A. the hand, whether closed, παχεῖα Il. 3.376; βαρεῖα 11.235, al.; or open, flat, χερσὶ καταπρηνέσσι, χειρὶ καταπρηνεῖ, 15.114, Od. 13.164, al.; εἰς τὴν χ. ἐγχεάμενοί τι X. 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 χεῖρας 8.135; χεῖρε ἀμφοτέρας Il. 21.115.

2. hand and arm, arm (cf. Ruf. Onom. 11,82, Gal. 2.347), πῆχυν χειρὸς δεξιτερῆς Il. 21.166; κατὰ χεῖρα μέσην ἀγκῶνος ἔνερθε 11.252; χεῖρες ἀπʼ ὤμων ἀΐσσοντο Hes. Th. 150; χ. εἰς ὤμους γυμναί Longus 1.4; ἐν χερσὶ γυναικῶν πεσέειν into the arms, Il. 6.81, etc.: hence, words are added to denote the hand as distinct from the arm, ἄκρην οὔτασε χεῖρα 5.336; περὶ ἄκραις ταῖς χ. χειρῖδας ἔχουσι X. Cyr. 8.8.17, cf. Pl. Prt. 352a.

3. of the hand or paw of animals, ὅσα [ζῷα] χεῖρας ἔχει X. Mem. 1.4.14; πορεύεσθαι ἐπὶ χειρῶν go on all fours. LXX Le. 11.27; so of monkeys, Arist. HA 502b3; of the fore-paws of the hyena, Id. Fr. 369; of the bear, Plu. 2.919a.

II. Special usages:

1. to denote position, ποτέρας τῆς χερός; on which hand? E. Cyc. 681; ἐπὶ δεξιὰ χειρός Pi. P. 6.19; ἐπʼ ἀριστερὰ χειρός Od. 5.277; χειρὸς εἰς τὰ δεξιά S. Fr. 598; λαιᾶς χειρός A. Pr. 714 (but χείρ is often omitted with δεξιά, ἀριστερά, as we say the right, the left).

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 ἀσπάζεσθαι Od. 3.35; προκαλίζεσθαι 18.20; χειρί, χεροῖν ψαῦσαι, S. OT 1510, 1466: sts. this dat. is added pleon. by way of emphasis, ὄνυξι συλλαβὼν χερί Id. Aj. 310.

3. gen., by the hand, χειρὸς ἔχειν τινά Il. 4.154; χειρὸς ἑλών 1.323, etc.; γέροντα δὲ χειρὸς ἀνίστη he raised him by the hand, 24.515, cf. Od. 14.319; χερὶ χειρὸς ἑλών Pi. P. 9.122; τινὰ χειρός ἑλκειν Id. N. 11.32; ἀνέλκειν τινὰ τῆς χ. Ar. V. 569 (anap.).

4. the acc. is used when one takes the hand of a person, χεῖρα γέροντος ἑλών Il. 24.361; χεῖρʼ ἕλε δεξιτερήν Od. 1.121; χεῖράς τʼ ἀλλήλων λαβέτην, in pledge of good faith, Il. 6.233; so ἔμβαλλε χ. δεξιὰν πρώτιστά μοι S. Tr. 1181; also ἔμβαλλε χειρὸς πίστιν Id. Ph. 813, cf. OC 1632.

5. other uses of the acc.:

a. in prayer or entreaty, χεῖρας ἀνασχεῖν [θεοῖς] Il. 3.275, etc.; ποτὶ γούνασι χεῖρας βάλλειν Od. 6.310; ἀμφὶ . . Ἀρήτης βάλε γούνασι χεῖρας Ὀδυσσεύς 7.142; ἀμφὶ δὲ χεῖρας δειρῇ βάλλʼ Ὀδυσῆϊ 23.207; ἀμφί τινι χεῖρε β. 21.223; περίβαλε δὲ χέρας Ar. Th. 914, cf. A. Ag. 1559 (anap.); χεῖρας προΐσχεσθαι Th. 3.58, 66; so also χεῖρας ἀείρων Od. 11.423, cf. Il. 7.130 (tm.); χ. ἀνατείνειν (v. ἀνατείνω I.1).

