sharpness

ăcŭo, ui, ūtum, 3, v. a. ( part. fut. acuturus, not used) [cf. 2. acer], to make sharp or pointed, to sharpen, whet.

Lit.:

ne stridorem quidem serrae audiunt, cum acuitur,

Cic. Tusc. 1, 40; so,

ferrum,

Verg. A. 8, 386; Hor. C. 1, 2, 21:

enses,

Ov. M. 15, 776:

gladium,

Vulg. Deut. 32, 41:

sagittas,

id. Jer. 51, 11.— Poet.:

fulmen,

Lucr. 6, 278:

dentes,

Hor. C. 3, 20, 10; cf. Tib. 4, 3, 3.—

Trop.

First, of the tongue, qs. to whet, i. e. to sharpen, exercise, improve:

acuere linguam exercitatione dicendi,

Cic. Brut. 97:

linguam causis,

Hor. Ep. 1, 3, 23; so Vulg. Psa. 139, 4; so in gen.: se, to exercise one's self, to make one's self ready:

acueram me ad exagitandam hanc ejus legationem,

Cic. Att. 2, 7: mentem, ingenium, prudentiam, etc.; to sharpen:

multa, quae acuant mentem, multa quae obtundant,

Cic. Tusc. 1, 33; so id. Brut. 33; id. Phil. 2, 17; id. de Or. 1, 20.—

Acuere aliquem (with or without ad aliquid), to spur on, incite, stir up, arouse:

ad crudelitatem,

Cic. Lig. 4; id. Fam. 15, 21:

illos sat aetas acuet,

Ter. Ad. 5, 3, 49; Cic. Rosc. Am. 33, 110:

ita duae res, quae languorem afferunt ceteris, illum acuebant, otium et solitudo,

id. Off. 3, 1; Liv. 28, 19:

curis acuens mortalia corda,

Verg. G. 1, 123:

auditisque lupos acuunt balatibus agni,

id. ib. 4, 435:

quam Juno his acuit verbis,

id. A. 7, 330.—

Aliquid, to rouse up, kindle, excite (mostly poet.):

saevus in armis Aeneas acuit Martem et se suscitat irā,

Verg. A. 12, 108:

iram,

Vulg. Sap. 5, 21:

studia,

Val. Max. 2, 2, no. 3.—

In gramm.: acuere syllabam, to give an acute accent to (opp. gravem ponere), Quint. 1, 5, 22; cf. Prisc. Op. Min. 159 Lind.: accentus acutus ideo inventus est, quod acuat sive elevet syllabam.—Hence, ăcūtus, a, um, P.a., sharpened, made pointed; hence,

Lit., sharp, pointed ( acer denotes natural sharpness, etc.: acutus, that produced by exertion, skill, etc.: sermo acer, impassioned, passionate; sermo acutus, pointed, acute discourse):

vide ut sit acutus culter probe,

Plaut. Mil. 5, 4:

ferrum,

Hor. A. P. 304:

cuspis,

Verg. A. 5, 208:

gladius,

Vulg. Psa. 56, 5:

carex,

Verg. G. 3, 231; elementa, i. e. pointed, jagged atoms (opp. to perplexa, connected), Lucr. 2, 463:

nasus,

Plaut. Cap. 3, 4, 114:

oculi,

of a pointed shape, id. Ps. 4, 7, 121:

aures,

pointed, Hor. C. 2, 19, 4:

saxa,

id. ib. 3, 27, 61; so Verg. A. 1, 45.—

Transf.

Of the senses themselves, sharp, keen:

oculos acrīs atque cicutos,

Cic. Planc. 66:

nares,

Hor. S. 1, 3, 29; Cels. 2, 6.—

Of objects affecting the senses, sharp, acute; of the voice, soprano or treble: inde loci lituus sonitus effudit acutos, Enn. ap. Paul. ex Fest. p. 116 Müll. (Ann. v. 522 ed. Vahl.):

hinnitu,

Verg. G. 3, 94:

voces,

id. Cir. 107; Ov. M. 3, 224:

stridore,

Hor. C. 1, 34, 15:

vocem ab acutissimo sono usque ad gravissimum sonum recipiunt,

from the highest treble to the lowest base, Cic. de Or. 1, 59, 251; cf. ib. 3, 57, 216; Somn. Scip. 5; Rep. 6, 18.—

In gen., of things affecting the body, of either heat or cold from their similar effects, keen, sharp, violent, severe:

sol,

Hor. Ep. 1, 10, 17:

radii solis,

Ov. H. 4, 159:

gelu,

Hor. C. 1, 9, 4; cf. Lucr. 1, 495; Verg. G. 1, 93; so,

febris,

Cels. 2, 4:

morbus,

id. 3 (opp. longus), rapid.— Subst. with gen.:

acuta belli,

violent, severe misfortunes of war, Hor. C. 4, 4, 76 (= graves belli molestias).—

Fig.

