commonly black

fĕrē and fermē ( fĕrĕ, Aus. Epigr. 10, 5, 5), adv. [Sanscr. dhar-, dhar-ami, to bear, support; Gr. root, thra-, in thrênus, stool, thronos, seat; Lat. firmus; cf.: forma, forum. Ferme is perh. a sup. form for ferime, v. Rib. Lat. Part. p. 6 sq. Erroneously, Varr.: ferme dicitur quod nunc fere: utrumque dictum a ferendo, quod id quod fertur est in motu atque adventat, L. L. 7, § 92 Müll.], approximately, closely, in two senses.

With the idea of approach predominant, nearly, almost, well-nigh, within a little, for the most part, about (esp. with words of number, quantity, multitude; cf.: plerumque, vulgo).

Form fere:

fere sexennis,

Plaut. Poen. 4, 2, 80:

abhinc menses decem fere,

Ter. Hec. 5, 3, 24; cf.:

fere abhinc annos quindecim,

id. Phorm. 5, 8, 28:

fere in diebus paucis, quibus haec acta sunt, Chrysis vicina haec moritur,

soon, only a few days after, id. And. 1, 1, 77:

quinta fere hora,

about the fifth hour, Cic. Pis. 6, 13:

hora fere tertia,

id. Att. 14, 20, 1:

tertia fere vigilia,

Caes. B. G. 4, 23, 1:

sexcentos fere annos,

Cic. Rep. 1, 48:

sexto decimo fere anno,

id. ib. 2, 33:

anno fere ante, quam consul est declaratus,

id. ib. 1, 5:

anno fere centesimo et quadragesimo post mortem Numae,

id. ib. 2, 15; cf.:

anno trecentesimo et quinquagesimo fere post Romam conditam,

id. ib. 1, 16:

decem fere annis post primos consules,

id. ib. 2, 32; cf.

also: decessit fere post annum quartum quam, etc.,

Nep. Arist. 3 fin.:

meus fere aequalis,

Cic. Brut. 48, 179; cf. id. Off. 3, 1, 1:

ipsa Peloponnesus fere tota in mari est,

id. Rep. 2, 4, 8; cf.:

totius fere Galliae legati ad Caesarem gratulatum convenerunt,

Caes. B. G. 1, 30, 1:

totis fere a fronte et ab sinistra parte nudatis castris,

id. ib. 2, 23, 4:

rerum omnium fere modus,

Cic. Rep. 6, 18; cf.:

quam fere omnium constans et moderata ratio vitae,

id. Clu. 16, 46:

ex omnibus fere partibus,

Caes. B. G. 7, 19:

in reliquis fere rebus,

id. ib. 6, 13, 3:

omnes fere,

Cic. Fam. 6, 10, 3; Caes. B. G. 2, 25, 1; 4, 20, 1; Nep. Arist. 2, 3; id. Chabr. 3, 4; Liv. 21, 60, 9; Suet. Caes. 87;

and in the order fere omnes,

Caes. B. G. 5, 13, 1; 5, 23, 4:

cujus disputationis fuit extremum fere de immortalitate animorum,

Cic. Lael. 4, 14; cf.: Phalereus ille Demetrius ultimus est fere ex Atticis. Quint. 10, 1, 80: cum fere e regione castris castra poneret, Caes. B. G. 7, 35, 1; id. ib. 3, 12, 1:

plus fere,

Plaut. Truc. 1, 1, 45:

semper fere,

Cic. de Or. 2, 6, 22:

satis fere diximus,

id. Off. 1, 18, 60:

tantum fere,

almost only, id. Rep. 2, 18 fin.:

Lycurgus eadem vidit fere,

id. ib. 2, 23:

haec fere,

id. ib. 1, 34 fin.; cf.:

hoc fere ab reliquis differunt, quod,

in this chiefly, Caes. B. G. 6, 18, 3:

haec fere dicere habui,

Cic. N. D. 3, 39, 93:

haec erant fere, quae, etc.,

id. Fam. 12, 5 fin.; 12, 30 fin.; id. Att. 2, 16, 1; id. Or. 54, 182; id. Ac. 2, 32, 102:

exposui fere non philosophorum judicia, sed, etc.,

id. N. D. 1, 16, 42; cf.:

sic fere componendum, quomodo pronuntiandum erit,

Quint. 9, 4, 138:

fere eodem pacto, quo,

Hor. Ep. 1, 6, 10:

