- grope
- \ \ see GRIP
Word origins - 2ed. J. Ayto. 2005.
grope
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Grope — (gr[=o]p), v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Groped} (gr[=o]pt); p. pr. & vb. n. {Groping}.] [OE. gropen, gropien, grapien, AS. gr[=a]pian to touch, grope, fr. gr[imac]pan to gripe. See {Gripe}.] 1. To feel with or use the hands; to handle. [Obs.] [1913… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
Grope — Grope, v. t. 1. To search out by feeling in the dark; as, we groped our way at midnight. [1913 Webster] 2. To examine; to test; to sound. [Obs.] Chaucer. [1913 Webster] Felix gropeth him, thinking to have a bribe. Genevan Test. (Acts xxiv. ).… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
grope — (v.) O.E. grapian to feel about (as one blind or in darkness), originally lay hold of, seize, touch, attain, related to gripan grasp at (see GRIPE (Cf. gripe)). Figurative sense is from early 14c. Indecent sense (marked as obsolete in OED) is… … Etymology dictionary
grope — [v] feel about for cast about, examine, explore, feel blindly, finger*, fish*, flounder, fumble, grabble, handle, manipulate, poke, pry, root, scrabble, search, touch; concepts 34,216,612 … New thesaurus
grope — ► VERB 1) feel about or search blindly or uncertainly with the hands. 2) informal feel or fondle (someone) for sexual pleasure, especially against their will. ► NOUN informal ▪ an act of groping someone. ORIGIN Old English, related to GRIPE(Cf.… … English terms dictionary
grope — [grōp] vi. groped, groping [ME gropien < OE grapian, to touch, seize, akin to Ger greifen, to grasp: for IE base see GRIPE] to feel or search about blindly, hesitantly, or uncertainly; feel one s way vt. 1. to seek or find (one s way) by… … English World dictionary
grope — I UK [ɡrəʊp] / US [ɡroʊp] verb Word forms grope : present tense I/you/we/they grope he/she/it gropes present participle groping past tense groped past participle groped 1) a) grope or grope around [intransitive] to search for something inside a… … English dictionary
grope — v. 1) (D; intr.) to grope for (to grope for one s keys) 2) (P; intr.) to grope around (in the dark) * * * [grəʊp] (P; intr.) to grope around (in the dark) (D; intr.) to grope for (to grope for one s keys) … Combinatory dictionary
grope — grope1 [grəup US group] v [: Old English; Origin: grapian] 1.) [I ] to try to find something that you cannot see by feeling with your hands grope for ▪ Ginny groped for her glasses on the bedside table. grope around ▪ We groped around in the… … Dictionary of contemporary English
grope — grope1 [ group ] verb 1. ) grope or grope around intransitive to search for something inside a container, bag, etc. by feeling with your hands: She was groping around in her purse for her keys. a ) transitive to try to get to a place by feeling… … Usage of the words and phrases in modern English
grope — [[t]gro͟ʊp[/t]] gropes, groping, groped 1) VERB If you grope for something that you cannot see, you try to find it by moving your hands around in order to feel it. [V for n] With his left hand he groped for the knob, turned it, and pulled the… … English dictionary
