χείρ, ἡ, χειρός, χειρί, χεῖρα, dual χεῖρε, χεροῖν,
plural χεῖρες, χερῶν, χεῖρας,
penultimate being regularly short, when the
ultima is long;
dative plural regularly χερσί (χειρσί occurs in codex Vat. of [
LXX], and late Inscrr. as [
Refs 8th c.BC+], and once in
trimeter, [
Refs 5th c.BC+]; χέρεσσι (ν) [
Refs 8th c.BC+]:—
Doric dialect nominative χέρς [
Refs 5th c.BC+];
χήρ [
Refs 5th c.BC+] (also, ={δίψακος}, Ps.-[
Refs 7th c.BC+]:—
the hand, whether
closed, παχεῖα [
Refs 8th c.BC+]; or
open, flat, χερσὶ καταπρηνέσσι, χειρὶ καταπρηνεῖ,[
Refs 8th c.BC+]: frequently in
plural where
a single hand is meant, [
Refs 8th c.BC+]; reversely,
singular where more than one
hand is spoken of, e.g. [
Refs 8th c.BC+]; dual joined with
plural, ἄμφω χεῖρας [
Refs 8th c.BC+]
2)
hand and arm, arm [
Refs 8th c.BC+]; ἐν χερσὶ γυναικῶν πεσέειν into
the arms, [
Refs 8th c.BC+]: hence, words are added to denote the
hand as distinct from the
arm, ἄκρην οὔτασε χεῖρα [
Refs 5th c.BC+]
3) of the
hand or
paw of animals, ὅσα [ζῷα] χεῖρας ἔχει [
Refs 5th c.BC+]; πορεύεσθαι ἐπὶ χειρῶν go on
all fours. [
LXX]; so of monkeys, [
Refs 4th c.BC+]; of the
fore-paws of the hyena, [
Refs]; of the bear, [
Refs 1st c.AD+]
II) Special usages:
II.1) to denote position, ποτέρας τῆς χερό; on which
hand? [
Refs 8th c.BC+] as we say
the right, the left).
II.2) frequently in
dative of all numbers with Verbs which imply the use of hands, λάβε χειρί, χερσὶν ἑλέσθαι, [
Refs 8th c.BC+]; χειρί, χεροῖν ψαῦσαι, [
Refs 5th c.BC+]: sometimes this
dative is added
pleonastic by way of emphasis, ὄνυξι συλλαβὼν χερί [
Refs]
II.3)
genitive,
by the hand, χειρὸς ἔχειν τινά [
Refs 8th c.BC+]; γέροντα δὲ χειρὸς ἀνίστη he raised him
by the hand,[
Refs 8th c.BC+]
II.4) the
accusative is used when one takes the
hand of a person, χεῖρα γέροντος ἑλών [
Refs 8th c.BC+]; χεῖράς τ᾽ ἀλλήλων λαβέτην, in pledge of good faith, [
Refs 8th c.BC+]
II.5) other uses of the
accusative:
II.5.a) in prayer or entreaty, χεῖρας ἀνασχεῖν [θεοῖς] [
Refs 8th c.BC+]; χ. ἀνατείνειν (see. ἀνατείνω [
Refs]
II.5.b) τὰς χεῖρας αἴρειν to hold up
hands in token of assent or choice, of persons voting, [
Refs 8th c.BC+] to reach them
one's hand in help, [
Refs 8th c.BC+]
II.5.c) [Ἰλίου] χεῖρα ἑὴν ὑπερέσχε held
the hand over as a protector, [
Refs 8th c.BC+]: less frequently τισι, [
Refs]
II.5.d) in hostile sense, χεῖρας or χεῖρα ἐπιφέρειν τινί, [
Refs 8th c.BC+]
II.5.e) χεῖρας ἀπέχειν keep
hands off, λοιμοῖο βαρείας χεῖρας ἀφέξει [
Refs 8th c.BC+]
II.5.f) χεῖρας ἐπιτιθέναι τινί, in token of consecration, [
NT]
II.6) with Preps:
II.6.a) ἀνὰ χεῖρας ἔχειν τινάς to be intimate with, [
Refs 2nd c.BC+]; τὰ ἀνὰ χεῖρα πράγματα the matters
in hand, [
Refs 1st c.AD+] the
current period, [
Refs 2nd c.AD+]; τὰ ἀνὰ χ. what comes his way, Ps.-[
Refs 1st c.BC+]; ἀνὰ χ. τῆς πύλης
hard by, [
LXX]
II.6.b) ἀπὸ χειρὸς λογίσασθαι to reckon
off-hand, roughly, [
Refs 5th c.BC+] by
hand, [
Refs 3rd c.BC+]
II.6.c) διὰ χερῶν ἔχειν, λαβεῖν, literally, to have or take
between the
hands, [
Refs 5th c.BC+]; διὰ χειρὸς ἔχειν to hold
in the hand, [
Refs 5th c.BC+]; to have
in hand, i. e.
