stimulō

* * *

stĭmŭlo, āvi, ātum, 1, v. a. [id.], to prick with a goad, to prick or goad on, to urge on (syn. pungo).

Lit. (post-Aug. and rare):

quadrijugos flagello,

Sil. 4, 439:

equos calcaribus,

Val. Max. 3, 2, 9; for which, poet. transf.:

turbatos currus,

Luc. 7, 570; Sil. 16, 367:

aries stimulatus,

Col. 7, 3, 5.—

Trop., to goad, torment, vex, trouble, disquiet, disturb (class. and freq.;

syn. agito): jactor, crucior, agitor, stimulor, vorsor in amoris rota miser,

Plaut. Cist. 2, 1, 4:

hunc sibi ex animo scrupulum, qui se dies noctesque stimulat ac pungit, ut evellatis, postulat,

Cic. Rosc. Am. 2, 6:

larvae stimulant virum,

Plaut. Capt. 3, 4, 66:

te conscientiae stimulant maleficiorum tuorum,

Cic. Par. 2, 18:

me nunc et congressus hujus (Caesaris) stimulat,

id. Att. 9, 15, 2:

me haec solitudo minus stimulat quam ista celebritas,

id. ib. 12, 13, 1:

consulem cura de minore filio stimulabat,

Liv. 44, 44:

stimulatus furenti rabie,

Cat. 63, 4:

curis animum stimulantibus,

Claud. in Ruf. 2, 326.—

In gen., to rouse up, set in motion; to spur on, incite, stimulate to any action (syn. cieo, excio).

With simple acc.:

Phrygio stimulat numero cava tibia mentes,

Lucr. 2, 620:

aliquem,

Liv. 3, 68, 10:

avita gloria animum stimulabat,

id. 1, 22, 2:

irā stimulante animos,

id. 1, 12, 1; 30, 11:

cupido animum stimulabat,

Curt. 4, 7, 8; 6, 5, 19:

stimulata pellicis irā,

Ov. M. 4, 235.—With inanim. objects:

jurgia praecipue vino stimulata,

Ov. A. A. 1, 591:

Persicorum sucus sitim stimulat,

Plin. 23, 7, 67, § 132; so,

venerem,

id. 20, 5, 15, § 32; cf.

conceptus,

id. 2, 8, 6, § 38:

fugam hostium,

id. 9, 8, 9, § 32:

iras functas,

to revive, arouse, Stat. Th. 12, 437. —

With ad:

ad alicujus salutem defendendam stimulari atque excitari,

Cic. Planc. 28, 69:

ad perturbandam rempublicam,

Sall. C. 18, 4:

ad arma,

Liv. 1, 23, 7:

ad iram,

Tac. H. 2, 44.—

With in:

injuriae dolor in Tarquinium eos stimulabat,

Liv. 1, 40, 4:

animos eorum irā in hostes stimulando,

id. 21, 11, 3; cf.

in a mixed construction: ad iram saepius quam in formidinem stimulabantur,

Tac. H. 2, 44 fin. —

With ut or ne:

vetus nostra simultas antea stimulabat me, ut caverem, etc.,

Cic. Fam. 3, 12, 4:

rubore stimulabantur, ne clientulorum loco numerarentur,

Tac. Or. 37; Curt. 7, 7, 26.—

Poet., with inf.:

festinare fugam... iterum stimulat,

Verg. A. 4, 576:

stimulante metu fati praenoscere cursus,

Luc. 6, 423:

juvencos jactare accensis stimulavi cornibus ignes,

Sil. 12, 504.—

Absol.:

stimulante fame,

Ov. Tr. 1, 6, 9:

stimulante conscientiā,

Curt. 5, 11, 7:

metu stimulante,

id. 7, 7, 26.

stĭmŭlus, i, m. [for stig-mulus, from the root stig; Gr. stizô; v. stilus].

A goad for driving cattle, slaves, etc. (class., [p. 1760] esp. in the trop. sense).