et fere apparet, quid in invidiam, etc.... dicendum sit,

Quint. 5, 12, 16.—

Form ferme:

hoc factum est ferme abhinc biennium,

Plaut. Bacch. 3, 2, 4; so,

abhinc annos ferme L.,

Vell. 2, 90 fin.:

nam ferme ante annos DCCCCL. floruit,

id. 1, 5, 3:

intra XII. ferme annos,

id. 2, 11 fin.:

duodequadragesimo ferme anno, ex quo regnare coeperat Tarquinius,

Liv. 1, 40:

mille ferme delecti propugnatores onerariis imponuntur,

id. 30, 10; cf.:

pars ferme dimidia,

id. 42, 51:

a quo (flumine) aberat mons ferme milia viginti,

Sall. J. 48, 3; cf.:

in tumulo quatuor ferme milia distante ab castris regiis consedit,

Liv. 30, 8:

abest ab Carthagine quindecim milia ferme passuum locus,

id. 30, 9:

ferme eadem omnia, quae, etc.,

Ter. Phorm. 5, 7, 21:

cum ferme cunctos proceres cum honore nominavisset,

Tac. A. 3, 76:

mihi quidem aetas acta est ferme,

for the most part, about, Plaut. Trin. 2, 2, 38.

With the idea of nearness or closeness predominant, quite, entirely, just.

Form fere:

domum revortor maestus atque animo fere conturbato,

quite distracted, Ter. Heaut. 1, 1, 69:

quod statuas quoque videmus ornatu fere militari,

quite military, Cic. Off. 1, 18, 61:

paria esse fere peccata,

quite equal, Hor. S. 1, 3, 96:

etsi nobis, qui id aetatis sumus, evigilatum fere est, tamen, etc.,

entirely, sufficiently, Cic. Rep. 3, 29:

cum circa hanc fere consultationem disceptatio omnis verteretur,

just on this debated point, Liv. 36, 7, 1: jamque fere, just now, Enn. ap. Non. 217, 11; and ap. Charis. p. 114 P. (Ann. v. 286 and 580 ed. Vahl.); Verg. A. 3, 135; 5, 327; 835; cf.: jam fere, Enn. ap. Non. 355, 17 (Trag. v. 201 ed. Vahl.); and: jam... fere, id. ap. Varr. L. L. 7, § 46 Müll. (Ann. v. 447 ed. Vahl.):

sermo qui tum fere multis erat in ore,

just then, Cic. Lael. 1, 2.—

Form ferme: circumvenire video ferme injuria, altogether wrong, Naev. ap. Varr. L. L. 7, § 92 Müll. (Rib. Trag. Fragm. p. 12); cf.: ferme aderant ratibus, just, Enn. ib. § 23 Müll. (Ann. v. 602 ed. Vahl.); so, quod ferme dirum in tempus cecidere Latinae, Cic. Poët. Div. 1, 11, 18; and:

sed eum constabat virum esse ferme bonum,

Gell. 14, 2, 5:

ferme ut quisque rem accurat suam, Sic ei procedunt post principia denique,

Plaut. Pers. 4, 1, 4; so,

ferme ut pueri,

Ter. Hec. 3, 1, 32:

jam ferme moriens me vocat,

just dying, id. And. 1, 5, 49.—

In partic.

With negatives, scarcely, hardly.

(= vix, non facile.) Form fere:

nihil aut non fere multum differre,

Cic. Brut. 40, 150:

nemo fere saltat sobrius,

id. Mur. 6; id. de Or. 1, 25, 116:

nihil fere intelligit,

id. Off. 3, 3, 15:

non fere labitur,

id. Fin. 1, 6, 18:

quod non fere ante auctumnum Elaver vado transiri solet,

Caes. B. G. 7, 35, 1:

duo spondei non fere jungi patiuntur,

Quint. 9, 4, 101:

in se dicere non est fere nisi scurrarum,

id. 6, 3, 82:

denique ex bellica victoria non fere quemquam est invidia civium consecuta,

hardly any one, Cic. Sest. 23, 51:

rationem sententiae suae non fere reddere,

id. Tusc. 1, 17, 38:

nec adhuc fere inveni, qui, etc.,

id. Att. 7, 6, 1; cf.:

quod non fere contingit, nisi, etc.,

id. Lael. 20, 72:

nec rei fere sane amplius quicquam fuit,

Ter. Heaut. 1, 1, 3:

in qua (disputatione) nihil fere, quod magno opere ad rationes omnium rerum pertineret, praetermissum puto,

Cic. Rep. 1, 8 fin.: tum est Cato locutus;

quo erat nemo fere senior temporibus illis, nemo prudentior,

id. Lael. 1, 5:

dixit, hunc ne in convivio quidem ullo fere interfuisse,

id. Rosc. Am. 14:

neque ullum fere totius hiemis tempus sine sollicitudine Caesaris intercessit,

Caes. B. G. 5, 53, 5: neque enim [p. 736] fere iam est ullus dies occupatus, ut nihil, etc., Quint. 10, 7, 27.—With a neg. interrog.:

nam quid fere undique placet?