under control, [
Refs 5th c.BC+]; τὰ τῶν ξυμμάχων keep
under control, [
Refs 5th c.BC+]: later, to have a work
in hand, be engaged in it, [
Refs 1st c.BC+]; of arms, διὰ χειρὸς εἶναι [
Refs 2nd c.AD+]; διὰ χ. ἔχειν, with
participle, to be
continually doing, [
NT+1st c.AD+]
II.6.d) ἐς χεῖρας λαβεῖν τι literally, [
Refs 5th c.BC+]; to take a matter
in hand, undertake it, πρᾶγμ᾽ ἐς χέρας λαβόντ᾽ [
Refs 5th c.BC+]; δοῦναί τινι ἐς χέρας, εἰς χεῖρα, [
Refs 5th c.BC+]; of persons, ἵκεο χεῖρας ἐς ἁμάς thou hast fallen into our
hands, [
Refs 8th c.BC+]: generally, to have to do with any one,
converse with him, [
Refs 5th c.BC+] to come to
blows or
close quarters with, [
Refs 5th c.BC+]; συνιέναι [
Refs 5th c.BC+]; also ἐς χειρῶν νόμον (perhaps νομόν) ἀπικέσθαι [
Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἐν χειρῶν νόμῳ (perhaps νομῷ) ἀπόλλυσθαι [
Refs 4th c.BC+];
ἐν χειρὸς νόμῳ [
LXX+4th c.BC+]; ἐν χεροῖν δίκῃ conjecture in [
Refs 5th c.BC+]; also εἰς χεῖρας δέχεσθαί τινας to await their charge, [
Refs 5th c.BC+]
II.6.e) ἐκ χειρός by
hand of man, [
Refs 5th c.BC+]: from
near at hand, at close range, ἐκ χειρὸς βάλλειν [
Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἀμύνασθαι[
Refs 1st c.BC+]
tim.4; οὐ μὴ σωθῇ ἐκ χ. σιδήρου [
LXX]; ἡ ἐκ χ. δίκη
lynch law, [
Refs 2nd c.BC+]
closerange reading, [
Refs 1st c.BC+]; so of time,
out of hand, off-hand, forthwith, [
Refs 2nd c.BC+]
II.6.f) δέπας μητρὶ ἐν χειρὶ τίθει [
Refs 8th c.BC+] though found in most codices, was condemned by the critics in Il.[same place], [
Refs 8th c.BC+]; of a gift, ἐν χερσὶ τίθει [
Refs]; ἐν ταῖς χ. ἔχειν, literally, [
Refs 5th c.BC+]; but ἐν χερσὶν ἔχειν also, to have
in hand, be engaged in, τὸν γάμον [
Refs 5th c.BC+]; ὁ ἐν χερσὶ πόλεμος the war
in hand, [
Refs 1st c.BC+]; περιτειχισμὸς ἐν χερσὶν ὤν[
Refs 2nd c.AD+]; frequently of fighting, ἐν χερσί
hand to hand, ἐν χ. ἦν ἡ μάχη [
Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἐν χ. γίγνεσθαι τοῖς ἐναντίοις [
Refs 8th c.BC+]; ἡ ἐν χερσὶν [δυστυχία] [
Refs 1st c.AD+]: also in dual, τἀν χεροῖν [
Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἐν χειρί τινος
by the hand of, [
LXX+NT]
II.6.g) ἐπὶ χειρὸς ἔχειν
on or
in one's
hand, [
Refs 6th c.BC+]; ἐπὶ χεῖράς τινων ἐκφέρουσι put into their
hands, [
Refs 1st c.AD+]; also ἐπὶ χεῖρά τινος
next to, [
LXX]
II.6.h) κατὰ χειρός, of washing the hands before meals, ὕδωρ κατὰ χειρός (i.e. φερέτω τις), [
Refs 5th c.BC+]; (without ὕδωρ) κατὰ χ. ἐδόθη [
Refs 4th c.BC+]: proverbial of that which is easily come by, [
Refs 5th c.BC+]
at hand, [
Refs 5th c.BC+]; also κατὰ χειρῶν δοῦναι, χέειν, λαβεῖν, [
Refs 5th c.BC+] in
deed or
act, κατὰ χ. γενναιότατοι [
Refs 1st c.BC+]; opposed to συνέσει, [
Refs 1st c.AD+]; κατὰ χεῖρά σου according to thy
will, [
LXX] by her
side, [
Refs]
i) μετὰ χερσὶν ἔχειν
between, i.e.
in, the hands, [
Refs 8th c.BC+] to have
in hand, be engaged in, [
Refs 5th c.BC+]
k) λάβε παρὰ χεῖρα take
in hand, [
LXX]; but τὸ πὰρ χειρός the work
in hand, [
Refs 5th c.BC+]
l) πρὸ χειρῶν
close before one, [
Refs 5th c.BC+]; πρὸ χειρὸς εἶναι conjecture in [
Refs 5th c.BC+]
m) πρὸς χειρός τινος by his
hand, [
Refs 4th c.BC+]; πρὸς ἐμὴν χεῖρα at the signs
given by my
hand, [
Refs 5th c.BC+]; πρὸς χεῖρα ὑποβορβορύζοντες on
pressure, [
Refs 5th c.BC+]
n) ὑπὸ χερσὶ ἁλοῦσα
under, i.e.