Of intellectual qualities, acute, clear-sighted, intelligent, sagacious (very freq.):

Antisthenes homo acutus magis quam eruditus,

Cic. Att. 12, 37; so id. de Or. 1, 51; id. N. D. 1, 16; Nep. Dion. 8, 1:

homo ingenio prudentiāque acutissimus,

Cic. de Or. 1, 39:

acutae sententiae,

id. Opt. Gen. Or. 2, 5:

motus animorum ad excogitandum acuti,

id. Or. 1, 113:

studia,

id. Gen. 50:

conclusiones,

Quint. 2, 20, 5.—

In gramm.: accentus acutus, the acute accent (opp. gravis), Prisc. p. 159, ed. Lindem.— Comp. Plin. 13, 1, 2.— Adv.: ăcūte, sharply, keenly, acutely:. cernere, Lucr. 4, 804; ib. 811:

conlecta,

Cic. Deiot. 33:

excogitat,

id. Verr. 4, 147:

respondeo,

id. Cael. 17:

scribo,

id. Verr. 3, 20; so, ăcūtum:

cernis,

Hor. S. 1, 3, 26:

resonarent,

ib. 8, 41: and, ăcūta: canis ululat, Enn. ap. Fest. p. 9 Müll. (Ann. 346 Vahl.).— Comp., Cic. Inv. 2, 16.— Sup., Cic. Off. 1, 44; id. Verr. 3, 20.

ăcŭo, ui, ūtum, 3, v. a. ( part. fut. acuturus, not used) [cf. 2. acer], to make sharp or pointed, to sharpen, whet.

Lit.:

ne stridorem quidem serrae audiunt, cum acuitur,

Cic. Tusc. 1, 40; so,

ferrum,

Verg. A. 8, 386; Hor. C. 1, 2, 21:

enses,

Ov. M. 15, 776:

gladium,

Vulg. Deut. 32, 41:

sagittas,

id. Jer. 51, 11.— Poet.:

fulmen,

Lucr. 6, 278:

dentes,

Hor. C. 3, 20, 10; cf. Tib. 4, 3, 3.—

Trop.

First, of the tongue, qs. to whet, i. e. to sharpen, exercise, improve:

acuere linguam exercitatione dicendi,

Cic. Brut. 97:

linguam causis,

Hor. Ep. 1, 3, 23; so Vulg. Psa. 139, 4; so in gen.: se, to exercise one's self, to make one's self ready:

acueram me ad exagitandam hanc ejus legationem,

Cic. Att. 2, 7: mentem, ingenium, prudentiam, etc.; to sharpen:

multa, quae acuant mentem, multa quae obtundant,

Cic. Tusc. 1, 33; so id. Brut. 33; id. Phil. 2, 17; id. de Or. 1, 20.—

Acuere aliquem (with or without ad aliquid), to spur on, incite, stir up, arouse:

ad crudelitatem,

Cic. Lig. 4; id. Fam. 15, 21:

illos sat aetas acuet,

Ter. Ad. 5, 3, 49; Cic. Rosc. Am. 33, 110:

ita duae res, quae languorem afferunt ceteris, illum acuebant, otium et solitudo,

id. Off. 3, 1; Liv. 28, 19:

curis acuens mortalia corda,

Verg. G. 1, 123:

auditisque lupos acuunt balatibus agni,

id. ib. 4, 435:

quam Juno his acuit verbis,

id. A. 7, 330.—

Aliquid, to rouse up, kindle, excite (mostly poet.):

saevus in armis Aeneas acuit Martem et se suscitat irā,

Verg. A. 12, 108:

iram,

Vulg. Sap. 5, 21:

studia,

Val. Max. 2, 2, no. 3.—

In gramm.: acuere syllabam, to give an acute accent to (opp. gravem ponere), Quint. 1, 5, 22; cf. Prisc. Op. Min. 159 Lind.: accentus acutus ideo inventus est, quod acuat sive elevet syllabam.—Hence, ăcūtus, a, um, P.a., sharpened, made pointed; hence,

