From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishgropegrope1 /ɡrəʊp $ ɡroʊp/ verb 1 [intransitive]TOUCH to try to find something that you cannot see by feeling with your handsgrope for Ginny groped for her glasses on the bedside table.grope around We groped around in the darkness.2 TOUCH[intransitive, transitive] to go somewhere by feeling the way with your hands because you cannot seegrope your way along/across etc I was groping my way blindly through the trees. Ally groped steadily towards the door.3 → grope for something4 [transitive] informalSYTOUCH to move your hands over someone’s body to get sexual pleasure, especially when they do not want you to do this→ See Verb table
Examples from the Corpus
grope• I groped a few more feet into the bush.• She set Janir down in the garden where he groped around and tested the dirt with his mouth.• Then she groped at her shoulder to where the oxygen tank was moulded around her triceps.• He was merely groping for the road to freedom.• Mr. Kinnock I think the answer that the Prime Minister was groping for was yes.• Sometimes, but only very rarely do I touch a piece of bliss when I grope in the dark.• Fumbling and vague groping is encouraged.grope for• He looked tired, and occasionally groped for words at the news conference.grope your way along/across etc• She groped her way across and landed the doctor on the mud and he slithered on hands and knees up to the bank.gropegrope2 noun [countable usually singular] informalSY touching someone’s body to get sexual pleasure, especially when they do not want you to do thisExamples from the Corpus
grope• But this was a dark place of gropes and whispers, of black silhouettes.• Berkoff portrays a lonely middle-aged woman who has had more than her fair share of gropes in corners and one-night stands.• Unable to see out the operator inside was responsible for a few unintentional gropes during rehearsals!Origin grope1 Old English grapian 