ ἔλασσον ἢ κείνης χρέος Eur. like χρῆμα, a thing, τί χρέος; τί χρῆμα; wherefore? Aesch.; ἐφʼ ὅ τι χρ. ἐμόλετε; Eur. in Od., ἦλθον Τειρεσίαο κατὰ χρέος seems to be = Τειρεσίᾳ χρησόμενος, I came to consult him:—but, κατὰ χρέος according to what is due, as is meet, Hhymn. a duty, task, charge, office, Pind., Trag. = χρεία, want, need, τί δὲ τοῦδʼ ἔχει πλέκους χρέος; Ar.