Lit., sharp, pointed ( acer denotes natural sharpness, etc.: acutus, that produced by exertion, skill, etc.: sermo acer, impassioned, passionate; sermo acutus, pointed, acute discourse):

vide ut sit acutus culter probe,

Plaut. Mil. 5, 4:

ferrum,

Hor. A. P. 304:

cuspis,

Verg. A. 5, 208:

gladius,

Vulg. Psa. 56, 5:

carex,

Verg. G. 3, 231; elementa, i. e. pointed, jagged atoms (opp. to perplexa, connected), Lucr. 2, 463:

nasus,

Plaut. Cap. 3, 4, 114:

oculi,

of a pointed shape, id. Ps. 4, 7, 121:

aures,

pointed, Hor. C. 2, 19, 4:

saxa,

id. ib. 3, 27, 61; so Verg. A. 1, 45.—

Transf.

Of the senses themselves, sharp, keen:

oculos acrīs atque cicutos,

Cic. Planc. 66:

nares,

Hor. S. 1, 3, 29; Cels. 2, 6.—

Of objects affecting the senses, sharp, acute; of the voice, soprano or treble: inde loci lituus sonitus effudit acutos, Enn. ap. Paul. ex Fest. p. 116 Müll. (Ann. v. 522 ed. Vahl.):

hinnitu,

Verg. G. 3, 94:

voces,

id. Cir. 107; Ov. M. 3, 224:

stridore,

Hor. C. 1, 34, 15:

vocem ab acutissimo sono usque ad gravissimum sonum recipiunt,

from the highest treble to the lowest base, Cic. de Or. 1, 59, 251; cf. ib. 3, 57, 216; Somn. Scip. 5; Rep. 6, 18.—

In gen., of things affecting the body, of either heat or cold from their similar effects, keen, sharp, violent, severe:

sol,

Hor. Ep. 1, 10, 17:

radii solis,

Ov. H. 4, 159:

gelu,

Hor. C. 1, 9, 4; cf. Lucr. 1, 495; Verg. G. 1, 93; so,

febris,

Cels. 2, 4:

morbus,

id. 3 (opp. longus), rapid.— Subst. with gen.:

acuta belli,

violent, severe misfortunes of war, Hor. C. 4, 4, 76 (= graves belli molestias).—

Fig.

Of intellectual qualities, acute, clear-sighted, intelligent, sagacious (very freq.):

Antisthenes homo acutus magis quam eruditus,

Cic. Att. 12, 37; so id. de Or. 1, 51; id. N. D. 1, 16; Nep. Dion. 8, 1:

homo ingenio prudentiāque acutissimus,

Cic. de Or. 1, 39:

acutae sententiae,

id. Opt. Gen. Or. 2, 5:

motus animorum ad excogitandum acuti,

id. Or. 1, 113:

studia,

id. Gen. 50:

conclusiones,

Quint. 2, 20, 5.—

In gramm.: accentus acutus, the acute accent (opp. gravis), Prisc. p. 159, ed. Lindem.— Comp. Plin. 13, 1, 2.— Adv.: ăcūte, sharply, keenly, acutely:. cernere, Lucr. 4, 804; ib. 811:

conlecta,

Cic. Deiot. 33:

excogitat,

id. Verr. 4, 147:

respondeo,

id. Cael. 17:

scribo,

id. Verr. 3, 20; so, ăcūtum:

cernis,

Hor. S. 1, 3, 26:

resonarent,

ib. 8, 41: and, ăcūta: canis ululat, Enn. ap. Fest. p. 9 Müll. (Ann. 346 Vahl.).— Comp., Cic. Inv. 2, 16.— Sup., Cic. Off. 1, 44; id. Verr. 3, 20.

aspĕrĭtas, ātis, f. [asper], the quality of asper, unevenness, roughness (opp. 2. levitas).

