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χείρ , , χειρός, χειρί, χεῖρα, dual χεῖρε, χεροῖν, pl. χεῖρες, χερῶν, χεῖρας, penult. being regularly short, when the ult. is long; dat. pl. regularly χερσί χειρσί occurs in cod.Vat. of LXX, as Jd.7.19, 1 Ch.5.10, and late Inscrr. as CIG2811
A.b.10 (Aphrodisias), 2942c (Tralles): but Poets used the penult. long or short in all cases, as the verse required, χερός, χερί, χέρα, χέρε, χέρες, χέρας (of which Hom. uses only “χερί; χέραh.Pan.40); gen. dual “χειροῖνS.El.206 (lyr.), 1394 (lyr.), IG22.1498.76; gen. pl. χειρῶν ib.31, common in Prose.—Poet. forms, dat. pl. χείρεσιν) once in Hom., Il.20.468, also Q.S.2.401, 5.469 (v.l.); “χείρεσσιIl.12.382, Pi.O.10(11).62, S.Ant. 976 (lyr.), 1297 (lyr.), and once in trim., E.Alc.756; χέρεσσιν) Hes.Th.519, 747, B.17.49; “χερέεσσινAJA36.460 (Galatia):—Dor. nom. χέρς Timocr.9; χήρ Sophr. in PSI11.1214a3 (also, = δίψακος, Ps.-Dsc.3.11); gen. “χηρόςAlcm.32, IG42(1).121.22 (Epid., iv B. C.); acc. pl. χῆρας ib.96, Aeol. “χέρραςAlc.Supp.4.21, Theoc.28.9.—On the accent and declension of these forms, v. Hdn.Gr.2.277,748:— the hand, whether closed,παχεῖαIl.3.376; “βαρεῖα11.235, al.; or open, flat, χερσὶ καταπρηνέσσι, χειρὶ καταπρηνεῖ, 15.114, Od.13.164, al.; “εἰς τὴν χ. ἐγχεάμενοί τιX.Cyr.1.3.9: freq. in pl. where a single hand is meant, Il.23.384, etc.; reversely, sg. where more than one hand is spoken of, e.g. Od.3.37, etc.; dual joined with pl., “ἄμφω χεῖρας8.135; “χεῖρε ἀμφοτέραςIl.21.115.
3. of the hand or paw of animals, “ὅσα [ζῷα] χεῖρας ἔχειX.Mem.1.4.14; πορεύεσθαι ἐπὶ χειρῶν go on all fours. LXX Le.11.27; so of monkeys, Arist.HA502b3; of the fore-paws of the hyena, Id.Fr.369; of the bear, Plu.2.919a.
II. Special usages:
2. freq. in dat. of all numbers with Verbs which imply the use of hands, λάβε χειρί, χερσὶν ἑλέσθαι, Il.5.302, 10.501; “χερσὶν ἀσπάζεσθαιOd.3.35; “προκαλίζεσθαι18.20; χειρί, χεροῖν ψαῦσαι, S.OT1510, 1466: sts. this dat. is added pleon. by way of emphasis, “ὄνυξι συλλαβὼν χερίId.Aj.310.
5. other uses of the acc.:
I. as a protector, Il.9.420, etc.: less freq. τισι, 4.249, cf. 5.433; “χεῖρά θ᾽ ὕπερθεν ἔχειςIG14.1003.10 (Rome).
f. χεῖρας ἐπιτιθέναι τινί, in token of consecration, 1 Ep.Ti.5.22, etc.
