psēfas

ψῆφος,
Doric dialect ψᾶφος, Aeolic dialect ψᾶφαξ, ἡ, genitive plural ψηφάων Refs 4th c.AD+: (ψάω):—a small round worn stone, pebble, ψᾶφος ἑλισσομένα Refs 5th c.BC+; ψήφῳ μούνῃ διατετρανέεις, opposed to μόγις ἂν λίθῳ παίσας διαρρήξειας, Refs 5th c.BC+; ψ. ἄμμου a grain of sand, LXX
2 precious stone, gem, Refs 2nd c.AD+; especially worn in a ring, Refs 2nd c.AD+
II accusative to the various uses made of such pebbles:
II.1 pebble used for reckoning, counter, λογίζεσθαι ψήφοις calculate or reckon by abacus, cipher, Refs 5th c.BC+: hence to reckon exactly or accurately, opposed to ἀπὸ χειρὸς λ., Refs 5th c.BC+ itself for a cipher, number, πὸτ ἄρτιον (i.e. ἀριθμὸν) ποτθέμειν.. ψᾶφον Refs 5th c.BC+: plural, accounts, καθαραὶ ψ., where there is an exact balance, Refs 4th c.BC+calculators, Refs 1st c.AD+; δακτυλικὴ ψ. reckoning on the fingers, Refs 6th c.AD+; of astrological calculations, Refs 2nd c.AD+
II.1.b in Magic, κατέχων τὴν ψ. (i. e. the object on which the number is written) λέγε.. Refs
II.2 pebble used for a draughts- or chess-man, Refs 5th c.BC+
II.2.b pebble used by jugglers, ψηφάων παῖκται Refs 4th c.AD+
II.3 pebble used in divination, ἡ διὰ ψήφων μαντική Refs 2nd c.AD+
II.4 cube used in mosaic pavements, Refs 2nd c.AD+
II.5 pebble used in voting, ψήφῳ ψηφίζεσθαι Refs 5th c.BC+: hence, the vote itself, ψῆφον φέρειν give one's vote, ἐν καρδίᾳ ψ. φέροντες Refs 5th c.BC+; ψῆφον τίθεσθαι, ={ψηφίζεσθαι}, Refs 5th c.BC+; with infinitive, Refs 5th c.BC+; ψήφῳ διαιρεῖν to determine by vote, Refs 4th c.BC+; ψήφῳ κρίνειν, Refs 5th c.BC+ a vote is taken, Refs 5th c.BC+; οἷς ἂν πλείστη γένηται ψ. a majority of votes, Refs 5th c.BC+ to put the vote or question, of the president, Refs 5th c.BC+; διένεμον (variants διενέμοντο, ἔφερον) τὰς ψ. were casting their votes, Refs 5th c.BC+; ὑπὸ ψήφου μιᾶς with one accord, Refs 5th c.BC+; ψ. φανερά open voting, ψ. φανερὰν διενεγκεῖν Refs 5th c.BC+; opposed to ψ. ἀφανής voting by ballot, Refs 4th c.BC+
II.5.b that which is carried by vote, a vote, ψ. καταγνώσεως a vote of condemnation, Refs 5th c.BC+; ψῆφος αὐτῷ ἐπῆκτο περὶ φυγῆς a vote of banishment was moved for against him, Refs 5th c.BC+ —hence,
II.5.c any resolve or decree, ψ. τυράννων Refs 5th c.BC+; λιθίνα ψᾶφος a decree written on stone, Refs 5th c.BC+; διδοῖ ψᾶφον περ᾽ αὐτᾶς [the oak] gives judgement of itself, Refs; ψ. φλεγυρὰ βροτῶν, i. e. public opinion, Refs 5th c.BC+; τίν᾽ ἂν ψῆφον θεῖ; what judgment.. ? Refs 5th c.BC+
II.5.d Ἀθηνᾶς ψ., calculus Minervae, proverbial phrase to express acquittal, when the votes were even, Refs 2nd c.AD+
II.5.e ψ. is sometimes omitted, κἂν ἴσαι γένωνται Refs 5th c.BC+
II.5.f Διὸς ψῆφος (ψῆφοι Refs 5th c.AD+ of the scene of contest betw. Athena and Poseidon, Refs
II.5.g Κόννου ψ., negligible quantity, cipher, Refs 5th c.BC+
II.6 place of voting, tribunal, Refs 5th c.BC+
II.7 metaphorically, influence, πόλις μεγάλην ψ. ἔχουσα Refs 4th c.AD+

H. G. Liddell, R. Scott, H. S. Jones, A Greek-English Lexicon (9th ed., 1925–1940) — digitised by the Perseus Digital Library and corrected and expanded by Tyndale House, Cambridge, via STEPBible-Data's TFLSJ table, CC BY 4.0. Covers all of Greek literature, not just the Bible.