Quint. 1, 2, 15.—

Form ferme:

hoc non ferme sine magnis principum vitiis evenit,

Cic. Rep. 1, 45 fin.; id. Tusc. 5, 38, 111:

quod non ferme decernitur, nisi, etc.,

Liv. 22, 9, 8; 24, 25, 9:

voluptatibus erant inferiores, nec pecuniis ferme superiores,

Cic. Rep. 2, 34 fin.; so,

nec ferme res antiqua alia est nobilior,

Liv. 1, 24:

facio, quod manifesto moechi haud ferme solent,

Plaut. Poen. 4, 2, 40; so Ter. And. 3, 1, 2:

haud ferme,

Liv. 21, 7, 9; 27, 28, 14:

ut eo nihil ferme quisquam addere posset,

Cic. Brut. 43, 161:

quia nemo ferme huc sine damno devortitur,

Plaut. Men. 2, 1, 39:

non ferme facilius aliquid tenere,

Cic. Rep. 2, 5 fin.; 1, 45, 69.—

Of time (in the usual course of things; opp. to sometimes, now and then), in general, generally, usually, commonly.

Form fere:

Fit fere, ut, etc.,

Cic. Rep. 6, 10; cf.:

jam hoc fere sic fieri solere accepimus,

id. de Imp. Pomp. 9, 24:

quod fere solet fieri,

id. Inv. 1, 29, 46; cf.

also: ut fere fit,

id. ib. 2, 4, 14:

nam fere maxima pars morem hunc homines habent,

Plaut. Capt. 2, 1, 36:

quod fere libenter homines id, quod volunt, credunt,

Caes. B. G. 3, 18, 6:

aedificio circumdato silva (ut sunt fere domicilia Gallorum, etc.),

id. ib. 6, 30, 3:

ruri fere se continebat,

Ter. Ph. 2, 3, 16:

nam fere non difficile est invenire, quid, etc.,

Auct. Her. 2, 18, 27:

in eum fere est voluntas nostra propensior,

Cic. Off. 2, 20, 69:

sic omnia nimia in contraria fere convertuntur,

id. Rep. 1, 44:

quod in illis singuli fuissent fere, qui, etc.,

id. ib. 2, 1:

nominatim fere referri, quid, etc.,

id. de Or. 2, 33, 142:

nigra fere terra,

commonly black, Verg. G. 2, 203:

qui timet his adversa, fere miratur eodem quo cupiens pacto,

Hor. Ep. 1, 6, 9.—Strengthened by plerumque or plerique:

hic solebamus fere Plerumque eam operiri,

Ter. Ph. 1, 2, 39; cf.

corresp. to plerumque: fortuna eos plerumque efficit caecos, quos complexa est: itaque efferuntur fere fastidio et contumacia,

Cic. Lael. 15, 54:

adducto fere vultu, plerumque tacitus,

Suet. Tib. 68:

non sunt vitiosiores, quam fere plerique, qui avari avaros... reprehendunt,

Cic. Tusc. 3, 30, 73.—Opp. raro, interdum, saepe:

fere praedicta aetas laeto solo truncoque tres materias, raro quatuor desiderat,

Col. 4, 17, 5; cf.:

fereque id in capillo fit, rarius in barba,

Cels. 6, 2:

ipse Circenses ex amicorum fere libertinorumque cenaculis spectabat, interdum e pulvinari,