Lit.:

jam lora teneo, jam stimulum in manu: Agite equi, etc.,

Plaut. Men. 5, 2, 112:

parce, puer, stimulis, et fortius utere loris,

Ov. M. 2, 127:

aut stimulo tardos increpuisse boves,

Tib. 1, 1, 30 (12); cf. Ov. M. 14, 647:

ita te forabunt patibulatum per vias Stimulis,

Plaut. Ps. 1, 1, 54:

aliquem stimulo fodere,

id. Curc. 1, 2, 40:

dum te stimulis fodiam,

Cic. Phil. 2, 34, 86:

numquam stimulo lacessat juvencum,

Col. 2, 2, 26.—As a term of abuse of slaves:

stimulorum seges,

Plaut. Aul. 1, 1, 6; cf. id. Cas. 2, 8, 11:

stimulorum tritor,

id. Pers. 5, 2, 17.—Prov.:

si stimulos pugnis caedis, manibus plus dolet,

i. e. an evil is aggravated by foolish opposition, Plaut. Truc. 4, 2, 55; cf.:

advorsum stimulum calces,

kick against the pricks, Ter. Phorm. 1, 2, 28.—

Trop., a goad (as in Engl., either that which vexes, irritates, torments, or, more freq., that which spurs on, incites, stimulates).

A sting, torment, pang:

mens sibi conscia factis... adhibet stimulos torretque flagellis,

Lucr. 3, 1019; cf.:

subesse caecum aliquem cordi stimulum,

id. 3, 874:

ne illa stimulum longum habet, quae usque illinc cor pungit meum,

Plaut. Truc. 4, 3, 79:

stimulos doloris contemnere,

Cic. Tusc. 2, 27, 66; cf.:

(res malae) lacerant, vexant, stimulos admovent, etc.,

id. ib. 3, 16, 35:

stimulos in pectore caecos Condidit,

Ov. M. 1, 726.—

A spur, incentive, incitement, stimulus:

animum gloriae stimulis concitare,

Cic. Arch. 11, 29:

quidam industriae ac laboris (with illecebrae libidinum),

id. Cael. 5, 12:

quot stimulos admoverit homini victoriae studioso,

id. Sest. 5, 12; cf.:

defendendi Vatinii,

id. Fam. 1, 9, 19:

omnia pro stimulis facibusque ciboque furoris Accipit,

Ov. M. 6, 480:

ardet, et injusti stimulis agitatur amoris,

id. F. 2, 779:

non hostili modo odio sed amoris etiam stimulis,

Liv. 30, 14, 1:

ad hanc voluntatem ipsius naturae stimulis incitamur,

Cic. Rep. 1, 2, 3:

ad dicendum etiam pudor stimulos habet,

Quint. 10, 7, 16:

agrariae legis tribuniciis stimulis plebs furebat,

Liv. 2, 54; cf.:

acriores quippe aeris alieni stimulos esse,

id. 6, 11:

subdere stimulos animo,

id. 6, 34:

in aliquem stimulis accendi,

Tac. H. 3, 45; cf.:

suis stimulis excitos Moesiae duces,

id. ib. 3, 53:

secundae res acrioribus stimulis animos explorant,

id. ib. 1, 15:

acres Subjectat lasso stimulos,

Hor. S. 2, 7, 94:

stimulos sub pectore vertit Apollo,

Verg. A. 6, 101:

movere acres stimulos irarum,

Luc. 2, 324:

accensae stimulis majoribus irae,

Stat. Th. 11, 497:

dare stimulos laudum,

id. Achill. 1, 203.—

In milit. lang., a pointed stake concealed beneath the surface of the ground, to repel hostile troops (syn.:

sudes, stipes),

Caes. B. G. 7, 73 fin.:

se stimulis induere,

id. ib. 7, 82.

ăgĭto, āvi, ātum, 1, v. freq. a. [ago], as if the supine were agitu; cf.: quaero quaerito.

Lit., to put a thing in motion, to drive or impel (mostly poet., or in more elevated prose; from poetry it passed, after the Aug. per., into common prose).

