עָצַם (b. h.) 1) to press; to close (the eyes). Yalk. Is. 304 זה העוֹצֵם עיניו כשעומדות וכ׳ he who closes his eyes when (he sees) Israelitish girls stand washing. Sifra K’dosh., Par. 3, ch. VII יַעֲצוֹם, v. infra. —2) [to be compressed, hard,] to be strong, v. עָצוּם a. עֶצֶם. —3) (denom. of עֶצֶם) to acquire, possess. Gen. R. s. 64 שעָצַמְתָּ, v. עֶצֶם.
Hif. - הֶעֱצִים to close (the eyes). Kidd. 32ᵇ יכול יַעֲצִים עיניו וכ׳ perhaps a man might think, he will close his eyes and pretend not to see him (the old man); Yalk. Lev. 617; Sifra l. c. יעצום. Sabb. XXIII, 5 מַעֲצִים, v. עָמַץ.
Pi. - עִיצֵּם to close (a dead body’s eyes), v. עָמַץ.
Hithpa. - הִתְעַצֵּם,
Nithpa. - נִתְעַצֵּם 1) to be closed, v. עָמַץ. —2) to be headstrong towards one another. Snh. 31ᵇ שנים שנִתְעַצְּמוּ בדין וכ׳ if both parties to a law-suit are stubborn, one saying, let us go to law here, and the other saying, let us go to the circuit court. —3) v. עִיצּוּם 3) to fortify each other, i.e. to enter an agreement with the condition of forfeiture. Tosef. B. Mets. I, 16 שנים שנתעצמו זה בזה ואמר וכ׳ if two made an agreement wherein one said, if I do not come &c.