Suet. Aug. 15:

in consulatu pedibus fere, extra consulatum saepe adaperta sella per publicum incessit,

id. ib. 53.—

Form ferme:

quod ferme evenit,

Cic. Rep. 1, 42:

nam ferme apud Numidas in omnibus proeliis magis pedes quam arma tuta sunt,

Sall. J. 74 fin.:

inculta ferme vestiuntur virgultis vepribusque,

Liv. 21, 54:

intacta invidia media sunt: ad summa ferme tendit,

id. 45, 35; cf.:

mobilis et varia est ferme natura malorum,

Juv. 13, 236:

ceterum parva quoque (ut ferme principia omnia),

Liv. 7, 2:

ut ferme ad nova imperia,

Tac. A. 2, 2:

quae antea dictatorum et consulum ferme fuerant beneficia,

Liv. 9, 30, 3:

nocte ferme proficiscebantur,

id. 34, 13, 3.

obscūrus, a, um, adj. [Sanscr. sku, to cover, akin to Gr. skeuê, skutos, kutos; cf.: scutum, cutis], dark, darksome, dusky, shady, obscure (class.).

Lit.: unde (Acherunte) animae excitantur obscurā umbrā, in dark, shadowy forms, Poët. ap. Cic. Tusc. 1, 16, 37; so,

umbra,

Verg. A. 6, 453:

donec in obscurum coni conduxit acumen,

the obscure point of the cone, Lucr. 4, 431:

lucus,

Verg. A. 9, 87:

antrum,

Ov. M. 4, 100:

convalles,

Verg. A. 6, 139:

tabernae,

Hor. A. P. 229; cf. Liv. 10, 1, 5: aliae res obnoxiosae nocte in obscurā latent, Enn. ap. Gell. 7, 16 (17), 10 (Trag. v. 341 Vahl.):

nox,

Verg. A. 2, 420; cf.:

per occasum solis, jam obscurā luce,

Liv. 24, 21:

caelum,

Hor. C. 1, 7, 15:

nimbus,

Verg. A. 12, 416:

nubes,

id. G. 4, 60:

ferrugo,

i. e. black, id. ib. 1, 467:

dentes,

Juv. 6, 145.— Poet.: funda, dark, i. e. invisible, Val. Fl. 6, 193; cf.

mamma,

i. e. hidden, covered, id. 3, 52, 6:

aquae,

i. e. turbid, Ov. F. 4, 758.— Subst.: obscūrum, i, n., dim light, twilight:

in obscuro, advesperascente die,

Vulg. Prov. 7, 9; but commonly the dark, darkness, obscurity:

sub obscurum noctis,

Verg. G. 1, 478:

lumen,

i. e. darkness visible, Sall. J. 21, 2.— obscū-rum, adverb.:

obscurum nimbosus dissidet aër,

Luc. 5, 631.—

Transf., to the person who is in the dark, darkling, unseen:

ibant obscuri solā sub nocte per umbram,

Verg. A. 6, 268:

obscurus in ulvā Delitui,

id. ib. 2, 135.—

Trop.

In gen., dark, obscure, indistinct, unintelligible:

Heraclitus... Clarus ob obscuram linguam,

Lucr. 1, 639: valde Heraclitus obscurus (cf. the Gr. appellation of Heraclitus, ho skoteinos), Cic. Div. 2, 64, 133:

quid? poëta nemo, nemo physicus obscurus?

id. ib.:

obscurā de re tam lucida pango carmina,

Lucr. 1, 933; 4, 8:

brevis esse laboro, Obscurus fio,

Hor. A. P. 25:

reperta Graiorum,

Lucr. 1, 136:

obscurum et ignotum jus,

Cic. de Or. 1, 39, 177:

cur hoc tam est obscurum atque caecum?

id. Agr. 2, 14, 35:

nolo plebem Romanam obscurā spe et caecā expectatione haerere,

uncertain, id. ib. 2, 25, 66.— Comp., Quint. 11, 3, 60.— Sup.:

videre res obscurissimas,

Cic. de Or. 2, 36, 153.— Subst.:

causae in obscuro positae,

Cels. 1 praef. —

In partic., rhet. t. t.: obscurum genus causae, obscure, i. e. intricate, involved, Gr. dusparakolouthêton, Cic. Inv. 1, 15, 20:

(causae privatae) sunt multo saepe obscuriores,

id. de Or. 2, 24, 100.—

Not known, unknown, not recognized:

forma,

Ov. M. 3, 475:

P Ilas,

i. e. disguised, under another form, id. ib. 6, 36.—Esp. of rank and station, obscure, ignoble, mean, low:

non est obscura tua in me benevolentia,

Cic. Fam. 13, 70: Caesaris in barbaris erat nomen obscurius, * Caes. B. C. 1, 61:

