adtrecto

at-trecto ( adt-, Weissenb., Halm; att-, Ritschl, Rib., Kayser), āvi, ātum, 1, v. a. [tracto], to touch, handle, freq. in an unlawful manner (syn.: contrecto, tracto, tango, palpo).

I.

Lit.:

Ne me attrecta,

Plaut. Pers. 2, 2, 45:

aliquem nimium familiariter attr ectare,

id. Rud. 2, 4, 6:

uxorem alicujus attrectare,

Cic. Cael. 8 fin.; Suet. Ner. 26 (cf. contrecto):

signum Junonis adtrecta re,

Liv. 5, 22:

patrios penates attrectare,

Verg. A. 2, 719:

feralia adtrectare,

Tac. A. 1, 62 fin.:

libros contaminatis manibus,

Cic. Har. Resp. 13: alienam rem, Sabin. Jus Civ. ap. Gell. 11, 16, 20:

si attrectaverit me pater,

Vulg. Gen. 27, 12.— To feel after, grope for (eccl. Lat.):

quasi absque oculis parietem attrectavimus,

Vulg. Isa. 59, 10.—

II.

Trop.: Facilis est illa occursatio et blanditia popularis; aspicitur, non attrectatur;

procul apparet, non excutitur (the figure is derived from paintings or other works of art),

it is looked at, not touched, Cic. Planc. 12 Wund.—Also, to appropriate to one's self:

regias etiam adtrectamus gazas,

Liv. 34, 4, 2:

fasces securesque,

id. 28, 24:

indecorum, adtrectare quod non obtineret,

Tac. A. 3, 52.— To feel after, seek to find (eccl. Lat.):

quaerere Deum, si forte attrectent eum,

Vulg. Act. 17, 27.