Quick Definition
I touch or handle
Strong's Definition
properly, to attach oneself to, i.e. to touch (in many implied relations)
Derivation: reflexive of G681 (ἅπτω);
KJV Usage: touch
Mounce Concise Greek Dictionary
G680, Gπ 681
ἅπτω haptō 39x
pr. to bring in contact, fit, fasten;
to light, kindle, Mar_4:21 ; Luk_8:16 ;
to touch, Mat_8:3 ;
to meddle, venture to partake, Col_2:21 ;
to have intercourse with, to know carnally, 1Co_7:1 ;
by impl. to harm, 1Jn_5:18 cling; light; take hold; touch.
Abbott-Smith Greek Lexicon
ἅπτω ,
[in LXX chiefly for H5060 ;]
prop .,
to fasten to; hence, of fire, to kindle, light: Luk_8:16 ; Luk_11:33 ; Luk_15:8 , Act_28:2 . Mid ., c . gen ., to fasten oneself to, cling to, lay hold of (so in Papyri; MM , s.v. ): Mat_8:3 ; Mat_8:15 , Joh_20:17 , al. ; of carnal intercourse, 1Co_7:1 ; with reference to levitical and ceremonial prohibitions, 2Co_6:17 , Col_2:21 ; of hostile action, 1Jn_5:18 ( cf. ἀν -, καθ -, περι - άπτω ).
SYN.: θιγγάνω G2345 , ψηλαφάω G5584 . ἅ . is the stronger, θ ., to touch, the lighter term. ψ . is to feel, as in search of something ( Tr., Syn. , § xvii; Lft ., Col., 201 f .).
Moulton & Milligan — Vocabulary of the Greek NT
ἅπτομαι [page 72]
The sense of eagerness comes out well in the royal letter to Attis, priest of Pessinus, OGIS 315 .56 (B.C. 164 3) μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα ἐν ἄλλαις καὶ ἄλλαις ἡμέραις ἀεὶ διασκοποῦσιν (for -ούντων ) ἥπτετο μᾶλλον ἡμῶν , urged his view upon us. In Syll 849 .6 (Delphi, B.C. 177 6, in dialect) εἰ δέ τίς κα ἅπτηται Σωσίχας ἐπὶ καταδουλισμῶι , it means lay hold of, appropriate. The active sense of kindle, set fire to, is illustrated by the magical papyrus P Lond 121 .543 (iii/A.D.) (= I. p. 101) ἅπτε δὲ λιβάνῳ , and appears thrice in a very illiterate iv/A.D. letter, P Oxy X. 1297 .12 ἀπέστιλά σοι . . . διὰ Ἴλιτος σφυρίδιον ἕν , ἅψαι αὐτὸν κεῖται (so l. .4, .7 ) I sent you . . by Ilis one basket for you to burn (Edd.). The middle occurs in the recently recovered Greek Acts of the martyr Christina PSI 27 .18 ff. (v/A.D.) εὐχαριστῶ σο [ι ὁ ] πατὴρ τοῦ κῡ Ῑῡ Χ̄ῡ , μὴ ἐνκατα [λίπῃς με εἰς ] τὸν αἰῶν [α ], ἀλλὰ ἔκ [τεινον ] τὴν χεῖράν σου καὶ ἅψαι τοῦ πυρὸ [ς τούτου καὶ σ ]βέσον τὸ ἐπ̣[αναστὰν ] ἐπάνω μου , [μ ]ήποται ἐπιχαρῇ Οὐρβανὸς ὁ τύρα [ννος ἐπ᾽ ἐμέ ]. The familiar ἅπτεσθαι of healing wrought by touch may be illustrated by Syll 803 .62 (iii/B.C. the Asclepieum at Epidaurus) ἐδόκει αὐτᾶι . . . τὸν θεὸν ἅψασ [θ ]αί οὑ τᾶ [ς κοιλίας · ἐκ τού ]του τᾶι Ἀνδρομάχαι (the suppliant) υ [ἱ ]ὸς ἐξ Ἀρύββα ἐγένε [τ ]ο . The opposite sense occurs in ib. 804 .23 ( ibidem , perh. ii/A.D.) ἥψατο δέ μου ( sc. ἡ νόσος ) καὶ τῆς δεξιᾶς χιρὸς καὶ τοῦ μαστοῦ . MGr has ἀνάφτω kindle, and the simplex in a special phrase, ἅψε σβύσε .
STEPBible — Tyndale Abridged Greek Lexicon
to touch, hold, handle; (act.) to start a fire; "to touch a woman" means "to get married"
primarily to bring in contact, fit, fasten; to light, kindle, Mk. 4:21; Lk. 8:16; to touch, Mt. 8:3; to meddle, venture to partake, Col. 2:21; to have intercourse with, to know carnally, 1Cor. 7:1; by implication to harm, 1Jn. 5:18