GROPE, GROPING
ADJECTIVES
► FRISKING petting or groping → 20C US sl.
NOUNS
► BIT OF CALICO sexual groping → M19 US sl.
► GROPERY a groping in the dark → 1777
► LING-GRAPPLING groping or feeling a woman → 19C Brit. sl.
► NEVEL a groping, prodding, or poking with the fingers, in an indecent sense → 1964 Sc.
► THRUMBLE the act of handling overmuch or of groping or fumbling → 1905 Sc. (Bk.)
VERBS
► CRAWL to grope and fondle a woman → sl.
► FAM to feel, to handle; to grope a woman → M18 sl.
► FATHOM ABOUT to try what the arms will take in; to grope about → a1300 obs.
► GRABBLE to grasp, to seize, to grab; to grapple with, to resist, to contend; to grope → 1746 Eng. dial.
► GRAWL to grope, to search for → 1856 Sc. & Eng. dial.
► GRISP to grasp, to grope → 1420 obs.
► GROB to search or examine by the sense of feeling, as with the hand in a dark place; to grope, to probe → 1900 Eng. dial. (Bk.)
► GRUBBLE to grope → 1690 obs.
► GUMP to grope with the hands, esp. to grope after fish → 1811 Sc. & N. Eng. dial.
► PLAY AT STINKFINGER to grope a woman → 1903 sl. (Bk.)
► POGGLE ► PUGGLE to poke; to grope → 1909 Amer. dial.
► SCRAVVLE to scramble, to scrawl; to grope with the hands → 1904 Sc. (Bk.)
► SCRAWM to scramble awkwardly; to grope about with outstretched arms; to sprawl; to spread or stretch out in a straggling manner → 1895 Eng. dial.
► STROKE to grope → 1904 sl. (Bk.)
► THRUMBLE to fumble, grope → 19C Eng. dial.
► THRUMMIL to handle, esp. to handle overmuch or awkwardly; to fumble, to grope; to tie up or fasten awkwardly → 1905 Sc. (Bk.)