Lit.:

saxorum asperitates,

Cic. N. D. 2, 39, 98:

asperitas viarum,

id. Phil. 9, 1, 2:

locorum,

Sall. J. 75, 2:

angustiae locorumque asperitas,

Liv. 32, 12 fin.; 43, 21; 44, 5 al.:

linguae,

Plin. 11, 37, 65, § 172:

ventris,

id. 11, 37, 79, § 201:

squamarum,

Gell. 2, 6:

faucium,

Plin. 30, 4, 11, § 32:

animi asperitas seu potius animae,

hoarseness, id. 22, 24, 51, § 111:

ob asperitatem hiemis,

roughness, severity, Tac. A. 4, 56:

asperitas frigorum abest,

id. Agr. 12:

densaque cedit Frigoris asperitas,

Ov. F. 4, 88 al.:

asperitas luti,

dryness, barrenness of the clay, Vitr. 2, 3.—Of raised work (cf. 1. asper, I., and exaspero):

vasa anaglypta in asperitatemque excisa,

with figures in basrelief, Plin. 33, 11, 49, § 139.—

Transf.

Of taste, harshness, sharpness, acidity, tartness:

vini,

Plin. 14, 19, 24, § 120:

pomi,

id. 12, 10, 21, § 38:

aceti,

id. 9, 35, 58, § 120:

aquarum,

the brackish taste of water, id. 12, 9, 20, § 37 al. —

Of hearing, roughness, harshness of tone:

vocis,

Lucr. 4, 542:

soni,

Tac. G. 3.—

Of sight, inequality, contrast:

cum aspectus ejus scaenae propter asperitatem eblandiretur omnium visus,

on account of the contrast of light and shade, Vitr. 7, 5:

intercolumniorum,

id. 3, 3.—

Trop.

Of moral qualities, roughness, harshness, severity, fierceness, asperity:

si quis eā asperitate est et immanitate naturae, congressus ut hominum fugiat atque oderit, etc.,

Cic. Lael. 23, 87:

avunculi,

Nep. Att. 5, 1:

patris,

Ov. M. 9, 752:

artibus ingenuis Pectora mollescunt, asperitasque fugit,

id. P. 1, 6, 8:

asperitatis et invidiae corrector,

Hor. Ep. 2, 1, 129.—Of a rigid, austere manner of life: quam illorum (Stoicorum) tristitiam atque asperitatem fugiens Panaetius nec acerbitatem sententiarum nec disserendi spinas probavit, Cic. Fin. 4, 28, 79; cf. 1. asper, II. A.—And of rudeness in external appearance, opp. to a polished, cultivated bearing:

asperitas agrestis,

Hor. Ep. 1, 18, 6.—

Of things, adversity, reverse of fortune, trouble, severity, difficulty (cf. 1. asper, II. B., and acerbitas):

in his vel asperitatibus rerum vel angustiis temporis obsequar studiis nostris,

Cic. de Or. 1, 1, 3:

asperitas belli,

Sall. J. 29, 1:

remedii,

Tac. A. 1, 44.—Of style, roughness, harshness, trachutês (cf. 1. asper, II. B.):

oratio in quā asperitas contentionis oratoris ipsius humanitate conditur,

Cic. de Or. 2, 53, 212. judicialis asperitas, id. ib. 2, 15, 64; so Quint. 1, 8, 11; 10, 5, 14 (cf. id. 11, 3, 23):

verborum,

Ov. M. 14, 526.

astus, a, um, adj., v. astutus.

astus, ūs, m. [Curtius suggests the Sanscr. aksh = to reach, hit, and oxus, swift; and Vanicek, ascia and axinê, with the idea of sharpness; others askeô, to practise], adroitness, dexterity; hence, in malam partem, craft, cunning (as a single act, while astutia designates cunning as a habit; until the post-Aug. period found only in the abl., astu, as an adv.; cf. Paul. ex Fest. p. 5 Müll., and Prisc. p. 1012 P.):

Satin astu et fallendo callet?