6. with Preps.:
a. ἀνὰ χεῖρας ἔχειν τινάς to be intimate with . . , Plb.21.6.5; “αἱ ἀνὰ χεῖρά τινων ὁμιλίαιS.E.M.1.64; τὰ ἀνὰ χεῖρα πράγματα the matters in hand, Plu.2.614b, etc. (also οἱ ἀνὰ χ. χρόνοι the current period, PRyl.88.21 (ii A. D.); τὰ ἀνὰ χ. what comes his way, Ps.-Ptol.Centil.18; ἀνὰ χ. τῆς πύλης hard by . . , LXX 2 Ki.15.2.
b. ἀπὸ χειρὸς λογίσασθαι to reckon off-hand, roughly, Ar.V.656 (anap.), cf. Luc.Hist.Conscr.29: but πότισον τὴν γῆν ἀπὸ χειρός by hand, PCair.Zen.155 (iii B. C.).
c. διὰ χερῶν ἔχειν, λαβεῖν, literally, to have or take between the hands, A.Supp.193, S.Ant.916; διὰ χειρὸς ἔχειν to hold in the hand, ib.1258 (anap.), Ar.V.597 (anap.); to have in hand, i. e. under control, Th.2.76; “διὰ χειρῶν ἔχειν τὴν πολιτείανArist.Pol.1308a27; τὰ τῶν ξυμμάχων keep under control, Th.2.13: later, to have a work in hand, be engaged in it, Phld.Acad.Ind.p.69M. (χερός), D.H.Isoc.4; “τὰ ὅπλαPlu.Cor.2, etc. (also διὰ χ. by direct payment, opp. διὰ τῆς τραπέζης by banker's order, BGU1156.8 (i B. C.), etc.; cf. “διὰ χ. ἔσπευδε τὴν πρᾶσινCharito 1.12); of arms, “διὰ χειρὸς εἶναιLuc.Anach.35; διὰ χ. ἔχειν, c. part., to be continually doing, Plu.2.767c; “διὰ χειρός τινος ποιεῖν τιLXXJo.17.4, al., cf. Act.Ap.7.25, al.
d. ἐς χεῖρας λαβεῖν τι literally, S.El.1120, etc.; to take a matter in hand, undertake it, “πρᾶγμ᾽ ἐς χέρας λαβόντ᾽E.Hec.1242; “ἄγεσθαί τι ἐς χεῖραςHdt.1.126, 4.79, etc.; δοῦναί τινι ἐς χέρας, εἰς χεῖρα, S.El.1348, X.Cyr.8.8.22; “καταστῆσαι εἰς τὰς χ. τινοςAeschin.2.28; of persons, ἵκεο χεῖρας ἐς ἁμάς thou hast fallen into our hands, Il.10.448 (in Hom. also simply “ τι χεῖρας ἵκοιτοOd.12.331, cf. 24.172); so “εἰς χεῖρας ἐλθεῖν τινιX.Cyr.7.4.10, cf. 2.4.15: generally, to have to do with any one, converse with him, Id.An.1.2.26 (so “ἐς χεῖρα γῇ ξυνῆψανE.Heracl.429): most freq. ἐς χεῖρας ἐλθεῖν τισι to come to blows or close quarters with . . , A.Th.680; “ἀλλήλοιςTh.7.44: abs., “εἰς χ. ἐλθεῖνId.4.96; “ἐς χ. ἰέναιId.2.3, 4.72, cf. PTeb.765.6 (ii B. C.); “συνιέναιX.Cyr.8.8.22; also ἐς χειρῶν νόμον (fort. νομόν)“ ἀπικέσθαιHdt.9.48; ἐν χειρῶν νόμῳ (fort. νομῷ)“ ἀπόλλυσθαιId.8.89, cf. Aeschin.1.5, SIG167.37 (Mylasa, iv B. C.), Heraclid.Pol.25, Plb.1.34.5, 5.111.6; ἐν χειρὸς νόμῳ Arist.Pol.1285a10, D.H.6.26; “ἐν χειρῶν νομαῖςSIG700.29 (Lete, ii B.C.), v. l. in LXX 3 Ma.1.5; ἐν χεροῖν δίκῃ cj. in E.Ba.738; “εἰς χεῖρας συμμεῖξαι τοῖς πολεμίοιςX.Cyr.2.1.11; also εἰς χεῖρας δέχεσθαί τινας to await their charge, Id.An.4.3.31; “ἐς χ. ὑπομεῖναί τιναςTh. 5.72.