Of cattle, to drive, conduct (cf. ago):

calcari quadrupedem agitabo advorsum clivom,

Plaut. As. 3, 3, 118:

stimulo boves agitat,

Vulg. Eccli. 38, 26:

hanc in curru bijugos agitare leones,

drives her span of lions, Lucr. 2, 602:

agitantur quadrigae,

Varr. L. L. 6, § 41 Müll.:

ad flumina currus,

Verg. G. 3, 18:

jussit agitari currum suum,

Vulg. 2 Macc. 9, 4: lanigeros greges hirtasque capellas, to drive, poet. for to tend, Verg. G. 3, 287:

sacros jugales (dracones),

Ov. M. 5, 661:

quadrigas bigasque et equos desultorios,

Suet. Caes. 39.—

Of the motion of other things, to move, impel, shake:

triremem in portu,

Nep. Dion, 9, 2:

alas,

Ov. Tr. 3, 4, 21:

manibusque leves agitavit habenas,

id. M. 7, 221:

hastam,

id. ib. 3, 667: caput, to move the head ( in token of assent = annuere), id. ib. 1, 567:

arundinem vento agitatam,

Vulg. Matt. 11, 7.—Esp., of animals, to hunt, chase, pursue: etiamsi excitaturus [p. 72] non sis nec agitaturus feras, Cic. Off. 3, 17:

aquila insectans alias aves atque agitans,

id. Div. 2, 70:

trepidas columbas,

Ov. M. 5, 606; 11, 300:

damas,

id. ib. 10, 539:

cursu timidos onagros,

Verg. G. 3, 409 al. —

Of the motion caused by the wind, to drive to and fro, toss about, agitate, disturb:

ventus enim fit, ubi est agitando percitus aër,

when the air is violently agitated and driven, Lucr. 6, 686:

mare ventorum vi agitari atque turbari,

Cic. Clu. 49 fin.; id. Univ. 3, 7:

freta ponti Incipiunt agitata tumescere,

Verg. G. 1, 357:

aristas,

Ov. A. A. 1, 553:

Zephyris agitata Tempe,

Hor. C. 3, 1, 24:

ventis agitatur pinus,

id. ib. 2, 10, 9:

veteres agitantur orni,

id. ib. 1, 9, 12:

agitaret aura capillos,

id. Epod. 15, 9.—

Of the motion caused by the water: agitata numina Trojae, tossed or driven about upon the sea, Verg. A. 6, 68; Prop. 3, 21, 5.—

In gen., of the motion caused by other things:

magnes (lapis) agitat (ferri ramenta) per aes,

Lucr. 6, 1054:

agitari inter se concursu,

Cic. N. D. 1, 39: pulsu externo agitari, Macr Somn. Scip. 9.— Poet. of mist, to produce it by motion or agitation: dejectuque (Peneus) gravi tenues agitantia fumos Nubila conducit, and by its impetuous descent (into the valley) raises clouds producing mist, Ov. M. 1, 571—

Trop.

To rouse up, excite, move, urge, drive, impel one to something: aliquem, sometimes in aliquid (so in Florus very freq.):

in furias agitantur equae,

are excited to fury, Ov. A. A. 2, 487:

agitare plebem,

to stir up, rouse, Liv. 3, 11:

populum,

Flor. 2, 12, 2; so id. 11, 6, 2 al.:

agitatus cupiditate regni,

id. 3, 1:

gens sacratis legibus agitata in exitium urbis,

id. 1, 16, 7.—

To disquiet, disturb, to drive hither and thither, to vex, trouble, torment (the fig. taken from the sea agitated by storm; cf. Gernh. and Beier upon Cic. Off. 1, 24, 82):

dii deaeque te agitant irati,

Plaut. Pers. 4, 4, 115:

atra bilis agitat hominem,

id. Capt. 3, 4, 64; so id. Curc. 1, 1, 92; 2, 1, 24:

ut eos agitent furiae, neque usquam consistere patiantur,

Cic. Rosc. Am. 24 (cf. Verg. A. 3, 331:

scelerum furiis agitatus Orestes,

id. ib. 4, 471):

suum quemque scelus agitat amentiaque afficit,

id. ib. 24:

agitare et insequi poëtas,

Tac. Or. 4; 25 and 41:

multis injuriis jactata atque agita ta,

Cic. Quint. 2:

est magni viri, rebus agitatis (= perturbatis, Beier) punire sontes,

id. Off. 1, 24, 82:

agitabatur animus inopiā rei familiaris et conscientiā scelerum,

Sall. C. 5, 7:

quos conscientia defectionis agitabat,

Tac. Agr. 16:

commotus metu atque libidine diversus agitabatur,

was drawn in different directions, Sall. J 25, 6; Liv. 22, 12. ne te semper inops agitet vexetque cupido, Hor. Ep. 1, 18, 98:

quos agitabat timor,

Tac. Agr. 16:

