distringo

Latin > English (Lewis & Short)

di-stringo: nxi, ctum, 3, v. a.
I To draw asunder, to stretch out (very rarely): radiis rotarum districti pendent, * Verg. A. 6, 616.—Poet.: (canum) rabies districta, i. e. showing the teeth, Lucr. 5, 1064; cf.: acies dentium, Amm. 14, 7, 13.—Far more freq., esp. since the Aug. per. (not in Caesar, and in Cicero only as P. a.),
II (Like distineo, II.) To detain a person anywhere, to hinder, to occupy, engage: Romanum a tergo, Flor. 2, 13, 1: urbem (i. e. Romanos) incendiis, id. 4, 1, 2: distringit quem multarum rerum varietas, Phaedr. 4, 26, 3; cf. Plin. 18, 26, 65, § 239: distringor officio, id. Ep. 1, 10, 9; cf. id. ib. 7, 15, 1; Quint. 12, 1, 5: (Jovem) votis, to molest, importune, Plin. Pan. 94, 2.—Esp. as milit. t. t., to make a diversion against an enemy, to distract the attention of: Hannibalem mittendum in Africam esse ad distringendos Romanos, Liv. 35, 18 fin.: copias regias populatione maritimae orae, id. 44, 35; cf.: Scipionem oppugnatione plurium oppidorum, Front. Strat. 1, 3, 5.—
   2    To puzzle, confound: ut distrinxi hominem, Plaut. Truc. 5, 1, 65 (Spengel, destrinxi).—
   B Transf., of abstract objects: ut discordiam moveret, qua consensus Romanorum distringeretur, would be hindered, disturbed, Front. Strat. 1, 8, 1 Oud. N. cr.—Hence, districtus, a, um, P. a.
   A (Qs. stretched tight, i. e.) Strict, severe (post-Aug.): districtior accusator, Tac. A. 4, 36 fin.: feneratrix (opp. amica obsequens), Val. Max. 8, 2, 2: censura, id. 2, 9, 6: districtissimi defensores, Cod. Just. 1, 55, 6.—
   B Divided in mind, at strife with one's self; hence, hesitating, vacillating: districtus mihi videris esse, quod et bonus civis et bonus amicus es, Cic. Fam. 2, 15, 3.—
   C More freq. and class., occupied, engaged, busy: judicio districtus atque obligatus, Cic. Verr. 1, 9; cf. (vinculo mortali) alii alligati sunt, alii astricti, alii districti quoque, Sen. Vit. Beat. 16 fin.: ancipiti contentione, Cic. de Imp. Pomp. 4, 9: labore vita districta, id. de Or. 3, 2, 7; Quint. Ep. ad Tryph. 1; * Hor. S. 2, 8, 68; Nep. Hann. 13, 2; cf.: imperium circa mala sua, Flor. 4, 12, 1; and in the comp.: numquam me a causis et judiciis districtiorem fuisse, Cic. Q. Fr. 2, 16.—Adv. acc. to A., strictly, severely.
   (a)    districte (des-): minatus, Plin. Ep. 9, 21, 4: deneganda, Dig. 3, 3, 13.—
   (b)    districtim: innocens, Sen. Contr. 7.—
   b Comp.: districtius: repercutere, Tert. Idol. 5: vivere, Hier. Ep. 22, no. 11.—Sup., Cassiod. Var. 9, 18.