קָפַץ (b. h.) 1) to contract, shrink; to close. Midr. Till. to Ps. XXII, 20 היה השרביט קוֹפֵץ the scepter grew smaller and smaller; Yalk. ib. 687. Gen. R. s. 39 קוֹפֶצֶת באחת מאגפיה וכ׳ contracts herself with (flaps) one wing &c., v. יוֹנָה II. Snh. 95ᵃ שלשה קָפְצָה להם הארץ (Ar. הדרך) for three persons did the earth (the road) shrink (they were suddenly transferred to a distant place); Yalk. Gen. 107. Y. Taan. IV, 69ᵇ קפצה לה א"י Palestine has shrunk; a. fr.—ק׳ פה (or sub. פה) to close the mouth, to indicate one’s will by mimic motions. Gitt. V, 7 קוֹפֵץ ונִקְפָּץ a deaf and dumb person may transact business by motions with closed lips and by being spoken to in the same way.—Part. pass. קָפוּץ; f. קְפוּצָה &c. Koh. R. to V, 14 כשאדם … ידין הן קְפוּצוֹת וכ׳ when man enters the world, his hands are clenched, as if saying, the whole world is mine &c., opp. פשוטות straight, open. —2) to leap (with joined feet), jump; to be excited. Midr. Till. l. c. אותה קפיצה שקָפַצְתָּ על אבותי בים כן תִּקְפּוֹץ עלי היום ותפלטני ed. Bub. (ed. אותה הקפצה שהִקְפַּצְתָּ על אבותינו כן וכ׳) with the same leap with which thou didst leap like a hart in aid of my ancestors at the sea, leap now to my aid and save me; Yalk. Ps. l. c. Midr. Till. l. c. 1 קוֹפֵץ כאיל ed. Bub., v. Pi. Ohol. VIII, 5 הקופץ ממקום וכ׳ he that jumps from one place to another, contrad. to הדולג (v. קִיפּוּץ). Succ. 49ᵇ שמא תאמר כל הבא לִקְפּוֹץ קוֹפֵץ lest you say, whosoever comes to jump may jump (whosoever wishes to do good succeeds in doing real good), we read &c. (Ps. XXXVI, 8). Sabb. 152ᵃ זקנה קופצת עליו old age will spring upon him (will overtake him prematurely). Taan. 5ᵇ זקנה קפצה עליו he grew old before his time. Ib. מיד קפצה וכ׳ Ms. M. (ed. אמר הקב"ה אקפוץ, read אַקְפִּיץ). Sifra Sh’mini, Milluim קפצה פורענות על וכ׳ punishment overtook Nadab &c. Y. Keth. X, beg. 33ᵈ קפצה עליהן ירושת תורה the legal succession according to Biblical law was sprung upon them (they have the precedence); ib. IV, 28ᵈ bot. קָפְסָה. Y. Gitt. IV, 46ᵈ top כדי … קוֹפְצִין וכ׳ in order that all may be anxious to marry her. Y. Snh. X, 28ᶜ top איני קופץ אלא למה וכ׳ I will jump only at (betake myself to) what my grandfather told me, who said to me קְפוֹץ … לשלשה דברים וכ׳ betake thyself to three things, and thou shalt be safe, they are: prayer &c. Ber. 39ᵃ ק׳ וברך וכ׳ he hastened and said the benediction &c. Yeb. 32ᵇ ק׳ ר׳ חייא וכ׳ R. Ḥ. jumped up (got excited) and swore &c. Tosef. Keth. II, 3 היאך ק׳ זה לכהונה how did this man jump into priesthood (by what right does he enjoy the privileges of a priest)? Num. R. s. 15 ולא יִקְפּוֹץ להשיב and must not be rash to reply; a. fr. —3) to skip. Nidd. 11ᵃ קפצה וראתה וכ׳ if she skipped (one period) and menstruated, skipped &c. (did so three times).— *4) (denom. of קוּפִּיץ) to chop meat. Tosef. Bets. III, 5 קיפץ בכלי (Var. חותך) he cuts with some implement.
    Pi. - קִיפֵּץ 1) same, same, to leap; to skip. Y. Ḥag. II, 77ᵃ bot. והיו … מְקַפְּצִין וכ׳ and the ministering angels leaped before them like wedding guests rejoicing &c. Pesik. R. s. 15 (ref. to Cant. II, 8) מדלג … ומְקַפֵּץ על החשבונות וכ׳ leaping over the destined terms of redemption, and skipping over the calculations of years and epochs (hastening the redemption), v. עִיבּוּר. Midr. Till. to Ps. XXII, 1 מְקַפֵּץ כאיל ed. Bub. (oth. ed. קופץ); ib. קופץ ed. Bub. (oth. ed. מקפץ) leaps like a hart; Yalk. ib. 685 קומץ (corr. acc.); a. fr. —2) to cause to leap. Tanḥ. Sh’mini 11 הקב"ה מקפץ להם את הזקנה God springs old age upon them (to make them look venerable).
    Hif. - הִקְפִּיץ 1) as as Pi. 2. Taan. 5ᵇ אמר הקב"ה אַקְפִּיץ וכ׳ (not אקפוץ, v. supra) the Lord said, I shall cause old age to spring upon them prematurely. Gen. R. s. 56 וה׳ את בנו עמו and made his son leap with him (saved himself and his son; v., however, אגינו). —2) to leap. Midr. Till. l. c., v. supra.
    Nif. - נִקְפָּץ to be spoken to by mimic motions. Gitt. V, 7, v. supra.