κωφός

English (LSJ)

ή, όν,

   A blunt, dull, obtuse, opp. ὀξύς, κ. βέλος Il.11.390, cf. E.Fr.495.27; κ. καλάμη AP12.25 (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.HG2.4.31; 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 IPE2.299 (Panticapaeum); κ. τάφοι prob. in IG12(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.    b 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.HA536b3 (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.    c 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, AP12.125 (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.    b of things, senseless, unmeaning, obscure, κ. καὶ παλαί' ἔπη S.OT290; 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.