Bible Lexicons

κωφ-ός, ή, όν,

I blunt, dull, obtuse, opp. ὀξύς, κ. βέλος Il. 11.390, cf. E. Fr. 495.27; κ. καλάμη AP 12.25 (Stat.Flacc.).

II metaph.,

1. of sound, mute, noiseless, κύματι κωφῷ Il. 14.16; κωφὴν γὰρ δὴ γαῖαν ἀεικίζει is maltreating dumb, senseless earth, 24.54; τὰ μὲν ἄλλα ἔσκε κωφά the other parts sounded dull, opp. to the ringing of the hollow parts when struck, Hdt. 4.200: neut. pl. as Adv., κωφὰ δὲ πόντος κεῖτο Orph. A. 1103; ὁ κ. λιμήν, prob. the bay of Munychia, as opp. to the noisy Piraeus, X. HG 2.4.31; κωφότερος ὁ ψόφος ἔσται, i.e. muffled, Aen.Tact. 19; τῶν μεταλλικῶν κωφότατος [ὁ σίδηρος ] rings least, Plu. 2.721f; κωφοὶ ἄνεμοι D.S. 3.51.

2. after Hom., of men or animals, dumb, Parm. 6.7, etc.; καὶ κωφοῦ συνίημι καὶ οὐ φωνεῦντος ἀκούω Orac. ap. Hdt. 1.47; οὐ.. παρὰ κωφὸν ὁ τυφλὸς ἔοικε λαλῆσαι, i.e. is not so dumb but that he will answer the blind fool who assails him, Cratin. 6; κωφότερος κίχλης Eub. 29; κ. χάρις a mute gift (sc. an epitaph), Epigr.Gr. 298 (Teos); so κωφοῖς δάκρυσι IPE 2.299 (Panticapaeum); κ. τάφοι prob. in IG 12(8).441.26; κ. προσωπεῖον mute figure on the stage, Ph. 2.520, cf. Plu. 2.791e; κ. πρόσωπον Cic. Att. 13.19.3; κ. καὶ ἄλογος, of a house, with no echoes, Luc. Dom. 1. deaf, h.Merc. 92, Heraclit. 34. A. Th. 202, Ch. 881; λήθην κωφήν, ἄναυδον S. Fr. 670; ὅσοι γίνονται κ. ἐκ γενετῆς, πάντες καὶ ἐνεοὶ γίνονται Arist. HA 536b3 (hence of a deaf and dumb person, Hdt. 1.34, BGU 1196.49 (i B. C.), cf. Hsch.); c.gen., κωφὴ ἀκοῆς αἴσθησις Antiph. 196.5, cj. in Pl. Lg. 932a; κ. Ἑλλάδος φωνᾶς deaf of one's Greek ear, i.e. ignorant of Greek, Dialex. 6.12; σπαράγματα κωφὰ τοῦ βεβαιοῦντος Plu. 2.1108d. metaph., νοῦς ὁρῇ καὶ νοῦς ἀκούει· τἆλλα κωφὰ καὶ τυφλά Epich. 249; κ. πέτρος Moschio Trag. 7; μαψαῦραι Call. Fr. 67; ἐρημία D.S. 3.40: neut. pl. as Adv., κωφὰ χλιαίνεσθαι feebly, AP 12.125 (Mel.).

3. ὄμμα κ. vacant, lack-lustre eye, Arist. Phgn. 807b23.

4. of the senses in general, dull, Thphr. Sens. 19 (Comp.).

5. of the mind, dull, obtuse, ἐγὼ ὁ πάντα κ. S. Aj. 911, cf. Pi. P. 9.87; τὸ τῆς ψυχῆς ποιεῖν κ. Pl. Ti. 88b: κωφοί, οἱ, 'the Dullards', title of satyr-play by Sophocles. of things, senseless, unmeaning, obscure, κ. καὶ παλαί' ἔπη S. OT 290; κ. διήγησις Plb. 3.36.4, cf. 5.21.4; ὑπόνοια Phld. Mus. p.71 K.; σκῶμμα Plu. 2.712a; but κ. εὐπραγίαι is prob.f.l.for κοῦφαι, D.C. 38.27. Adv. - φῶς obscurely, Vett.Val. 251.25: Comp. - ότερον, ἐνοχλεῖν less acutely, Phld. Vit. p.21 J.