e. ἐκ χειρός by hand of man, S.Aj.27: from near at hand, at close range,ἐκ χειρὸς βάλλεινX.An.3.3.15; ἀμύνασθαι ib.5.4.25; “μάχεσθαιId.HG7.2.14, cf. D.S.19.6; “πληγὰς ἐκ χ. ἀναδέξασθαιPlu. tim.4; “οὐ μὴ σωθῇ ἐκ χ. σιδήρουLXX Jb.20.24; ἐκ χ. δίκη lynch law, D.H.4.37; “ ἐκ χ. βίαPlb.9.4.6: metaph., ἐκ χ. θεωρία closerange reading, D.H.Isoc.2; so of time, out of hand, off-hand, forthwith, Plb.5.41.7, al.
f.δέπας μητρὶ ἐν χειρὶ τίθειIl.1.585, cf. Od.13.57, 15.120, al. (always so of a cup, hence ἐν χερσὶ τίθει δέπας, though found in most codd., was condemned by the critics in Il.l.c., Od.3.51, 15.130); “πρεσβήϊον ἐν χερὶ θήσωIl.8.289; τόξον, ἔγχος ἔχων ἐν χειρί, 15.443, 17.604; “σκῆπτρον δέ οἱ ἔμβαλε χειρίOd.2.37; but “ἐν . . χειρὶ σκῆπτρον ἔθηκενIl.23.568; of a gift, “ἐν χερσὶ τίθει1.441, 446; ἐν ταῖς χ. ἔχειν, literally, Pl.R.432d; “τὰ ὅπλ᾽ ἐν ταῖς χ. ἔχωνD.9.8, etc. (metaph., “ἔτι μεμνημένων ὑμῶν καὶ μόνον οὐκ ἐν ταῖς χερσὶν ἕκαστ᾽ ἐχόντωνId.18.226); but ἐν χερσὶν ἔχειν also, to have in hand, be engaged in,τὸν γάμονHdt.1.35; “ἑορτήνPlu.Alex.13; “τὴν περὶ Δημοσθένους πραγματείανD.H.Th.1; “ἐν χειρί τινα δίκην ἔχωνPl.Tht. 172e; ἐν χερσὶ πόλεμος the war in hand, D.H.8.87; περιτειχισμὸς ἐν χερσὶν ὤν ib.21; “ ἐν χ. ζήτησιςS.E.M.11.208, etc.; freq. of fighting, ἐν χερσί hand to hand,ἐν χ. ἦν μάχηTh.4.43; “ἐν χ. ἀποκτεῖναιId.3.66, cf. 4.57,96, etc.; “ἐν χ. γίγνεσθαι τοῖς ἐναντίοιςId.5.72; “ἐν χ. εἶναί τινοςX.HG4.6.11; “δίκη ἐν χερσίHes.Op.192; “ ψόφος τῶν ὅπλων καὶ τῶν ἵππων φρυαγμὸς ἐν χερσὶν ἐδόκει εἶναιD.S.19.31; ἐν χερσὶν [δυστυχία] Plu.Cleom.22: also in dual, “τἀν χεροῖνS.Ant.1345 (lyr.); ἐν χειρί τινος by the hand of . . , LXX Jo.21.2, al.; “ἐν χ. ἀγγέλουAct.Ap.7.35 (v.l.).
g. ἐπὶ χειρὸς ἔχειν on or in one's hand, Thgn.490; ἐπὶ χεῖράς τινων ἐκφέρουσι put into their hands, Plu.2.815b; also ἐπὶ χεῖρά τινος next to, LXXNe.3.4.