b. τὰς χεῖρας αἴρειν to hold up hands in token of assent or choice, of persons voting, Ar. Ec. 264; τὴν χ. αἴρειν And. 3.41; ὅτῳ δοκεῖ ταῦτα, ἀράτω τὴν χ. X. An. 5.6.33, cf. 7.3.6; ἀνατεινάτω τὴν χ. ib.3.2.9, 33; χεῖρας ὀρεγνύς Il. 22.37; χεῖρʼ ὀρέγων εἰς οὐρανόν 15.371; χεῖρας ὀ. τινί Od. 12.257; πρός τινα Pi. P. 4.240; ποτὶ στόμα χεῖρʼ ὀρέγεσθαι Il. 24.506 (but χεῖρά τισι ὀ. to reach them oneʼs hand in help, X. HG 5.2.17); also χεῖρε ἑτάροισι πετάσσας Il. 4.523, etc.; πιτνὰς εἰς ἐμὲ χεῖρας Od. 11.392 (but χεῖρε πετάσσας abs., of one swimming, etc., 5.374, al.).

c. [Ἰλίου] χεῖρα ἑὴν ὑπερέσχε held the hand over I. as a protector, Il. 9.420, etc.: less freq. τισι, 4.249, cf. 5.433; χεῖρά θʼ ὕπερθεν ἔχεις IG 14.1003.10 (Rome).

d. in hostile sense, χεῖρας or χεῖρα ἐπιφέρειν τινί, Il. 1.89, 19.261, al.; χεῖρας ἐφιέναι τινί 1.567, Od. 1.254, al.; χεῖρας ἐπιβάλλειν τισί Plb. 3.2.8, etc.; χέρα τινὶ προσενεγκεῖν Pi. P. 9.36; χεῖρας ἐπί τινι ἰάλλειν, v. ἰάλλω I.1.

e. χεῖρας ἀπέχειν keep hands off, λοιμοῖο βαρείας χεῖρας ἀφέξει Il. 1.97 codd.; κερτομίας δέ τοι . . καὶ χεῖρας ἀφέξω . . μνηστήρων Od. 20.263; ἀθανάτων ἀπέχειν χέρας A. Eu. 350 (lyr.); τὼ χεῖρε ἀπέχεται Pl. Smp. 213d; παύειν χεῖράς τινος Il. 21.294.

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 ὁμιλίαι S.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 πολιτείαν Arist. 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 ὅπλα Plu. Cor. 2, etc. (also διὰ χ. by direct payment, opp. διὰ τῆς τραπέζης by bankerʼs order, BGU 1156.8 (i B. C.), etc.; cf. διὰ χ. ἔσπευδε τὴν πρᾶσιν Charito 1.12); of arms, διὰ χειρὸς εἶναι Luc. Anach. 35; διὰ χ. ἔχειν, c. part., to be continually doing, Plu. 2.767c; διὰ χειρός τινος ποιεῖν τι LXXJo. 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, πρᾶγμʼ ἐς χέρας λαβόντʼ E. Hec. 1242; ἄγεσθαί τι ἐς χεῖρας Hdt. 1.126, 4.79, etc.; δοῦναί τινι ἐς χέρας, εἰς χεῖρα, S. El. 1348, X. Cyr. 8.8.22; καταστῆσαι εἰς τὰς χ. τινος Aeschin. 2.28; of persons, ἵκεο χεῖρας ἐς ἁμάς thou hast fallen into our hands, Il. 10.448 (in Hom. also simply ὅ τι χεῖρας ἵκοιτο Od. 12.331, cf. 24.172); so εἰς χεῖρας ἐλθεῖν τινι X. 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 ξυνῆψαν E. Heracl. 429): most freq. ἐς χεῖρας ἐλθεῖν τισι to come to blows or close quarters with . . , A. Th. 680; ἀλλήλοις Th. 7.44: abs., εἰς χ. ἐλθεῖν Id. 4.96; ἐς χ. ἰέναι Id. 2.3, 4.72, cf. PTeb. 765.6 (ii B. C.); συνιέναι X. Cyr. 8.8.22; also ἐς χειρῶν νόμον (fort. νομόν) ἀπικέσθαι Hdt. 9.48; ἐν χειρῶν νόμῳ (fort. νομῷ) ἀπόλλυσθαι Id. 8.89, cf. Aeschin. 1.5, SIG 167.37 (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 νομαῖς SIG 700.29 (Lete, ii B.C.), v. l. in LXX 3 Ma. 1.5; ἐν χεροῖν δίκῃ cj. in E.Ba. 738; εἰς χεῖρας συμμεῖξαι τοῖς πολεμίοις X. Cyr. 2.1.11; also εἰς χεῖρας δέχεσθαί τινας to await their charge, Id. An. 4.3.31; ἐς χ. ὑπομεῖναί τινας Th. 5.72.

