ψῆφος, ψηφου, ἡ (from ψάω, see ψάλλω), a small, worn, smooth stone; pebble (from Pindar, Herodotus down; (in Homer ψηφίς)); 1. since in the ancient courts of justice the accused were condemned by black pebbles and acquitted by white (cf. Passow, under the word, ψῆφος, 2 c, vol. ii, p. 2574b; (Liddell and Scott, under the word, 4 d.); Ovid. met. 15, 41; (Plutarch, Alcib. 22, 2)), and a man on his acquittal was spoken of as νικησας (Theophrastus, char. 17 (19), 3) and the ψῆφος acquitting Dim called νικητήριος (Heliodorus 3, 3 under the end), Christ promises that to the one who has gained eternal life by coming off conqueror over temptation (τῷ νικουντι (A. V. to him that overcometh)) he will give ψῆφον λευκήν, Rev_2:17; but the figure is explained differently by different interpretations; cf. Düsterdieck (or Lee in the 'Speaker's Commentary') at the passage; (B. D. under the word, Stones, 8). Ewald (Die Johann. Schriften, ii., p. 136; (cf. Lee as above; Plumptre in B. D. under the word, Hospitality, at the end)) understnads it to be the tessera hospitalis (cf. Rich, Dict. of Antiq., under the word, Tessera, 3; Becker, Charicles, namely, i. note 17), which on being shown secures admission to the enjoyment of the heavenly manna; the Greek name, however, for this tessera, is not ψῆφος, but σύμβολον. 2. a vote (on account of the use of pebbles in voting): καταφέρω (which see), Act_26:10.

ψῆφος psēphos 3x a small stone, pebble; a pebble variously employed, especially in a ballot; hence, a vote, suffrage, Act_26:10 ; a pebble or stone; probably given as a token, Rev_2:17 (2x)

ψῆφος , -ου , ἡ ( <ψάω , to rub ), [in LXX : Exo_4:25 ( H6864 ), Lam_3:16 ( H2687 ), Ecc_7:26 (25) ( H6864 ), 2Ki_12:4 (5) A, Sir_18:10 , 4Ma_15:26 * ;] 1. a small smooth stone, a pebble: ψ . λευκή (for suggestions as to the meaning, v. Swete , in l ), Rev_2:17 . 2. From the use of pebbles in voting, a vote: Act_26:10 .†

ψῆφος [page 698] For ψῆφος , a pebble, as in Rev. 2:17, cf. P Petr II. 13 (6) .15 (B.C. 258 253) where, with reference to a stone contract, mention is made of removing τὰς ψήφους , by which the editor understands the pebbles lying over the rock to be quarried. From the use of pebbles in voting, the word comes readily to mean vote, number : cf. P Lips I. 105 .19 (i/ii A.D.) ( = Chrest. I. p. 276 ) μὴ καταγειοχέναι ( l. καταγηοχέναι ) ἑκάσ̣τ̣[ου ] εἴδους τὴν ψῆφον , and ib. 64 .38 ( c. A.D. 368) ( = Chrest. I. p. 333 ) ὡς λίτραν χρυσίου ταῖς ταμιακαῖς ψήφοις δοῦναι προσταχθήσει . For Rev. 13:18 cf. an inscr. edited by Cumont in REGr xv. (1902), p. 5, which concludes (ἐν ) ὀνόματι οὗ ἐστιν ψῆφος τξ̄ε̄ : see Wόnsch AF , p. 23. Note also P Par 63 viii. 25 (B.C. 164) τὴν ἐν χρόνῳ [βο ]υλευομ [ένη ]ν ψῆφον ἐ [ξε ]τάσοντα .

ψῆφος ψῆφος, doric ψᾶφος, ἡ, [Etym: ψάω] "a small stone, a pebble, rubbed and rounded" in river-beds or on the sea-shore, Lat. calculus, Pind. , Hdt. "a pebble used for reckoning, a counter", ψήφοις λογίζεσθαι to calculate "by arithmetic, to cipher", Hdt. ; hence "to reckon exactly or accurately", Ar. ; ἐν ψήφῳ λέγειν Aesch. :— in pl. "accounts", καθαραὶ ψῆφοι an exact balance, Dem. "a pebble used for playing at draughts", Plat. "a pebble used in voting", which was thrown into the voting-urn (ὑδρία), Hdt. , attic; ψῆφον φέρειν to give "one's vote", Lat. suffragium ferre, Aesch. , etc.; so, ψῆφον τίθεσθαι Hdt. :— ψήφῳ κρίνειν, διακρίνειν to determine "by vote", Thuc. , etc.:—in collective sense, ψ. γίγνεται περί τινος "a vote" is taken, Antipho. ; ἡ σώζουσα, ἡ καθαιροῦσα ψῆφος "the vote" of acquittal, of condemnation, Lys. , Dem. :— τὴν ψῆφον ἐπάγειν to put "the vote or question", like ἐπιψηφίζειν, Thuc. b. "that which is carried by vote", ψ. καταγνώσεως "a vote" of condemnation, Thuc. ; ψῆφος περὶ φυγῆς "a vote" of banishment, Xen. c. "any resolve or decree", e. g. of a king, Soph. ; λιθίνα ψᾶφος "a decree" written on stone, Pind. ; διδοῖ ψᾶφον παρ᾽ αὐτᾶς [the oak] gives "judgment" of itself, id=Pind. d. ψῆφος Ἀθηνᾶς, "calculus Minervae", a proverb. phrase to express "acquittal".—the vote by ψῆφος, "ballot", must be distinguished from that by κύαμος, "lot;" the former being used in "trials, the latter in" "elections." the place of voting (as πεσσοί for the place of play), Eur.

ψῆφος, -ου, ἡ (ψάω, to rub) [in LXX: Exo.4:25 (צֹר), La 3:16 (חָצָץ), Ecc.7:26 (25) (צֹר), 4Ki.12:4 (5) A, Sir.18:10, 4Ma.15:26 * ;] __1. a small smooth stone, a pebble: ψ. λευκή (for suggestions as to the meaning, see Swete, in l), Rev.2:17. __2. From the use of pebbles in voting, a vote: Act.26:10.† (AS)