oves+nitent+pl

nĭtĕo, ēre ( gen. plur nitentūm, Verg. Cir. 523), v. n. [etym. dub.; cf. nix], to shine, look bright, glitter, glisten (cf., luceo, fulgeo splendeo).

Lit.:

placatumque nitet diffuso lumine caelum,

Lucr. 1, 9:

luna potest solis radiis percussa nitere,

id. 5, 705:

qui nitent unguentis, fulgent purpurā,

Cic. Cat. 2, 3, 5:

diversi niteant cum mille colores,

Ov. M. 6, 65:

vere nitent terrae,

id. F. 4, 126:

aera nitent usu,

id. Am. 1, 8, 51; so,

ebur,

Tib. 1, 4, 64; Hor. Ep. 1, 10, 19; Mart. 9, 58, 6; 8, 6, 10 et saep.—

Transf.

Of animals, to be sleek, in good condition:

at hau pol nitent (oves),

Plaut. Bacch. 5, 2, 6:

unde sic quaeso nites?

Phaedr. 3, 7, 4; Plin. 18, 5, 6, § 27; cf.:

hic nitet ungula mulae,

Juv. 7, 181.—

Of persons, to shine, to look bright or beautiful:

miseri quibus Intentata nites! ( = pulchra et amabilis videris),

Hor. C. 1, 5, 12:

ore nitet,

Mart. 10, 89, 3:

nitet ante alias regina comesque Pelides,

Stat. Achill. 2, 148:

murice tincta Veste nites,

Mart. 5, 23, 6.—

Of fields, plants, etc., to look flourishing, thriving, to thrive, etc.:

camposque nitentes Desuper ostentat,

Verg. A. 6, 677:

ubi tellus nitet,

Petr. 99; cf. Plin. 17, 4, 3, § 26.—

Of a house:

tibi hoc praecipio ut niteant aedes,

be in complete order, Plaut. Ps. 1, 2, 281.—

Of wealth, etc., to flourish, abound:

vectigal in pace niteat,

Cic. Agr. 1, 7, 21:

res ubi magna nitet domino sene,

Hor. S. 2, 5, 12. —

Trop., to shine, be brilliant, look or be beautiful: ver vide;

ut tota floret, ut olet, ut nitide nitet,

Plaut. Truc. 2, 4, 3:

illorum, vides, quam niteat oratio,

Cic. Fin. 4, 3, 5; so,

ubi plura nitent in carmine,

Hor. A. P. 351:

omnia nobilibus oppidis ni tent,

Plin. 3, 5, 7, § 49.—Hence, nĭtens, entis, P. a., shining, glittering, glistening, brilliant, bright.

Lit.:

capilli malobathro,

Hor. C. 2, 7, 7:

mensae,

id. S. 2, 2, 4:

oculi,

Verg. A. 1, 228:

astra,

Ov. F. 5, 543:

Lucifer,

Tib. 1, 3, 93:

nitentes solis equi,

Val. Fl. 5, 413:

arma nitentia ante rem, deformia inter sanguinem, etc.,

Liv. 9, 40, 5.—

Transf.

Of animals, sleek, fat:

nitens taurus,

Verg. A. 3, 20.—

Of persons, shining, bright, beautiful:

uxor ore floridulo nitens,

Cat. 61, 189:

desiderio meo nitenti,

my darling bright, id. 2, 5.— Comp.: nitentior [p. 1210] femina, Ov. M. 12, 405 (Merkel, decentior).—

Of plants, blooming:

nitentia culta,

Verg. G. 1, 153:

arbor laeta et nitens,

Gell. 12, 1, 16.— Comp.:

Tyrio nitentior ostro flos oritur,

Ov. M. 10, 211.—

Trop.

Illustrious:

recenti gloriā nitens,

Liv. 3, 12:

non patre nitens linguāve,

Sil. 6, 19. —

Of speech, brilliant, elegant:

oratio,

Cic. Brut. 67, 238.—

Of the mind, bright, clear:

macte, oro, nitenti Ingenio,

Stat. S. 1, 5, 63.