e. ἐκ χειρός by hand of man, S. Aj. 27: from near at hand, at close range, ἐκ χειρὸς βάλλειν X. An. 3.3.15; ἀμύνασθαι ib.5.4.25; μάχεσθαι Id. HG 7.2.14, cf. D.S. 19.6; πληγὰς ἐκ χ. ἀναδέξασθαι Plu. tim. 4; οὐ μὴ σωθῇ ἐκ χ. σιδήρου LXX Jb. 20.24; ἡ ἐκ χ. δίκη lynch law, D.H. 4.37; ἡ ἐκ χ. βία Plb. 9.4.6: metaph., ἡ 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 τίθει Il. 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 θήσω Il. 8.289; τόξον, ἔγχος ἔχων ἐν χειρί, 15.443, 17.604; σκῆπτρον δέ οἱ ἔμβαλε χειρί Od. 2.37; but ἐν . . χειρὶ σκῆπτρον ἔθηκεν Il. 23.568; of a gift, ἐν χερσὶ τίθει 1.441, 446; ἐν ταῖς χ. ἔχειν, literally, Pl. R. 432d; τὰ ὅπλʼ ἐν ταῖς χ. ἔχων D. 9.8, etc. (metaph., ἔτι μεμνημένων ὑμῶν καὶ μόνον οὐκ ἐν ταῖς χερσὶν ἕκαστʼ ἐχόντων Id. 18.226); but ἐν χερσὶν ἔχειν also, to have in hand, be engaged in, τὸν γάμον Hdt. 1.35; ἑορτήν Plu. Alex. 13; τὴν περὶ Δημοσθένους πραγματείαν D.H. Th. 1; ἐν χειρί τινα δίκην ἔχων Pl. Tht. 172e; ὁ ἐν χερσὶ πόλεμος the war in hand, D.H. 8.87; περιτειχισμὸς ἐν χερσὶν ὤν ib.21; ἡ ἐν χ. ζήτησις S.E. M. 11.208, etc.; freq. of fighting, ἐν χερσί hand to hand, ἐν χ. ἦν ἡ μάχη Th. 4.43; ἐν χ. ἀποκτεῖναι Id. 3.66, cf. 4.57,96, etc.; ἐν χ. γίγνεσθαι τοῖς ἐναντίοις Id. 5.72; ἐν χ. εἶναί τινος X. HG 4.6.11; δίκη ἐν χερσί Hes. Op. 192; ὁ ψόφος τῶν ὅπλων καὶ τῶν ἵππων ὁ φρυαγμὸς ἐν χερσὶν ἐδόκει εἶναι D.S. 19.31; ἡ ἐν χερσὶν [δυστυχία] Plu. Cleom. 22: also in dual, τἀν χεροῖν S. Ant. 1345 (lyr.); ἐν χειρί τινος by the hand of . . , LXX Jo. 21.2, al.; ἐν χ. ἀγγέλου Act.Ap. 7.35 (v.l.).

g. ἐπὶ χειρὸς ἔχειν on or in oneʼs 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. ἐδόθη Alex. 261.2, cf. Arched. 2.3: prov. of that which is easily come by, Telecl. 1.2 (anap.); πάντα μοι κατὰ χ. ἦν τὰ πράγματα at 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. γενναιότατοι D.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.

i. μετὰ χερσὶν ἔχειν between, i.e. in, the hands, Il. 11.4, 15.717; [ἄλεισον] μετὰ χ. ἐνώμα Od. 22.10: μετὰ χεῖρας ἔχειν to have in hand, be engaged in, Hdt. 7.16.βʹ, Th. 1.138.

k. λάβε παρὰ χεῖρα take in hand, LXX To. 11.4; but τὸ πὰρ χειρός the work in hand, B. 13.10.