h. κατὰ χειρός, of washing the hands before meals, ὕδωρ κατὰ χειρός (sc. φερέτω τις), Ar.V.1216, cf.Av.464 (anap.), Fr.502 (lyr.), Philox. 1, Ath.9.408e; (without ὕδωρ)“ κατὰ χ. ἐδόθηAlex.261.2, cf. Arched. 2.3: prov. of that which is easily come by, Telecl.1.2 (anap.); “πάντα μοι κατὰ χ. ἦν τὰ πράγματαat hand, Pherecr.146.5; also κατὰ χειρῶν δοῦναι, χέειν, λαβεῖν, Philyll.3, Antiph.287 (v.l.), Men.470 (troch.), cf. Phot.s.v. κατὰ χειρὸς ὕδωρ: κατὰ χεῖρα in deed or act,κατὰ χ. γενναιότατοιD.H.7.6; opp. συνέσει, Plu.Phil.7; κατὰ χεῖρά σου according to thy will, LXX Si.25.26: but κατὰ χεῖρας [τῆς σοφίας] by her side, ib.14.25.
k. λάβε παρὰ χεῖρα take in hand, LXX To. 11.4; but τὸ πὰρ χειρός the work in hand, B.13.10.
l.πρὸ χειρῶνclose before one, S.Ant.1279, E.Tr.1207 (s.v.l.), Rh.274; πρὸ χειρὸς εἶναι cj. in Pl.Com.69.5.
m. πρὸς χειρός τινος by his hand, A.Supp.66 (lyr.), etc.; πρὸς ἐμὴν χεῖρα at the signs given by my hand, S.Ph.148 (anap.); πρὸς χεῖρα ὑποβορβορύζοντες on pressure, Hp.Epid.4.7.
n. ὑπὸ χερσὶ ἁλοῦσα under, i.e. by, another's hands, Il.2.374, etc.; ὑπὸ χεῖρα ποιεῖσθαι to bring under one's power, X.Ages.1.22; οἱ ὑπὸ χ. persons in one's power, D.6.34; ὑπὸ τὴν χ. ἐλθεῖν to come into one's hand, Luc.Herm.57, etc.; ὑπὸ χ. in hand, i.e. in stock, Arist.Mete.369b33; but also, at hand, i.e. at once, Plu.2.548e; τὰ ὑπὸ χ. ib.56b, Dsc.1.35; ὑπὸ χ. the attendant, Dsc.5.75; “παρέργως καὶ ὑπὸ χ.extempore, Plu.Arat.3, etc.; also καθύπο χεῖρα κινῶν [τὰς οὐσίας], in Alchemy, Ps.-Democr. p.51 B.
III. the hand often receives the attributes of the person using it, χ. μεγάλη, of Zeus, Il.15.695 (χ. παγκρατής, of God, Secund.Sent.3; χ. ὑπερμήκης, of the 'long arm' of the king, Hdt.8.140.β᾽; θοὴ χ., of one throwing, Il.12.306; “ἀφνειάPi.O.7.1, cf. S.El. 458; εὐσεβεστέρα, εὐφιλής, A.Ch.141, Ag.34; κάρβανος ib.1061; “γεραιάE.Hec.143 (anap.); “πονηράId.Ion1316, etc.: to denote wealth or poverty, “πλειοτέρῃ σὺν χ.Od.11.359; “κενεὰς σὺν χ. ἔχοντες10.42, cf. E.Hel.1280, etc.
2. it is represented as acting of itself, “χεῖρες μαιμῶσινIl.13.77, cf. S.Aj.50; “χεὶρ ὁρᾷ τὸ δράσιμονA.Th.554; “δήμου κρατοῦσα χ.Id.Supp.604 (dub. l.): prov., “ δὲ χ. τὰν χ. νίζειEpich.273; or simply, “ χ. τὰν χ.AP5.207 (Mel.).
3. pl., in theurgy, name for spiritual powers,αἱ δημιουργικαὶ [τοῦ Ἀπόλλωνος] δυνάμεις ἃς θεουργῶν παῖδες χεῖρας ἀποκαλοῦσινProcl. in Cra. p.101 P., cf. eund. in R.2.252K.