Att. Trag. Rel. p. 197 Rib.:

Nisi ut astu ingenium linguā laudem et dictis lactem lenibus,

id. ib. p. 189:

nam doli non doli sunt, nisi astu colas,

Plaut. Capt. 2, 1, 30:

Sed ut astu sum adgressus ad eas!

id. Poen. 5, 4, 53; id. Trin. 4, 2, 123; id. Ep. 4, 1, 19; id. Poen. prol. 111:

astu providere,

Ter. And. 1, 3, 3:

astu rem tractare,

id. Eun. 5, 4, 2:

Consilio versare dolos ingressus et astu, Incipit haec,

Verg. A. 11, 704:

ille astu subit,

id. ib. 10, 522: aliquem astu adgredi, Tac. A. 2, 64:

astus belli,

Sil. 16, 32:

libertae,

Tac. A. 14, 2:

oratio, quae astu caret, pondero modo et inpulsu proeliatur,

Quint. 9, 1, 20.—In plur.:

astus hostium in perniciem ipsis vertebat,

Tac. A. 2, 20:

praeveniens inimicorum astus,

id. ib. 6, 44; 12, 45; Petr. 97:

Ulixes nectit pectore astus callidos,

Sen. Troad. 527:

nunc advoca astus, anime, nunc fraudes, dolos,

id. ib. 618:

ad insidiarum astus,

Gell. 11, 18, 17.

Lynceus (dissyl.), ĕi ( gen. Lyncei, dissyl., Hor. S. 1, 2, 90 Orell. ad loc.; voc. Lynceu, Prop. 3, 32, 9), m., = Lunkeus, a Messenian, and one of the Argonauts, brother of Idas, and son of Aphareus, famed for the sharpness of his sight:

non possis oculo quantum contendere Lynceus,

Hor. Ep. 1, 1, 28:

Lyncei oculi,

id. S. 1, 2, 90; cf. Val. Fl. 1, 462; Hyg. Fab. 14; Val. Max. 1, 8, n. 14; Plin. 2, 17, 15, § 78; Ov. F. 5, 711; Prop. 2, 34 (3, 32), 9.—Hence,

Lyncēus, a, um, adj., = Lunkeios, of Lynceus, Lyncean, Ov. F. 5, 709.—

Transf., sharp-sighted:

quis est tam Lynceus, qui in tantis tenebris nihil offendat,

Cic. Fam. 9, 2, 2.—

Lyncī-des, ae, m., a descendant of Lynceus, Ov. M. 5, 99; 4, 767.—

A son of Ægyptus, and husband of Hypermnestra, who alone was saved by his wife when all his brothers were put to death, Ov. H 14, 123; Hyg. Fab. 273.—

Son of Thestius, and brother of Althæa, who was slain by Meleager, Hyg. Fab. 173; 174.—

One of the companions of Æneas; acc. Lyncĕă, Verg. A. 9, 768.

Lynceus (dissyl.), ĕi ( gen. Lyncei, dissyl., Hor. S. 1, 2, 90 Orell. ad loc.; voc. Lynceu, Prop. 3, 32, 9), m., = Lunkeus, a Messenian, and one of the Argonauts, brother of Idas, and son of Aphareus, famed for the sharpness of his sight:

non possis oculo quantum contendere Lynceus,

Hor. Ep. 1, 1, 28:

Lyncei oculi,

id. S. 1, 2, 90; cf. Val. Fl. 1, 462; Hyg. Fab. 14; Val. Max. 1, 8, n. 14; Plin. 2, 17, 15, § 78; Ov. F. 5, 711; Prop. 2, 34 (3, 32), 9.—Hence,

Lyncēus, a, um, adj., = Lunkeios, of Lynceus, Lyncean, Ov. F. 5, 709.—

Transf., sharp-sighted:

quis est tam Lynceus, qui in tantis tenebris nihil offendat,

Cic. Fam. 9, 2, 2.—

Lyncī-des, ae, m., a descendant of Lynceus, Ov. M. 5, 99; 4, 767.—

A son of Ægyptus, and husband of Hypermnestra, who alone was saved by his wife when all his brothers were put to death, Ov. H 14, 123; Hyg. Fab. 273.—

Son of Thestius, and brother of Althæa, who was slain by Meleager, Hyg. Fab. 173; 174.—

One of the companions of Æneas; acc. Lyncĕă, Verg. A. 9, 768.

morsus, a, um, Part., from mordeo.

morsus, ūs, m. [mordeo], a biting, a bite.