timore et metu agitati,

Vulg. Judith, 15, 1:

injuriis agitatus,

Flor. 1, 8, 7:

seditionibus,

Just. 12, 4, 12.—

To assail with reproach, derision, insult; to reprove, blame, scoff, deride, insult, mock:

agitat rem militarem, insectatur totam legationem,

attacks, ridicules, Cic. Mur. 9, 21; id. Brut. 28, 109: mea saevis agitat fastidia verbis, Hor Epod. 12, 13; without verbis:

agitant expertia frugis,

id. A. P. 341:

vesanum poëtam agitant pueri,

id. ib. 456.—

In gen., to drive or urge on a thing, to accomplish or do, to drive at, to be employed in, be engaged in, to have, hold, keep, to celebrate; v. ago, II. D. (in the historians, esp. Sallust, very freq.):

Haec ego non agitem?

should I not drive at? Juv. 1, 52:

vigilias,

to keep, Plaut. Trin. 4, 2, 27; so,

custodiam,

id. Rud. 3, 6, 20; so Tac. A. 11, 18:

hoc agitemus convivium vino et sermone suavi,

let us celebrate, Plaut. As. 5, 1, 7:

Dionysia,

Ter. Heaut. 4, 4, 11; so id. Hec. 1, 2, 18:

convivia,

Ov. M. 7, 431; Suet. Claud. 32 festa gaudia, Sil. 15, 423:

meum natalem,

Plaut. Pers. 5, 1, 16;

so festos dies,

Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 63:

jocos,

Ov. M. 3, 319:

agraria lex a Flavio tribuno plebis vehementer agitabatur,

was powerfully urged, supportcd, Cic. Att. 1, 19:

quae cum praecepta parentis mei agitarem,

was striving to comply with, Sall. J. 14, 2 (modestius dictum pro:

studere, ut agerem, Cort.): laeti pacem agitabamus,

were at peace, enjoyed the delights of peace, id. ib. 14, 10:

dicit se missum a consule venisse quaesitum ab eo, pacem an bellum agitaturus foret,

id. ib. 109, 2:

quoniam deditionis morā induciae agitabantur,

there was a truce, id. ib. 29, 4; id. C. 24, 2.— Poet.:

ceu primas agitant acies, certamina miscent,

as if they formed the front rank, Sil. 9, 330.—Hence of time, esp. life, to pass, spend (cf. ago, II. D 5.):

vita hominum sine cupiditate agitabatur,

Sall. C. 2, 1:

agitare aevum,

Verg. G. 4, 154; id. A. 10, 235:

festos dies,

Tac. H. 3, 78.—In Sall., Tac., Flor., et al., agitare absol., to live, dwell, abide, sojourn, be:

hi propius mare Africum agitabant,

Sall. J 18, 9; cf id. ib. 19, 5; id. Fragm. H. 3, 11; so id. J. 54, 2; 59, 1; 94, 4:

laeti Germant agitabant,

Tac. A. 1, 50:

secretus agitat,

id. ib. 11, 21:

montium editis sine cultu atque eo ferocius agitabant,

id. ib. 4, 46; Flor. 4, 12, 48.—

Of the mind: agitare aliquid or de aliquā re (in corde, in mente, animo, cum animo, secum, etc.), to drive at a thing in the mind, i. e. to turn over, revolve, to weigh, consider, meditate upon, and with the idea of action to be performed or a conclusion to be made, to deliberate upon, to devise, contrive, plot, to be occupied with, to design, intend, etc.: id ego semper mecum sic agito et comparo, Att ap. Non. 256, 20:

quom eam rem in corde agito,

Plaut. Truc 2, 5, 3:

id agitans mecum,

Ter. Phorm. 4, 3, 10; so Sall. J. 113, 3:

habet nihil aliud quod agitet in mente,

Cic. N. D. 1, 41:

est tuum sic agitare animo, ut, etc.,

id. Fam. 6, 1:

quae omnes animo agitabant,

Tac. A. 6, 9:

provincias secretis imaginationibus agitans,

id. ib. 15, 36 in animo bellum, Liv 21, 2; Vell. 1, 16; Quint. 12, 2, 28.—With inf., as object:

ut mente agitaret bellum renovare,

Nep. Ham. 1, 4.— Poet.:

aliquid jamdudum invadere magnum Mens agitat mihi,

Verg. A 9, 187. —Sometimes also without mente, animo, and the like, agitare aliquid, in the same signif:

quodsi ille hoc unum agitare coeperit, esse, etc.,

Cic. Verr. 2, 3, 96:

rem a me saepe deliberatam et multum agitatam requiris,

id. Ac. 1, 2: oratori omnia quaesita, disputata, tractata, agitata ( well considered or weighed) esse debent, id. de Or. 3, 14:

fugam,

Verg. A. 2, 640.—So esp. freq. in Tac.:

