grope Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun the act of groping; and instance of groping
  2. verb feel about uncertainly or blindly
    fumble.
    • She groped for her glasses in the darkness of the bedroom
  3. verb search blindly or uncertainly
    • His mind groped to make the connection
  4. verb fondle for sexual pleasure
    • He made some sexual advances at the woman in his office and groped her repeatedly

WordNet

Grope intransitive verb
Etymology
OE. gropen, gropien, grapien, AS. grpian to touch, grope, fr. grpan to gripe. See Gripe.
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Groped ; present participle & verbal noun Groping
Definitions
  1. To feel with or use the hands; to handle. Obs.
  2. To search or attempt to find something in the dark, or, as a blind person, by feeling; to move about hesitatingly, as in darkness or obscurity; to feel one's way, as with the hands, when one can not see.
    We grope for the wall like the blind. Is. lix. 10.
    To grope a little longer among the miseries and sensualities ot a worldly life. Buckminster.
Grope transitive verb
Definitions
  1. To search out by feeling in the dark; as, we groped our way at midnight.
  2. To examine; to test; to sound. Obs. Chaucer.
    Felix gropeth him, thinking to have a bribe. Genevan Test. (Acts xxiv. ).

Webster 1913