Lit.: contra avium minorum morsus munitur vallo aristarum. Cic. Sen. 15, 51:

serpentis,

id. Fat. 16, 36:

morsu apprehendere,

to bite, Plin. 11, 24, 28, § 84:

morsibus insequi,

Ov. M. 13, 568:

morsu appetere,

Tac. H. 4, 42:

nec tu mensarum morsus horresce futuros,

the eating, Verg. A. 3, 394:

mucida frusta farinae... non admittentia morsum,

Juv. 5, 69:

vertere morsus Exiguam in Cererem penuria adegit edendi,

their bites, their teeth, id. ib. 7, [p. 1167] 112; so,

zonam morsu tenere,

by the teeth, Juv. 14, 297.—

Transf.

A catching hold; and, concr., that which takes hold, a catch (of a buckle, etc.; poet.):

quā fibulā morsus Loricae crebro laxata resolverat ictu,

Sil. 7, 624:

roboris,

i. e. the cleft of the tree which held fast the javelin, Verg. A. 12, 782:

patulis agitatos morsibus ignes spirent,

Grat. Falisc. 270.—

Sharpness of flavor, sharp taste, pungency:

nec cibus ipse juvat morsu fraudatus aceti,

Mart. 7, 25, 5:

marinus,

acrid quality, Plin. 36, 26, 65, § 191:

et scabros nigrae morsu rubiginis enses,

i. e. a corroding, consuming, Luc. 1, 243.—

Trop., a bite, sting, pain, vexation, etc.:

(carmina) odio obscuro morsuque venenare,

a malicious attack, Hor. Ep. 1, 14, 38:

perpetui curarum morsus,

gnawings, pains, Ov. P. 1, 1, 73:

doloris,

a bite, sting, Cic. Tusc. 4, 7, 15:

libertatis intermissae,

id. Off. 2, 7, 24:

dubiā morsus famae depellere pugnā,

Sil. 2, 271.

sal, sălis ( neutr. collat. form of the nom. sălĕ, Enn. ap. Gell. 2, 26, or Ann. v. 378 Vahl.; Varr. ap. Non. 223, 17; also, in the regular form sometimes neutr. in sing., v. infra, I.; but plur. always sales, m.; cf. Neue, Formenl. 1, 697 sq.; dat. plur.: infusis salis, Fabian. ap. Charis. p. 82 P.), m. [root sal-, to stream, flow; cf. hals; perh. also found in insula, salix].

Lit., salt.

Masc.: ex sale, qui apud Carthaginienses fit, Cato ap. Prisc. p. 659 P.:

salem candidum sic facito,

id. R. R. 88; Varr. R. R. 1, 7, 8; Col. 6, 17, 7; 8, 6 Schneid. N. cr.; 12, 6, 2; 12, 21, 2 al.; Plin. 31, 7, 39, § 73; Plaut. Merc. 1, 2, 95; id. Curc. 4, 4, 6; id. Pers. 3, 3, 25; Sall. Fragm. ap. Charis. p. 82 P., and ap. Prisc. p. 644 ib.; Hor. S. 1, 5, 46 et saep.—Prov.:

salem cum pane edit,

Plin. 31, 8, 41, § 89.—

Neutr.: nunc vides in conviviis ita poni et sal et mel, Varr. ap. Charis. p. 82 P.; so, aliud, Fabian. ib. p. 82 P.;

tritum,

Veg. 2, 24, 4 al.; v. also infra, II.—

Doubtful gen.:

multos modios salis,

Cic. Lael. 19, 67:

(caseum) parco sale reponunt,

Verg. G. 3, 403; Caes. B. C. 2, 37:

salis vendendi arbitrium,

Liv. 29, 6; 45, 29; Hor. S. 1, 3, 14; 2, 2, 17; 2, 4, 74; Col. 7, 8, 5; Cels. 2, 24; Plin. 31, 7, 42, § 91.—

Plur.:

quin aspergi solent sales: melior fossilis quam marinus,

Varr. R. R. 2, 11, 6; Col. 7, 4, 8; 8, 6, 1; Pall. 9, 2 Mai; id. Nov. 19; Fabian. ap. Charis. p. 82 P.; Ov. M. 15, 286.—

Meton.

Poet., the salt water, brine, sea.