Britanni agitare inter se mala servitutis, Agr 15: bellum adversus patrem agitare,

id. H. 4, 86, id. A. 1, 5; 1, 12.—With de:

de bello,

Tac. H. 2, 1:

agitanti de Claudio,

id. A. 6, 46:

de tempore ac loco caedis agitabant,

id. ib. 15, 50; 1, 12; id. H. 4, 59.—With num:

agitavere, num Messalinam depellerent amore Silli,

Tac. A. 11, 29; id. H. 1, 19.— With - ne:

agitavere placeretne, etc.,

Tac. H. 3, 1.—With an:

an Artaxata pergeret, agitavit,

Tac. A. 13, 41 —With quomodo, Tac. A. 2, 12.—With ut (of purpose):

ut Neronem pudor caperet, insita spe agitari,

Tac. A. 16, 26.—

To treat or speak of or concerning a thing, to confer about, deliberate upon. Romae per omnīs locos et conventus de facto consulis agitart ( impers., for agitabatur), discussions were had, Sall. J 30, 1;

cum de foedere victor agitaret,

Liv. 9, 5; 30, 3.—

Sat agitare, with gen., in Plaut., = sat agere, to have enough to do, to have trouble with: nunc agitas sat tute tuarum rerum, Bacch. 4, 3, 23.

ardesco, arsi, 3, v. inch. [ardeo], to take fire, to kindle, to be inflamed (mostly poet. or in post-Aug. prose; not in Cic.; while exardesco is very freq.), lit. and trop.

Lit.:

ut omnia motu Percalefacta vides ardescere,

Lucr. 6, 178:

ardescunt caelestia templa,

id. 6, 670:

ne longus ardesceret axis,

Ov. M. 1, 255; Plin. 37, 3, 12, § 51.—

Trop., to gleam, glitter.

Of rays of light:

fulmineis ardescunt ignibus undae,

Ov. M. 11, 523.—

Of the gleaming of a sword:

pugionem in mucronem ardescere jussit,

Tac. A. 15, 54.—

Most freq. of the passions, to be inflamed, become more intense, increase in violence:

ardescere dirā cuppedine,

Lucr. 4, 1090; so id. 5, 897:

in iras,

Ov. M. 5, 41 (cf. Verg. A. 7, 445: exarsit in iras, and Luc. 3, 134:

accensus in iram): in nuptias incestas,

Tac. A. 11, 25:

ardescit tuendo,

Verg. A. 1, 713:

stimulo ardescit,

Plin. 8, 45, 70, § 181:

quibus haec rabies auctoribus arsit,

Luc. 5, 359.—So, absol.:

fremitus ardescit equorum,

Verg. A. 11, 607:

ardescente pugnā,

Tac. H. 5, 18: in labiis ejus ignis ardescit, * Vulg. Prov. 16, 27.

ex-stĭmŭlo ( ext-), āvi, ātum, 1, v. a., to prick up, to goad ( poet. and in post-Aug. prose).

Lit.:

aculeo,

Plin. 9, 37, 61, § 132.—

Trop., to goad on, excite, instigate, stimulate:

aliquem dictis,

Ov. F. 6, 588:

corda furore bellandi,

Sil. 1, 38; cf.:

armentum libidinis furiis,

Col. 6, 27, 3:

tigrim fame,

Ov. M. 5, 165:

animum,

Tac. A. 15, 50:

libidinem,

Col. 8, 11, 8:

fata cessantia,

i. e. to hasten death, Ov. Tr. 3, 2, 29. — Pass.:

exstimulatur a libertis, ut ostenderet,

Tac. A. 4, 59.