by, another's
hands, [
Refs 8th c.BC+]; ὑπὸ χεῖρα ποιεῖσθαι to bring
under one's power, [
Refs 5th c.BC+]; οἱ ὑπὸ χ. persons
in one's power, [
Refs 4th c.BC+]; ὑπὸ τὴν χ. ἐλθεῖν to come
into one's hand, [
Refs 2nd c.AD+]; ὑπὸ χ. in
hand, i.e. in
stock, [
Refs 4th c.BC+]; but also,
at hand, i.e.
at once, [
Refs 1st c.AD+]; τὰ ὑπὸ χ. [
Refs 1st c.AD+]; ὁ ὑπὸ χ. the attendant, [
Refs 1st c.AD+]
extempore, [
Refs 1st c.AD+]; also καθύπο χεῖρα κινῶν [τὰς οὐσίας], in Alchemy, [
Refs 5th c.BC+]
III)
the hand often receives the attributes of
the person using it, χ. μεγάλη, of Zeus, [
Refs 8th c.BC+]; χ. ὑπερμήκης, of the 'long
arm' of the king, [
Refs 5th c.BC+]; θοὴ χ, of one throwing, [
Refs 8th c.BC+]; εὐσεβεστέρα, εὐφιλής, [
Refs 4th c.BC+]; κάρβανος[
Refs 5th c.BC+]: to denote wealth or poverty, πλειοτέρῃ σὺν χ. [
Refs 8th c.BC+]
III.2) it is represented as acting of itself, χεῖρες μαιμῶσιν [
Refs 8th c.BC+]
III.3)
plural, in theurgy, name for spiritual
powers, αἱ δημιουργικαὶ [τοῦ Ἀπόλλωνος] δυνάμεις ἃς θεουργῶν παῖδες χεῖρας ἀποκαλοῦσιν [
Refs 5th c.AD+] P, compare [same work]
in R.[
Refs]
IV) to denote
act or deed, opposed to mere words, in
plural, ἔπεσιν καὶ χερσὶν ἀρήξειν [
Refs 8th c.BC+]; μνῆμ᾽ Ἑλένης χειρῶν of her
handiwork, her
art, [
Refs 8th c.BC+]; τῇ χειρὶ χρᾶσθαι to use one's
hands, i.with be active, stirring, opposed to ἀργὸς ἐπεστάναι, [
Refs 5th c.BC+]; τὰς χ. προσφέρειν to apply
force, [
Refs 5th c.BC+]; μιᾷ χειρί single-
handed, [
Refs 8th c.BC+], especially of using the hands in a fight, compare above [
Refs], e, f; of deeds of violence, πρὶν χειρῶν γεύσασθαι before we try
force, [
Refs 8th c.BC+]; ἀδίκων χ. ἄρχειν to give the first
blow, [
Refs 5th c.BC+]
violent measures, force, ἐπίσχετε θυμὸν ἐνιπῆς καὶ χειρῶν [
Refs 8th c.BC+]; ὅπως θανάτοιο βαρείας χ. ἀλάλκοι, variant for{κῆρας}, [
Refs 8th c.BC+]
V)
a number, band, body of men, especially of soldiers, χεὶρ μεγάλη [
Refs 5th c.BC+]; οἰκεία χείρ, for χεὶρ οἰκετῶν, [
Refs 5th c.BC+]
VI)
handwriting, τὴν ἑαυτοῦ χεῖρα ἀρνήσασθαι [
Refs 4th c.BC+]; τῇ ἐμῇ χ. Παύλου [
NT]:
copy, counterpart of a document, [
Refs 2nd c.BC+];
deed, instrument, ἡ χ. ἥδε κυρία ἔστω [
Refs 3rd c.BC+]
VI.b)
handiwork of an artist or workman, γλαφυρὰ χ. [
Refs 3rd c.BC+]
VII) of any implement resembling a hand:
VII.1) a kind of
gauntlet, [
Refs 5th c.BC+]
VII.2) χ. σιδηρᾶ
grappling-iron, [
Refs 5th c.BC+]; also of an
anchor, [
Refs 1st c.AD+]
VII.3)
axle-tree, [
LXX]
VII.4) in LXX,
pillar or
cairn, as it were
a finger pointing to heaven, χεὶρ Ἀβεσσαλώμ [
LXX]; also ἀνέστακεν αὐτῷ χεῖρα, i.e.
trophy,[
LXX]
VII.5) χεῖρες ἐλάτιναι, of oars, [
Refs 5th c.BC+]
VII.6)
catch of a trigger, [
Refs 3rd c.BC+]
VII.7) instrument of torture, [
LXX]
VIII)
handful, κορώνῃ χεῖρα πρόσδοτε κριθέων [
Refs 3rd c.BC+]
IX)
ointment containing
five ingredients, [
Refs 2nd c.AD+]. (Cf. Armenian
jein (
dzern), [
Refs 2nd c.AD+]
dore, Tocharian (A-dialect)
tsar, (B-dialect)
sar, all =
hand.)