Sing., Enn. 1. 1.:

supra rorem salis edita pars est remorum,

Lucr. 4, 438:

et sale tabentes artus in litore ponunt,

Verg. A. 1, 173; 1, 35; 3, 385; 5, 848; 5, 866; 6, 697; 10, 214; Ov. P. 1, 1, 70; Val. Fl. 4, 722.—

Plur.:

sales amari,

Ov. M. 15, 286:

aequorei,

Luc. 10, 257.—

A speck on precious stones shaped like a grain of salt. — Sing.:

sal,

Plin. 37, 6, 22, § 83; 37, 8, 37, § 117; 37, 2, 10, § 28.— Plur.:

sales,

Plin. 37, 2, 8, § 22.—

Trop.

Intellectual acuteness, good sense, shrewdness, cunning, wit, facetiousness, sarcasm, a witticism, witty saying (class. in sing. and plur.;

syn.: lepos, facetiae, festivitas): (sal) adeo necessarium elementum est, ut transierit intellectus ad voluptates animi quoque. Nam ita sales appellantur, omnisque vitae lepos et summa hilaritas laborumque requies non alio magis vocabulo constat,

Plin. 31, 7, 41, § 88.

Sing.:

qui habet salem, quod in te est,

Ter. Eun. 3, 1, 10; cf.:

nulla venustas, Nulla in tam magno est corpore mica salis,

Cat. 86, 4:

Caesar inusitatum nostris oratoribus leporem quendam et salem est consecutus,

Cic. de Or. 2, 23, 98; cf. id. N. D. 2, 29, 74:

sale vero et facetiis Caesar vicit omnis,

id. Off. 1, 37, 133:

(litterae) tum humanitatis sparsae sale,

id. Att. 1, 13, 1:

qui (versus) dum denique habent salem ac leporem,

Cat. 16, 7:

P. Scipio omnes sale facetiisque superabat,

Cic. Brut. 34, 128; cf.:

argutiae facetissimi salis,

Plin. 35, 10, 37, § 117:

salis satis est, sannionum parum, Cic Fam. 9, 16, 10: in quo mihi videtur specimen fuisse humanitatis, salis, suavitatis, leporis,

id. Tusc. 5, 19, 55:

(Lucilius) sale multo Urbem defricuit,

Hor. S. 1, 10, 3; cf.

of the same: acerbitas et abundantia salis,

Quint. 10, 1, 94:

hic delectatur iambis, Ille Bioneïs sermonibus et sale nigro,

i. e. biting wit, sarcasm, Hor. Ep. 2, 2, 60; Cat. 13, 5:

qui plurimum in scribendo et salis haberet et fellis nec candoris minus,

Plin. Ep. 3, 21, 1. —

Neutr. (ante-class.): quicquid loquitur, sal merum est, Afran. ap. Prisc. p. 659 P.; so, (puella) Charitôn mia, tota merum sal, Lucr. 4, 1162.—

Plur.:

Romani veteres atque urbani sales,

Cic. Fam. 9, 15, 2:

vestri proavi Plautinos Laudavere sales,

Hor. A. P. 271; Sen. Vit. Beat. 27, 2:

periculosi sales,

id. Tranq. 1, 4:

libaboque tuos, scite Menandre, sales,

Prop. 3 (4), 21, 28:

huic generi orationis aspergentur etiam sales, qui in dicendo minimum quantum valent: quorum duo genera sunt, unum facetiarum, alterum dicacitatis,

Cic. Or. 26, 87; cf. Quint. 6, 3, 15; 10, 1, 117:

(Ciceronem) in salibus aliquando frigidum,

id. 12, 10, 12:

a salibus suffusis felle refugi,

Ov. Tr. 2, 565:

protervi sales,

Stat. S. 1, 6, 6:

salibus vehemens intra pomoeria natis,

Juv. 9, 11.—

(Borrowed from the use of salt as a relish.) Good taste, elegance:

tectum antiquitus constitutum plus salis quam sumptūs habebat,

Nep. Att. 13, 2.—

Sharpness, pungency, stimulus, incentive:

quae (sc. calor, sanguis) aviditatem naturali sale augent,

Plin. 10, 72, 93, § 198.

subtīlĭtas ( supt-), ātis, f. [subtilis], fineness, thinness, slenderness, minuteness (syn. tenuitas).