IV. to denote act or deed, opp. mere words, in pl., “ἔπεσιν καὶ χερσὶν ἀρήξεινIl.1.77; μνῆμ᾽ Ἑλένης χειρῶν of her handiwork, her art, Od.15.126 (so in sg., “δώρημ᾽ ἐκείνῳ τἀνδρὶ τῆς ἐμῆς χ.S.Tr.603); “χερσὶν λόγῳId.OT883 (lyr.), cf. OC1297, etc.; τῇ χειρὶ χρᾶσθαι to use one's hands, i.c. be active, stirring, opp. ἀργὸς ἐπεστάναι, Hdt.3.78, cf. 9.72; τὰς χ. προσφέρειν to apply force, X.Mem.2.6.31: sg., “βούλευμα μὲν τὸ Δῖον, Ἡφαίστου δὲ χείρA.Pr.619; μιᾷ χειρί single-handed, D.21.219; “χειρὶ καὶ ποδὶ καὶ πάσῃ δυνάμειAeschin.3.109, cf. 2.115; “χερσίν τε ποσίν τεIl.20.360, cf. Pi.O.10(11).62, esp. of using the hands in a fight, cf. supr. 11.6d, e, f; of deeds of violence, πρὶν χειρῶν γεύσασθαι before we try force, Od.20.181; ἀδίκων χ. ἄρχειν to give the first blow, X.Cyr.1.5.13, Antipho 4.2.1, Lys.4.11, etc.; “ἀμυνόμενος ἄρχοντα χειρῶνPl.Lg.869d: generally, χεῖρες violent measures, force,ἐπίσχετε θυμὸν ἐνιπῆς καὶ χειρῶνOd.20.267; “ὑπόδικος χερῶνA.Eu.260 (lyr.); “χερσὶ πεποιθώςIl.16.624, etc.; ἐν χειρῶν νόμῳ v. supr. 11.6d; ὅπως θανάτοιο βαρείας χ. ἀλάλκοι, v.l. for κῆρας, Il.21.548.
VI. handwriting,τὴν ἑαυτοῦ χεῖρα ἀρνήσασθαιHyp.Lyc.Fr.5, cf. IG9(1).189 (Phocis); τῇ ἐμῇ χ. Παύλου I Ep. Cor.16.21, Ep.Col.4.18: copy, counterpart of a document, SIG712.31 (Crete, ii B.C.); deed, instrument, χ. ἥδε κυρία ἔστωPRein.28.18 (ii B.C.), cf. PCair.Zen.477 (iii B.C.), etc.
b. handiwork of an artist or workman, “γλαφυρὰ χ.Theoc.Epigr.8.5, etc.; “αἱ Ἐφεσίου χεῖρεςHerod.4.72, cf. 6.66; “σοφαὶ χέρεςAPl.4.262; “τὰς Φειδίου χ.Lib.Or. 30.22.
VII. of any implement resembling a hand:
1. a kind of gauntlet, X.Eq.12.5, Poll.1.135 (pl.).
2. χ. σιδηρᾶ grappling-iron, Th.4.25, 7.62; also of an anchor, AP6.38 (Phil.).
3. axle-tree, LXX 3 Ki.7.18(32).
4. in LXX, pillar or cairn, as it were a finger pointing to heaven,χεὶρ ἈβεσσαλώμLXX 2 Ki.18.18; also ἀνέστακεν αὐτῷ χεῖρα, i.e. trophy, ib. 1 Ki.15.12.
5. χεῖρες ἐλάτιναι, of oars, Tim.Pers.7.
6. catch of a trigger, Hero Aut.13.9; “χ. κατάγουσα τὴν τοξῖτινPh.Bel. 68.4, cf. Hero Bel.78.2.
7. instrument of torture, LXX 4 Ma.8.13.
VIII. handful,κορώνῃ χεῖρα πρόσδοτε κριθέωνPhoen. 2.1.
IX. ointment containing five ingredients, Orib.Fr.89, Alex. Trall.7.1. (Cf. Arm. jein (dzern), Alb. dore, Tocharian (A-dialect) tsar, (B-dialect) sar, all = hand.
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