lubricus

Latin > English (Lewis & Short)

lūbrĭcus: a, um, adj. Gr. λιτός, λισσός>, smooth; from root γλιτ; cf. γλίσχρος>, glittus, and ὀλιβρός>, slippery,
I slippery.
I Lit.: loculi, Plaut. Mil. 3, 2, 38: testudini injecta imbris in modum lubrico fastigio innoxia ad imum labebantur, Liv. 44, 9, 9: assiduo lubricus imbre lapis, Mart. 4, 18, 2.— Subst.: lūbrĭcum, i, n., a slippery place, Cels. 8, 3: in lubrico atque instabili fundamenta, Plin. 36, 14, 21, § 95.—With gen.: equi lubrico paludum lapsantes, on the slippery morass, Tac. A. 1, 65.—
   B Transf.
   1    Slippery, smooth, Mart. 9, 58, 3.—
   2    That easily slips, glides, or moves away, slippery, slimy, lubricous: natura lubricos oculos fecit, Cic. N. D. 2, 57, 142: anguis, Verg. A. 5, 84: exta, Tib. 2, 5, 14: amnis, Ov. Am. 3, 6, 81: pisces, Plin. 9, 20, 37, § 73: conchylia, slimy, Hor. S. 2, 4, 30: corpus, Plin. 2, 3, 3, § 7: lubrica prensantes effugit umbra manus, Ov. F. 5, 476: amnis, gliding, id. Am. 3, 6, 81.—
II Trop.
   A Slippery, uncertain, hazardous, dangerous, critical (class.): via vitae praeceps et lubrica, Cic. Fl. 42, 105; cf. id. Rep. 1, 28: viae lubricae adulescentiae, id. Cael. 17, 41: aetas puerilis maxime lubrica atque incerta, id. Verr. 2, 5, 52, § 137: cupiditas dominandi praeceps et lubrica, id. Phil. 5, 18, 50: lubrica defensionis ratio, id. Planc. 2, 5: observatio, Quint. 1, 5, 5: locus, Plin. Ep. 1, 8, 35: geometriam dico ... et si qua alia propter subtilitatem lubrica sunt, Sen. Ben. 3, 5, 1.—Poet., with inf.: vultus nimium lubricus aspici, seductive, Hor. C. 1, 19, 8. —Subst.: lūbrĭcum, i, n., a slippery or hazardous state, period, or season: in lubrico versari, Cic. Or. 28, 98: lubricum aetatis, Plin. Ep. 3, 3, 4: lubricum linguae, Dig. 48, 4, 7, § 3.—
   B Gliding, fleeting: historia lubrica est hac atque illac fluit, ut homines, qui manibus invicem adprehensis gradum firmant, continent et continentur, passing from one subject to another, Quint. 9, 4, 129: annus, fleeting, Ov. A. A. 3, 364. —
   C Slippery, deceitful: nequiquam patrias tentasti lubricus artes, Verg. A. 11, 716.—
   D Prone, inclined, ready: flore capi juvenum lubrica mentem nympha, Sil. 5, 18: aetas ad vitium, Ambros. de Interp. Job et Dav. 1, 7, 21.—
   E Unsteady, unsettled, easily going astray: si qua in parte lubricum adulescentiae nostrae declinat, Tac. A. 14, 56: lubricam principis aetatem retinere, id. ib. 13, 2.