l. πρὸ χειρῶν close 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, anotherʼs hands, Il. 2.374, etc.; ὑπὸ χεῖρα ποιεῖσθαι to bring under oneʼs power, X. Ages. 1.22; οἱ ὑπὸ χ. persons in oneʼs power, D. 6.34; ὑπὸ τὴν χ. ἐλθεῖν to come into oneʼs 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; ὁ 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.βʹ) ; θοὴ χ., of one throwing, Il. 12.306; ἀφνειά Pi. O. 7.1, cf. S. El. 458; εὐσεβεστέρα, εὐφιλής, A. Ch. 141, Ag. 34; κάρβανος ib.1061; γεραιά E. Hec. 143 (anap.); πονηρά Id. Ion 1316, etc.: to denote wealth or poverty, πλειοτέρῃ σὺν χ. Od. 11.359; κενεὰς σὺν χ. ἔχοντες 10.42, cf. E. Hel. 1280, etc.

2. it is represented as acting of itself, χεῖρες μαιμῶσιν Il. 13.77, cf. S. Aj. 50; χεὶρ ὁρᾷ τὸ δράσιμον A. Th. 554; δήμου κρατοῦσα χ. Id. Supp. 604 (dub. l.): prov., ἁ δὲ χ. τὰν χ. νίζει Epich. 273; or simply, ἁ χ. τὰν χ. AP 5.207 (Mel.).

3. pl., in theurgy, name for spiritual powers, αἱ δημιουργικαὶ [τοῦ Ἀπόλλωνος] δυνάμεις ἃς θεουργῶν παῖδες χεῖρας ἀποκαλοῦσιν Procl. 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 ἀρήξειν Il. 1.77; μνῆμʼ Ἑλένης χειρῶν of her handiwork, her art, Od. 15.126 (so in sg., δώρημʼ ἐκείνῳ τἀνδρὶ τῆς ἐμῆς χ. S. Tr. 603); χερσὶν ἢ λόγῳ Id. OT 883 (lyr.), cf. OC 1297, etc.; τῇ χειρὶ χρᾶσθαι to use oneʼs 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 χείρ A. Pr. 619; μιᾷ χειρί single-handed, D. 21.219; χειρὶ καὶ ποδὶ καὶ πάσῃ δυνάμει Aeschin. 3.109, cf. 2.115; χερσίν τε ποσίν τε Il. 20.360, cf. Pi. O. 10(11).62, esp. of using the hands in a fight, cf. supr. II.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 χειρῶν Pl. Lg. 869d: generally, χεῖρες violent measures, force, ἐπίσχετε θυμὸν ἐνιπῆς καὶ χειρῶν Od. 20.267; ὑπόδικος χερῶν A. Eu. 260 (lyr.); χερσὶ πεποιθώς Il. 16.624, etc.; ἐν χειρῶν νόμῳ v. supr. II.6; ὅπως θανάτοιο βαρείας χ. ἀλάλκοι, v.l. for κῆρας, Il. 21.548.

V. a number, band, body of men, esp. of soldiers, χεὶρ μεγάλη Hdt. 7.157; in dat., οὐ σὺν μεγάλῃ χ. Id. 5.72; πολλῇ χ. 1.174, Th. 3.96, E. Heracl. 337; pleon., χ. μεγάλῃ πλήθεος Hdt. 7.20; δεδωμάτωμαι δʼ οὐδʼ ἐγὼ σμικρᾷ χερί A. Supp. 958; οἰκεία χείρ, for χεὶρ οἰκετῶν, E. El. 629; σὺν πλήθει χερῶν S. OT 123.

VI. handwriting, τὴν ἑαυτοῦ χεῖρα ἀρνήσασθαι Hyp. Lyc.Fr. 5, cf. IG 9(1).189 (Phocis); τῇ ἐμῇ χ. Παύλου I Ep. Cor. 16.21, Ep.Col. 4.18: copy, counterpart of a document, SIG 712.31 (Crete, ii B.C.); deed, instrument, ἡ χ. ἥδε κυρία ἔστω PRein. 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 χεῖρες Herod. 4.72, cf. 6.66; σοφαὶ χέρες APl. 16.262; 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, AP 6.38 (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 Ἀβεσσαλώμ LXX 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 τοξῖτιν Ph. Bel. 68.4, cf. Hero Bel. 78.2.

7. instrument of torture, LXX 4 Ma. 8.13.

VIII. handful, κορώνῃ χεῖρα πρόσδοτε κριθέων Phoen. 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.)