Pompeius humili atque obscuro loco natus,

of an obscure, ignoble family, Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 70, § 181:

obscuris orti majoribus,

from obscure ancestors, id. Off. 1, 32, 116:

clarus an obscurus,

Quint. 5, 10, 26; cf.:

si nobilis obscurum se vocet,

id. 11, 1, 21; 2, 3, 9:

non obscurus professor et auctor,

id. 2, 15, 36:

natus haud obscuro loco,

Sall. C. 23, 1.— Neutr. absol.:

in obscuro vitam habere,

Sall. C. 51, 12:

vitam per obscurum transmittere,

in obscurity, Sen. Ep. 19, 3:

saepe mandatum initio litis in obscuro est,

kept back, Gai. Inst. 4, 84.—

Of character, close, secret, reserved:

obscurus et astutus homo,

Cic. Off. 3, 13, 5 (for which:

sin me astutum et occultum lubet fingere,

id. Fam. 3, 10, 8):

plerumque modestus Occupat obscuri speciem,

Hor. Ep. 1, 18, 94:

Tiberium obscurum adversus alios, sibi uni incautum intectumque efficeret,

Tac. A. 4, 1:

obscurum odium,

Cic. Fam. 3, 10, 6.— Comp.:

natura obscurior,

Tac. Agr. 42.— Adv.: ob-scūrē, darkly, obscurely (class.).

Lit.: aut nihil superum aut obscure admodum cernimus, very darkly, Cic. Fragm. ap. Non. 474, 28.—

Trop.

Of speech, darkly, obscurely, indistinctly:

dicta,

Quint. 3, 4, 3; 4, 1, 79.— Comp.:

quae causa dicta obscurius est,

Quint. 8, 2, 24.— Sup.:

obscurissime particulā uti, Cell. 17, 13, 5: non obscurissime dicere (opp. planissime),

id. 11, 16, 9.—

Of birth, obscurely, ignobly, meanly (perh. only post-class.):

obscure natus,

Macr. S. 7, 3:

obscurissime natus,

Amm. 29, 1, 5.—

Covertly, closely, secretly:

malum obscure serpens,

Cic. Cat. 4, 3, 6:

tacite obscureque perire,

id. Quint. 15, 50:

non obscure ferre aliquid,

id. Clu. 19, 54; cf. id. Par. 6, 1, 45; Hirt. B. G. 8, 54.— Comp.:

ceteri sunt obscurius iniqui,

more secretly, Cic. Fam. 1, 5, b, 2.— Sup.:

avertere aliquid de publico quam obscurissime,

Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 24, § 53.

obscūrus, a, um, adj. [Sanscr. sku, to cover, akin to Gr. skeuê, skutos, kutos; cf.: scutum, cutis], dark, darksome, dusky, shady, obscure (class.).

Lit.: unde (Acherunte) animae excitantur obscurā umbrā, in dark, shadowy forms, Poët. ap. Cic. Tusc. 1, 16, 37; so,

umbra,

Verg. A. 6, 453:

donec in obscurum coni conduxit acumen,

the obscure point of the cone, Lucr. 4, 431:

lucus,

Verg. A. 9, 87:

antrum,

Ov. M. 4, 100:

convalles,

Verg. A. 6, 139:

tabernae,

Hor. A. P. 229; cf. Liv. 10, 1, 5: aliae res obnoxiosae nocte in obscurā latent, Enn. ap. Gell. 7, 16 (17), 10 (Trag. v. 341 Vahl.):

nox,

Verg. A. 2, 420; cf.:

per occasum solis, jam obscurā luce,

Liv. 24, 21:

caelum,

Hor. C. 1, 7, 15:

nimbus,

Verg. A. 12, 416:

nubes,

id. G. 4, 60:

ferrugo,

i. e. black, id. ib. 1, 467:

dentes,

Juv. 6, 145.— Poet.: funda, dark, i. e. invisible, Val. Fl. 6, 193; cf.

mamma,

i. e. hidden, covered, id. 3, 52, 6:

aquae,

i. e. turbid, Ov. F. 4, 758.— Subst.: obscūrum, i, n., dim light, twilight:

in obscuro, advesperascente die,

Vulg. Prov. 7, 9; but commonly the dark, darkness, obscurity:

sub obscurum noctis,

Verg. G. 1, 478:

lumen,

i. e. darkness visible, Sall. J. 21, 2.— obscū-rum, adverb.:

obscurum nimbosus dissidet aër,

Luc. 5, 631.—

Transf., to the person who is in the dark, darkling, unseen:

ibant obscuri solā sub nocte per umbram,

Verg. A. 6, 268:

obscurus in ulvā Delitui,

id. ib. 2, 135.—

Trop.

