Quick Definition
κνήθω v. I rub, tickle
Strong's Definition
from a primary knao (to scrape); to scratch, i.e. (by implication) to tickle
KJV Usage: X itching
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament
verb
25.11 · (κνήθομαι) · Attitudes and Emotions · Desire, Want, Wish
Collocation: κνήθομαι τὴν ἀκοήν
to have itching ears, to desire to hear what one wants to hear, to be desirous of hearing (an idiom, literally: to itch with respect to hearing) to have one’s ears tickled by what is heard
1 The idiom κνήθομαι τὴν ἀκοήν involves two quite distinct semantic features. One is the desire to be pleased, and the second is the means of such gratification, namely, what is heard. It would be possible to classify this idiom either under Sensory Events and States (Domain 24) or in the domain of Attitudes and Emotions. Since in 2TI 4:3 the latter seems the more focal feature of meaning, the idiom is included in the domain of Attitudes and Emotions.
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament © United Bible Societies, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Thayer's Greek Lexicon
κνήθω: pres. pass. κνήθομαι; (fr. κνάω, inf. κνᾶν and Attic κνῆν) ; to scratch, tickle, make to itch; pass. to itch : κνηθόμενοι τὴν ἀκοήν (on the acc. ef. W. § 32,5), i. 6. desirous of hearing something pleasant (Hesych. κνήθ. τ. ἀκοήν - ζητοῦντές τι ἀκοῦσαι καθ᾽ ἡδονήν), 2 Tim. iv. 3. (Mid. τὸν ὄνον κνήθεσθαι εἰς τὰς ἀκάνθας τὰ ἕλκη, its sores, Aristot. h. ἃ. 9, 1 p. 609", 32; κνῆν ᾿Αττικοὶ, κνήθειν Ἕλληves, Moeris p. 234; [ef. Veitch 5. v. xvdw].)
Mounce Concise Greek Dictionary
κνήθω knēthō 1x
to scratch; to tickle, cause titillation; in NT mid. met. to procure pleasurable excitement for, to indulge an itching, 2 Tim. 4:3*
Abbott-Smith Greek Lexicon
* κνήθω
(late form of κνάω),
to scratch.
to tickle; pass., to itch: II Ti 4:3.†
Moulton & Milligan — Vocabulary of the Greek NT
κνήθω. The use of this rare Hellenistic verb in 2 Tim 4? is well illustrated by Clem. Al. Strom. I. iii. 22. 5 (p. 15, ed. Stahlin) κνήθοντες καὶ γαργαλίζοντες οὐκ ἀνδρικῶς, ἐμοὶ δοκεῖν, τὰς ἀκοὰς τῶν κνήσασθαι γλιχομένων, “ scratching and tickling, in what I consider an unmanly way, the ears of those who wish to be tickled,” with reference to the ‘“‘jargon”’ of the Sophists. For a new literary reference see Herodas iv. 51 ἔσσετ᾽ ἡμέρη κείνη, | ἐν 7 TO βρέγμα τοῦτο τὠσυρὲς κνήσῃ, ‘the day will come when you will scratch your dirty poll”: cf. for the Attic κνάω 22. viii. 8 τόν]θρυζε καὶ κνῶ, ““srumble and scratch your head.”’
Liddell-Scott-Jones — Greek-English Lexicon
κνήθω (knēthō) — to itch. κνήθ-ω, later form of κνάω, scratch, ὡς λέγεται, κνήθειν οἶδεν ὄνος τὸν ὄνον [Refs 2nd c.AD+] —middle, κνήθεσθαι εἰς τὰς ἀκάνθας τὰ ἕλκη to get one's sores scratched, [Refs 4th c.BC+]
2. passive, itch, Paul.[NT]; to be provoked, [Refs 4th c.BC+]