Lit. (mostly post-Aug.;

not in Cic.): linearum,

Plin. 35, 10, 36, § 82:

ferramentorum,

the keen edge, sharpness, id. 28, 9, 41, § 148:

inenarrabilis florum,

id. 21, 1, 1, § 1:

muliebris,

Vitr. 4, 1 med.:

immensa animalium,

Plin. 11, prooem. 1, §

1: caelandi fingendique ac tingendi,

id. 35, prooem. §

1: umoris,

id. 2, 65, 65, § 163. —

Trop.

In gen., keenness, acuteness, penetration, definiteness, exactness, subtlety, etc. (class.;

syn.: acumen, sollertia): sententiarum,

Cic. N. D. 2, 1, 1:

disputandi,

id. Tusc. 3, 23, 56:

ea subtilitas, quam Atticam appellant,

id. Brut. 17, 67:

subtilitas sermonis,

id. Rep. 1, 10, 16:

credunt plerique militaribus ingeniis subtilitatem deesse,

Tac. Agr. 9:

ingens,

Petr. 31:

tanta,

id. 38; Sen. Ep. 113, 1:

Aristoteles, vir immensae subtilitatis,

Plin. 18, 34, 77, § 335; cf.:

litterarum,

id. 2, 108, 112, § 247:

geometrica,

id. 2, 65, 65, § 164:

perversa grammaticorum,

id. 35, 3, 4, § 13:

subtilitas parcimoniae compendia invenit,

id. 17, 22, 35, § 171:

picturae summa suptilitas,

id. 35, 9, 36, § 67:

inutilis,

Sen. Ep. 65, 16:

quaedam inutilia et inefficacia ipsa subtilitas reddit,

id. ib. 82, 24: nimia, id. ib 88, 43.—

In partic., in rhet., plainness, simplicity, absence of ornament:

orationis subtilitas imitabilis quidem illa videtur esse existimanti, sed nihil est experienti minus,

Cic. Or. 23, 76; id. Brut. 84, 291:

suavitatem Isocrates, subtilitatem Lysias, vim Demosthenes habuit,

id. de Or. 3, 7, 28:

subtilitas et elegantia scriptorum,

id. Fam. 4, 4, 1.

subtīlĭtas ( supt-), ātis, f. [subtilis], fineness, thinness, slenderness, minuteness (syn. tenuitas).

Lit. (mostly post-Aug.;

not in Cic.): linearum,

Plin. 35, 10, 36, § 82:

ferramentorum,

the keen edge, sharpness, id. 28, 9, 41, § 148:

inenarrabilis florum,

id. 21, 1, 1, § 1:

muliebris,

Vitr. 4, 1 med.:

immensa animalium,

Plin. 11, prooem. 1, §

1: caelandi fingendique ac tingendi,

id. 35, prooem. §

1: umoris,

id. 2, 65, 65, § 163. —

Trop.

In gen., keenness, acuteness, penetration, definiteness, exactness, subtlety, etc. (class.;

syn.: acumen, sollertia): sententiarum,

Cic. N. D. 2, 1, 1:

disputandi,

id. Tusc. 3, 23, 56:

ea subtilitas, quam Atticam appellant,

id. Brut. 17, 67:

subtilitas sermonis,

id. Rep. 1, 10, 16:

credunt plerique militaribus ingeniis subtilitatem deesse,

Tac. Agr. 9:

ingens,

Petr. 31:

tanta,

id. 38; Sen. Ep. 113, 1:

Aristoteles, vir immensae subtilitatis,

Plin. 18, 34, 77, § 335; cf.:

litterarum,

id. 2, 108, 112, § 247:

geometrica,

id. 2, 65, 65, § 164:

perversa grammaticorum,

id. 35, 3, 4, § 13:

subtilitas parcimoniae compendia invenit,

id. 17, 22, 35, § 171:

picturae summa suptilitas,

id. 35, 9, 36, § 67:

inutilis,

Sen. Ep. 65, 16:

quaedam inutilia et inefficacia ipsa subtilitas reddit,

id. ib. 82, 24: nimia, id. ib 88, 43.—

In partic., in rhet., plainness, simplicity, absence of ornament:

orationis subtilitas imitabilis quidem illa videtur esse existimanti, sed nihil est experienti minus,

Cic. Or. 23, 76; id. Brut. 84, 291:

suavitatem Isocrates, subtilitatem Lysias, vim Demosthenes habuit,

id. de Or. 3, 7, 28:

subtilitas et elegantia scriptorum,

id. Fam. 4, 4, 1.