1. palpo — Lewis & Short
palpo, āvi, ātum, 1, v. a., and pal-por, ātuspalpus; cf. Gr. ya/llw, 1,
I v. dep. a., to stroke, to touch softly, to pat (poet. and in post-Aug. prose; syn. mulceo).
I Lit.:
modo pectora praebet Virgineā palpanda manu,Ov. M. 2, 867 Jahn N. cr.:
palpate lupos,Manil. 5, 702:
cum equum permulsit quis vel palpatus est,Dig. 9, 1, 1: tamquam si manu palpetur, Schol. Juv. 6, 196: animalia blandi manu palpata magistri, Prud. stef. 11, 91.—
II Transf.
A To caress, coax, wheedle, flatter.
(a) Absol.:
hoc sis vide ut palpatur! nullus est quando occepit, blandior,Plaut. Merc. 1, 2, 57; Lucil. ap. Non. 472, 6:
palpabo, ecquonam modo possim, etc.,Cic. Att. 9, 9, 1:
nihil asperum tetrumque palpanti est,Sen. Ira, 3, 8, 7.—
(b) With dat.:
quam blande mulieri palpabitur,Plaut. Am. 1, 3, 9:
cui male si palpere, recalcitrat undique tutus,Hor. S. 2, 1, 20: scribenti palpare, Poll. ap. Cic. Fam. 10, 33, 2.—
(g) With acc.:
quem munere palpat Carus,Juv. 1, 35; App. M. 5, p. 172, 39.—
B To feel one's way (late Lat.):
et palpes in meridie, sicut palpare solet caecus in tenebris,Vulg. Deut. 28, 29; id. Job, 5, 14.