nitor

Latin > English (Lewis & Short)

nītor: nīsus and nixus (
I inf. nitier, Lucr. 1, 1059; old form of the part. perf.: gnitus et gnixus a genibus prisci dixerunt, Paul. ex Fest. p. 96 Müll.), 3, v. dep. n. from gnitor; root gnic- or gnig-; cf.: nico, conivere], to bear or rest upon something.
I Lit.
   (a)    With abl.: ambae te obsecramus genibus nixae, we implore thee upon our knees, i. e. kneeling, Plaut. Rud. 3, 3, 33: stirpibus suis niti, Cic. Tusc. 5, 13, 37: herbescens viriditas, quae nixa fibris stirpium sensim adulescit, id. Sen. 15, 51: hastili nixus, id. Rab. Perd. 7, 21: mulierculā nixus, id. Verr. 2, 5, 33, § 86: juvenis, qui nititur hastā, Verg. A. 6, 760: paribus nitens Cyllenius alis Constitit, id. ib. 4, 252: nixus baculo, Ov. P. 1, 8, 52.—
   (b)    With in and acc.: nixus in hastam, Verg. A. 12, 398.—
   (g)    With de: de quā pariens arbore nixa dea est, Ov. H. 21, 100.—
   (d)    With gen. of place: humi nitens, Verg. A. 2, 380.—（ε) Absol.: Sisiphu' versat Saxum sudans nitendo, Poët. ap. Cic. Tusc. 1, 5, 10: niti modo ac statim concidere, to strive to rise, Sall. J. 101, 11.—
   B Transf.
   1    To make one's way with an effort, to press forward, advance; and, with respect to the goal, to mount, climb, fly, etc. (mostly poet.): quaedam serpentes ortae extra aquam simul ac primum niti possunt, aquam persequuntur, Cic. N. D. 2, 48, 124: nituntur gradibus, Verg. A. 2, 442: in altas rupes, Luc. 4, 37: ad sidera, Verg. G. 2, 427: in aëra, Ov. P. 2, 7, 27: in adversum, id. M. 2, 72: sursum nitier, Lucr. 1, 1059.—Of violent bodily motion: niti corporibus et ea huc illuc, quasi vitabundi aut jacientes tela agitare, to struggle, Sall. J. 60, 4.—
   2    To strain in giving birth, to bring forth, Plin. 9, 35, 54, § 107 (al. eniti): nitor, I am in labor, Ov. M. 9, 302; Pseud.-Ov. Her. 21, 100.—
   3    To strain for a stool, Suet. Vesp. 20.—
II Trop.
   A To strive, to exert one's self, make an effort, labor, endeavor: moderatio modo virium adsit et tantum, quantum potest, quisque nitatur, Cic. Sen. 10, 33; Nep. Att. 15, 2: nisurus contra regem, Caes. B. C. 2, 37; Sall. C. 38, 2: pro aliquo, Liv. 35, 10; cf.: pro libertate summā ope niti, Sall. J. 31, 17: nitebantur, ne gravius in eum consuleretur, Sall. J. 13, 8; cf.: unus Miltiades maxime nitebatur, ut, etc., Nep. Milt. 4, 2. —Inf.: summā vi Cirtam irrumpere nititur, Sall. J. 25, 9: patriam recuperare niti, Nep. Pelop. 2: ingenio nitor non periisse meo, Ov. P. 3, 5, 34; id. M. 8, 694.—Absol., of soldiers hard pressed in battle: tamen virtute et patientia nitebantur atque omnia vulnera sustinebant, Caes. B. C. 1, 45.—
   2    To strive after a thing: ad immortalitatem gloriae niti, Cic. Sen. 23, 82: ad summa, Quint. prooem. § 20: in vetitum, Ov. Am. 3, 4, 17.—
   3    To try to prove, contend in argument, argue, with acc. and inf.: nitamur igitur nihil posse percipi, Cic. Ac. 2, 21, 68.—
   B To rest, rely, depend upon a thing.
   (a)    With in and abl.: nixus in nomine inani, Lucr. 5, 909: conjectura in quā nititur divinatio, Cic. Div. 2, 26, 55: ea, in quibus causa nititur, id. Cael. 10, 25: cujus in vitā nitebatur salus civitatis, id. Mil. 7, 19.—
   (b)    With abl.: spe niti, Cic. Att. 3, 9, 2: consilio atque auctoritate alicujus, id. Off. 1, 34, 122; id. Fam. 1, 5, a, 2: si quis hoc uno nititur quod sit ignobilis, id. Clu. 40, 112.—
   (g)    With ubi: quo confugies? ubi nitere? Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 64, § 155.—Hence, P. a., as subst., Nixus, i, m., only <number opt="n">plur.</number>, Nixi, ōrum, m., three guardian deities of women in labor, the statues of whom, representing them in a kneeling posture, stood on the Capitol before the chapel of Minerva, Paul. ex Fest. p. 174 Müll.: magno Lucinam Nixosque patres clamore vocabam, Ov. M. 9, 294.
nĭtor: ōris, m. niteo,
I brightness, splendor, lustre, sheen.
I Lit.: nitor exoriens aurorae, Lucr. 4, 538: diurnus, the daylight, Ov. H. 18, 78: herbarum viridis, Lucr. 5, 783: argenti et auri, Ov. P. 3, 4, 23: eboris, Plin. 7, 15, 13, § 64: materiae, of the wood, id. 16, 40, 79, § 215: speculi, id. 11, 37, 64, § 170: gladii, id. 2, 25, 22, § 89: nigerrimus gemmae, id. 37, 10, 69, § 184: nitorem cutis facit sal, id. 31, 7, 41, § 84.— Plur.: nitores splendoresque auri, Gell. 2, 6, 4.—
   B Transf.
   1    Sleekness, plumpness, good looks, beauty: nitor corporis, Ter. Eun. 2, 2, 10: urit me Glycerae nitor, Hor. C. 1, 19, 5: Liparei nitor Hebri, id. ib. 3, 12, 6: nullus totā nitor in cute, Juv. 9, 13.—
   2    Neatness, elegance, brilliancy of external appearance: si quem ... aliquid offendit, si purpurae genus, si amicorum catervae, si splendor, si nitor, Cic. Cael. 31, 77: habitus, Juv. 3, 180: oppidum praecipui nitoris, Plin. 4, 12, 26, § 85.—
   3    In gen., color, Lucr. 2, 819: ludis et externo tincta nitore caput, Prop. 2, 14, 26 (3, 11, 2).—
II Trop., of speech, splendor, elegance, grace of style. —With gen.: adhibendus erit in eis explicandis quidam orationis nitor, Cic. Or. 32, 115: domesticus eloquii, Ov. P. 2, 2, 51: nitor et cultus descriptionum, Tac. Or. 20: translationum, Quint. 12, 10, 36.—Absol.: sublimitas et magnificentia et nitor, Quint. 8, 3, 3: eruditione ac nitore praestare, id. 10, 1, 98: scripsit non sine cultu ac nitore, id. 10, 1, 124.—
   B Of character, dignity, excellence: generis, Ov. P. 2, 9, 17; splendid liberality, Stat. S. 3, 3, 149.