A.dry land, opp. water, ἐπὶ χέρσου, opp. ἐν πόντῳ, Od.10.459, cf. 15.495; “κύματα μακρὰ κυλινδόμενα προτὶ χέρσον” 9.147; “λάϊγγας ποτὶ χ. ἀποπλύνεσκε θάλασσα” 6.95; “κῦμα . . βοάᾳ ποτὶ χ.” Il.14.394; “κῦμα . . χέρσῳ ῥηγνύμενον μεγάλα βρέμει” 4.425; “χέρσον ἱκέσθαι” Od.9.486, 542; “ἐπὶ χέρσω” Sapph.Supp.9.10; “κατὰ χέρσον” A.Pers.873 (lyr.), E.IT884 (lyr.); χέρσῳ on or by land, A.Pers.977 (lyr.), Ag.558, E.Hel.1066: prov., “ἐν πόντῳ νᾶες, ἐνχέρσῳ πόλεμοι” Pi.O.12.4, cf. N.1.62; “πολλὰ . . ἐκ θαλάσσης, πολλὰ δ᾽ ἐκ χέρσου κακὰ γίγνεται” A.Pers.707 (troch.); πάνδοκον εἰς ἀφανῆ τε χ., of the realm of Hades, Id.Th.860(lyr.).—In Hom. the gender cannot be determined, fem. Pi.Fr.75.17 (dub.l.), A.Supp.31 (anap.), Thphr.CP3.13.3, D.S.3.15, etc.: pl., ἐν ταῖς χέρσοις on barren soils, Thphr.HP8.6.4.
II. after Hom. as Adj., χέρσος, ον, dry, firm, of land, Hdt.2.99; Εὐρώπαν ποτὶ χέρσον to the mainland of Europe, Pi. N.4.70; ἐν κονίᾳ χέρσῳ, opp. πόντῳ, ib.9.43.
2. dry, hard, barren, “τῆς χώρης ἐούσης χ.” Hdt.4.123; “στύφλος δὲ γῆ καὶ χ.” S.Ant.251; παραδοῦναι [τὴν γῆν] χέρρον, i.e. ψιλήν, without a crop on it, IG22.2492.16; “χ. καὶ ἄκανθα ἔσται ἡ γῆ” LXX Is.7.24; “χέρσα” waste places, A.Fr.189; χ. λιμήν a harbour left dry, AP9.427 (Barb.): freq. in Pap., PAmh.2.31.12 (ii B. C.), etc.