obtundo

Latin > English (Lewis & Short)

ob-tundo: tŭdi, tūsum (and tunsum), 3, v. a.
I To strike or beat against, at, or on a thing; to beat, thump, belabor (very rare; perh. only ante- and post-class.): pectora pugnis, Firm. Math. 5, 5: obtundit os mihi, breaks my jaw, Plaut. Cas. 5, 2, 50; cf.: obtunso ore, id. ib. 5, 1, 8; cf.: nam sum obtusus pugnis pessume, id. Am. 2, 1, 59.—
II To blunt, dull, by striking.
   A Lit. (very rare): telum, Lucr. 6, 399: gladios, Claud. Cons. Mall. Theod. 166.—
   B Transf.
   1    To blunt, weaken, make dull, deprive of strength: aciem oculorum, Plin. 22, 25, 70, § 142: auditum, id. 24, 11, 50, § 87: obtusus stomachus, id. Ep. 7, 3, 5: vocem, to blunt, weaken, Lucr. 4, 613: ingenia, Cic. de Or. 2, 70, 282: et obtusis ceciderunt viribus artis, Lucr. 3, 452; Liv. 7, 2: mentem, Cic. Tusc. 1, 33, 80: ingenia, id. de Or. 3, 24, 93: nihil est quod tam obtundat elevetque aegritudinem, quam. etc., id. Tusc. 3, 16, 34.—
   2    Aures or aliquem, or simply obtundere, to stun or din the ears; to deafen one by saying a thing too often or too long; hence, to annoy or tease with importunity; aures graviter obtundo tuas, ne quem ames, Plaut. Cist. 1, 1, 120: ne brevitas defraudasse aures videatur, neve longitudo obtudisse, Cic. Or. 66, 221: aliquem longis epistulis, to annoy, molest, id. Att. 8, 1: aliquem, id. Fam. 5, 14, 3: rogitando, Ter. Eun. 3, 5, 6.—With object-clause: obtuderunt ejus aures, te socium praetoris fuisse, they dinned into him that, etc., Timarch. ap. Cic. Verr. 2, 3, 67, § 157.— With subj.: non cessat obtundere, totam prorsus a principio fabulam promeret, App. M. 9, p. 228, 8: aliquem de aliquā re, to importune, annoy, Ter. Ad. 1, 2, 33: obtundis, tametsi intellego, etc., id. And. 2, 2, 11.—Hence, obtūsus (obtunsus or optūsus), a, um, P. a., blunt, dull, obtuse (class.).
   A Lit.: falx obtusa et hebes, Col. 4, 24, 21: pugio, Tac. A. 15, 54: vomer, Verg. G. 1, 262: angulus, Lucr. 4, 355: cornua lunae obtusa, Plin. 18, 35, 79, § 347.—
   B Transf., blunted, blunt, dull, weak, faint, powerless: animi acies obtusior, Cic. Sen. 23, 83: stellis acies obtunsa, Verg. G. 1, 395: obtusi et hebetes ad aliquam rem, Cic. Fragm. ap. Lact. 3, 14: aures obtunsae, blunted, dull of hearing, Auct. Her. 3, 9, 17: vox, thick, not clear (opp. clara), Quint. 11, 3, 15: fauces tumentes strangulant vocem, optusae obscurant, id. 11, 3, 20: stomachus, weakened, spoiled, Plin. Ep. 7, 3, 5: obtunsa pectora, insensible, without feeling, Verg. A. 1, 567: ingenium, Gell. 13, 24, 21: vires, enfeebled, Lucr. 3, 452: nimio ne luxu obtunsior usus Sit genitali arvo, too blunted, too enfeebled, Verg. G. 3, 135: vigor animi, Liv. 5, 18: cor, Lact. 2, 5, 4: sensus eorum, Vulg. 2 Cor. 3, 14: venenum, powerless, Calp. Ecl. 5, 94.—Comp.: quo quid dici potest obtusius? Cic. N. D. 1, 25, 70.—Sup. does not occur.—Hence, adv.: obtūsē, dully, not keenly (postclass.): crocodili in aquā obtusius vident, in terrā acutissime, Sol. 32, § 28.—Fig.: hoc facere obtuse, Aug. Doct. Christ. 4, 5, § 7.