In gen., dark, obscure, indistinct, unintelligible:

Heraclitus... Clarus ob obscuram linguam,

Lucr. 1, 639: valde Heraclitus obscurus (cf. the Gr. appellation of Heraclitus, ho skoteinos), Cic. Div. 2, 64, 133:

quid? poëta nemo, nemo physicus obscurus?

id. ib.:

obscurā de re tam lucida pango carmina,

Lucr. 1, 933; 4, 8:

brevis esse laboro, Obscurus fio,

Hor. A. P. 25:

reperta Graiorum,

Lucr. 1, 136:

obscurum et ignotum jus,

Cic. de Or. 1, 39, 177:

cur hoc tam est obscurum atque caecum?

id. Agr. 2, 14, 35:

nolo plebem Romanam obscurā spe et caecā expectatione haerere,

uncertain, id. ib. 2, 25, 66.— Comp., Quint. 11, 3, 60.— Sup.:

videre res obscurissimas,

Cic. de Or. 2, 36, 153.— Subst.:

causae in obscuro positae,

Cels. 1 praef. —

In partic., rhet. t. t.: obscurum genus causae, obscure, i. e. intricate, involved, Gr. dusparakolouthêton, Cic. Inv. 1, 15, 20:

(causae privatae) sunt multo saepe obscuriores,

id. de Or. 2, 24, 100.—

Not known, unknown, not recognized:

forma,

Ov. M. 3, 475:

P Ilas,

i. e. disguised, under another form, id. ib. 6, 36.—Esp. of rank and station, obscure, ignoble, mean, low:

non est obscura tua in me benevolentia,

Cic. Fam. 13, 70: Caesaris in barbaris erat nomen obscurius, * Caes. B. C. 1, 61:

Pompeius humili atque obscuro loco natus,

of an obscure, ignoble family, Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 70, § 181:

obscuris orti majoribus,

from obscure ancestors, id. Off. 1, 32, 116:

clarus an obscurus,

Quint. 5, 10, 26; cf.:

si nobilis obscurum se vocet,

id. 11, 1, 21; 2, 3, 9:

non obscurus professor et auctor,

id. 2, 15, 36:

natus haud obscuro loco,

Sall. C. 23, 1.— Neutr. absol.:

in obscuro vitam habere,

Sall. C. 51, 12:

vitam per obscurum transmittere,

in obscurity, Sen. Ep. 19, 3:

saepe mandatum initio litis in obscuro est,

kept back, Gai. Inst. 4, 84.—

Of character, close, secret, reserved:

obscurus et astutus homo,

Cic. Off. 3, 13, 5 (for which:

sin me astutum et occultum lubet fingere,

id. Fam. 3, 10, 8):

plerumque modestus Occupat obscuri speciem,

Hor. Ep. 1, 18, 94:

Tiberium obscurum adversus alios, sibi uni incautum intectumque efficeret,

Tac. A. 4, 1:

obscurum odium,

Cic. Fam. 3, 10, 6.— Comp.:

natura obscurior,

Tac. Agr. 42.— Adv.: ob-scūrē, darkly, obscurely (class.).

Lit.: aut nihil superum aut obscure admodum cernimus, very darkly, Cic. Fragm. ap. Non. 474, 28.—

Trop.

Of speech, darkly, obscurely, indistinctly:

dicta,

Quint. 3, 4, 3; 4, 1, 79.— Comp.:

quae causa dicta obscurius est,

Quint. 8, 2, 24.— Sup.:

obscurissime particulā uti, Cell. 17, 13, 5: non obscurissime dicere (opp. planissime),

id. 11, 16, 9.—

Of birth, obscurely, ignobly, meanly (perh. only post-class.):

obscure natus,

Macr. S. 7, 3:

obscurissime natus,

Amm. 29, 1, 5.—

Covertly, closely, secretly:

malum obscure serpens,

Cic. Cat. 4, 3, 6:

tacite obscureque perire,

id. Quint. 15, 50:

non obscure ferre aliquid,

id. Clu. 19, 54; cf. id. Par. 6, 1, 45; Hirt. B. G. 8, 54.— Comp.:

ceteri sunt obscurius iniqui,

more secretly, Cic. Fam. 1, 5, b, 2.— Sup.:

avertere aliquid de publico quam obscurissime,

Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 24, § 53.