fŏdĭo, fōdi, fossum, 3 (ante-class. form of the inf. praes. pass. fodiri, Cato, R. R. 2, 4; Col. 11, 2, 35, but not in Plaut. Mil. 2, 4, 21, where the correct read. is exfodivi.— Also acc. to the first conj.: Illyrii restant sicis sibinisque fodantes, Enn. ap. Fest. p. 336 Müll.; cf.: fodare fodere, Paul. ex Fest. p. 84, 7 Müll.), v. n. and a. [Sanscr. root badh-, to dig, ava-bādha, dug out; Gr. bathos, bathus, benthos, abussos, etc., bothros, pit; hence, fossa, fundus (for fudnus); cf. Anglo-Sax. bodom; Engl. bottom; Germ. Boden, etc.; cf. Fick, Vergl. Wörterb. p. 131; Grimm, Deutsch. Wörterb. s. v. Boden], to dig, dig up, dig out (class.).—

Lit.:

numquam domum revertor, quin te in fundo conspicer Fodere aut arare,

Ter. Heaut. 1, 1, 17; cf.: fodit;

invenit auri aliquantum,

Cic. Div. 2, 65, 134; and id. de Or. 2, 41, 174:

vineas novellas fodere aut arare et postea occare,

Varr. R. R. 1, 31, 1; cf.:

ut hortum fodiat,

Plaut. Poen. 5, 2, 59:

hortum,

Cato, R. R. 2, 4:

arva,

Ov. M. 11, 33:

solum,

Plin. 19, 6, 32:

vites,

Quint. 9, 4, 5:

murum,

to undermine, Ov. M. 11, 535; but, vallum, to dig out the earth needed for it, Tac. A. 11, 18:

puteum ferramentis,

to dig, Plaut. Rud. 2, 4, 19; so,

puteos,

Caes. B. C. 3, 49, 5:

scrobes, trium in altitudinem pedum,

id. B. G. 7, 73, 5:

fundamenta,

Plin. 28, 2, 4, § 15:

cubilia (talpae),

Verg. G. 1, 183:

argentum etiam incolae fodiunt,

Liv. 28, 3, 3:

gypsum e terra,

Plin. 36, 24, 59, § 182:

oculos,

Plaut. Mil. 2, 4, 21; cf.

lumina,

Ov. A. A. 1, 339:

terram gramineam de cespite,

Verg. Cul. 391.—

Transf., to prick, pierce, wound, thrust, stab (class.):

at ego te pendentem fodiam stimulis triginta dies,

to prick, Plaut. Men. 5, 5, 48:

quia non latus fodi (cultro),

id. Aul. 3, 2, 4; so,

equi armos calcaribus,

Verg. A. 6, 881:

guttura cultro,

Ov. M. 7, 315:

ora hastis,

Liv. 8, 10, 6:

aversos (elephantos) sub caudis, qua maxime molli cute vulnera accipiunt,

id. 21, 55:

multos pugionibus,

Tac. H. 4, 29:

Sarmatam levi gladio,

id. ib. 1, 79:

ora,

id. A. 2, 21; id. Agr. 36:

adversa ora resistentium,

Curt. 4, 15: La. Dic jussisse te. Ph. Noli fodere:

jussi,

don't punch me in the side, Ter. Hec. 3, 5, 17 (cf. fodicare).— Poet.:

Ausonius mersis celer fodit aequora remis,

digs through, ploughs through, Sil. 14, 359:

aquas (ungula),

Ov. F. 3, 456.—In mal. part., Mart. 7, 102; Auct. Priap. 53.—

Trop., to goad, sting, disturb:

num exspectas, dum te stimulis fodiam?

Cic. Phil. 2, 34, 86; cf.:

cor stimulo foditur,

Plaut. Bacch. 5, 2, 39:

pungit dolor, vel fodiat sane,

Cic. Tusc. 2, 14, 33:

pectus in iras,

to excite, stir, Sil. 5, 159.

mordĕo, mŏmordi (archaic memordi; v. in the foll.), morsum, 2, v. a. [root smard-; Sanscr. mard-, bite; Gr. smerdnos, smerdaleos; (cf. Engl. smart)], to bite, to bite into (class.).

