A.“-ήσω” LXXZa.9.13: aor. ἐψηλάφησα ib.Ge.27.22:—Pass., fut. ψηλαφηθήσομαι ib. Na.3.1: aor. “ἐψηλαφήθην” S.E.M.8.108, Plu.2.599c:—feel or grope about to find a thing, like a blind man or hoodman-blind, χερσὶ ψηλαφόων (Ep.for -άων), of the Cyclops when blinded, Od.9.416; ψηλαφῶν οὐκ ἐδυνάμην εὑρεῖν [τὸ ἱμάτιον] Ar.Ec.315; “ψηλαφῶντες . . ὥσπερ ἐν σκότει” Pl.Phd.99b: metaph., “ψ. περί τινων” Phld.D.1.14.
2. c. acc. rei, feel about for, grope or search after, “ἐψηλαφῶμεν ἐν σκότῳ τὰ πράγματα” Ar.Pax691; εἰ . . ψηλαφήσειαν αὐτὸν (sc. τὸν θεὸν)“ καὶ εὕροιεν” Act.Ap.17.27.
II. feel, touch, handle, stroke, Poll.1.183; μή ποτε ψηλαφήσῃ με ὁ πατήρ, of Isaac and Jacob, LXXGe.27.12, cf. Ev.Luc. 24.39; “ψ. καὶ τρίβειν τοῖς δακτύλοις” Arist.HA571a33; esp. in Medic., of uterine examination, Hp.Mul.1.40, al.:—Pass., “ὧν ψηλαφωμένων ὁ ἵππος . . ἥδεται” X.Eq.2.4; [“ὄρνιθες] τῇ χειρὶ ψηλαφώμεναι” Arist. HA560a9.