decanto

dē-canto, āvi, ātum, 1, v. a. (in the class. per. freq. in Cic.; elsewh. rare).

I.

To sing a thing off, to repeat in a singing manner (v. cano and canto).

A.

Usually with the secondary idea of something trite, worn out, absurd; to repeat often, to say over and over again ( = semper repetere, in ore habere; cf.

cantilena): nec mihi opus est Graeco aliquo doctore, qui mihi pervulgata praecepta decantet,

Cic. de Or. 2, 18, 75:

causas,

id. ib. 2, 32, 140; id. Fin. 4, 4, 10; id. Att. 13, 34; Quint. 12, 8, 3; Hor. Ep. 1, 1, 64 al.—

B.

Without this unfavorable idea:

miserabiles elegos,

Hor. Od. 1, 33, 3: Halôsin Ilii in scenico habitu, to recite, rehearse, * Suet. Ner. 38:

tribus,

to proclaim, Luc. 5, 394.—

C.

Esp., to repeat as a charm, and hence to bewitch, enchant, charm:

nullo decantatus carmine,

App. M. 3, p. 138, 35:

verbis et amplexibus aliquem,

id. ib. 5, p. 165, 6; id. ib. 3, p. 137, 12; Vulg. Isa. 54, 1 al.—

II.

Intr.

A.

( Acc. to de, no. II. 2. b.) To leave off singing:

jam decantaverant ( = cantare, deplorare desierant),

had given over lamenting, Cic. Tusc. 3, 22, 53.—

B.

To play (upon an instrument):

decantandi jus tibicinibus ademit,

Aur. Vict. Vir. Illust. 34, 1.