Lit.: si me canis memorderit, Enn. ap. Gell. 7, 9, 3 (Sat. v. 36 Vahl.):

canes mordere possunt,

Cic. Rosc. Am. 20, 57:

mordens pulex,

biting, Mart. 14, 83:

(serpens) fixum hastile momordit,

bit into, Ov. M. 3, 68:

mordeat ante aliquis quidquid, etc.,

taste, Juv. 6, 632: terram, to bite the ground, bite the dust, of expiring warriors writhing on the ground:

procubuit moriens et humum semel ore momordit,

Verg. A. 11, 418; Ov. M. 9, 61.—Part. as subst.:

morsi a rabioso cane,

Plin. 29, 5, 32, § 100:

laneaque aridulis haerebant morsa labellis,

Cat. 64, 316.—

In partic., to eat, devour, consume ( poet.):

tunicatum cum sale mordens Caepe,

Pers. 4, 30:

ostrea,

Juv. 6, 305:

sordes farris mordere canini,

id. 5, 11.—

Transf.

To bite into, take fast hold of, catch fast; to press or cut into ( poet.):

laterum juncturas fibula mordet,

takes hold of, clasps, Verg. A. 12, 274:

mordebat fibula vestem,

Ov. M. 8, 318:

id quod a lino mordetur,

where the thread presses in, Cels. 7, 4, 4:

locus (corporis), qui mucronem (teli) momordit,

id. 7, 5, 4:

arbor mordet humum,

takes hold of the ground, is rooted in the ground, Stat. Th. 9, 499.—Hence, poet., of a river: non rura quae Liris quieta Mordet aqua, cuts or penetrates into, Hor. C. 1, 31, 7.—

To nip, bite, sting:

matutina parum cautos jam frigora mordent,

nips, attacks, Hor. S. 2, 6, 45: oleamque momorderit [p. 1165] aestus, id. Ep. 1, 8, 5:

mordeat et tenerum fortior aura nemus,

Mart. 8, 14, 2:

radix gustu acri mordet,

bites, hurts, Plin. 27, 13, 109, § 133:

linguam,

id. 29, 2, 9, § 34:

oculos,

id. 21, 6, 17, § 32:

urtica foliis non mordentibus,

stinging, burning, id. 22, 14, 16, § 37.—

Trop., to bite, sting, pain, hurt (syn.: pungo, stimulo, remordeo;

class.): invidere omnes mihi, Mordere clanculum,

bit, stung, Ter. Eun. 3, 1, 21:

morderi dictis,

Ov. Tr. 1, 1, 25:

jocus mordens,

a biting jest, Juv. 9, 10:

mordear opprobriis falsis,

shall I be stung, vexed, Hor. Ep. 1, 16, 38:

par pari referto, quod eam mordeat,

to vex, mortify, Ter. Eun. 3, 1, 55:

valde me momorderunt epistolae tuae,

Cic. Att. 13, 12, 1:

scribis, morderi te interdum, quod non simul sis,

that it grieves you, affects you, id. ib. 6, 2, 8:

dolore occulto morderi,

to be attacked, tormented, Ov. M. 2, 806:

nec qui detrectat praesentia, Livor iniquo Ullum de nostris dente momordit opus,

detracted, id. Tr. 4, 10, 124; cf. id. P. 4, 14, 46:

morderi conscientiā,

to feel the sting of conscience, Cic. Tusc. 4, 20, 45:

hunc mordebit objurgatio,

Quint. 1, 3, 7.—

To seize fast, hold firmly in the mind (cf. mordicus, II.):

hoc tene, hoc morde,

Sen. Ep. 78, 29. —

To squander, dissipate: de integro patrimonio meo centum milia nummūm memordi, Laber. ap. Gell. 6, 9, 3 (Com. Rel. v. 50 Rib.).

viscum, i, n. (m. collat. form viscus, i, Plaut. Bacch. 1, 1, 16) [cf. Gr. ixos, Wixos; Lat. viscus], the mistletoe.

Lit., Plin. 16, 44, 94, § 248; 24, 4, 6, § 11; Verg. A. 6, 205.—

Transf., birdlime made from the berries of the mistletoe, Cic. N. D. 2, 57, 144; Verg. G. 1, 139; Val. Fl. 6, 263; Mart. Spect. 11, 2.—

Trop.:

viscus merus vestra est blanditia,

Plaut. Bacch. 1, 1, 16:

tactus sum vehementer visco: cor stimulo foditur,

i. e. with love, id. ib. 5, 2, 39.