discutio

dis-cŭtĭo, cussi, cussum, 3, v. a. [quatio], to strike asunder, dash to pieces, shatter, etc.

I.

In gen.: dentes, Lucil. ap. Non. 455, 18:

deum delubra,

Lucr. 6, 418; cf.:

columna rostrata tota ad imum fulmine discussa est,

Liv. 42, 20:

ne saxa ex catapultis lateritium discuterent,

Caes. B. C. 2, 9, 3; cf.:

aliquantum muri tribus arietibus,

Liv. 21, 12: rostro (navis) discusso, shattered, Auct. B. Alex. 46, 2; cf.:

tempora cava ictu,

Ov. M. 2, 625:

ora saxo,

id. ib. 4, 519:

percussam aquam,

Plin. 28, 8, 29, § 118:

nubes,

Ov. M. 15, 70:

discussae jubae capiti,

Verg. A. 9, 810 et saep.—

II.

In partic.

A.

In medic. lang., to scatter, disperse ( = digerere), Cels. 2, 17; 3, 15; Scrib. Comp. 43; Plin. 30, 15, 47, § 135 et saep. —

B.

Pregn., to break up, scatter, disperse, dissipate.

1.

Lit. (rarely):

illos coetus,

Liv. 2, 28; cf.:

Boeoticum consilium,

id. 42, 44:

sole orto est discussa (caligo),

id. 29, 27:

caligo,

Cic. Phil. 12, 2, 5; cf.

umbras (sol),

Verg. G. 3, 357; id. A. 12, 669:

discussa nox,

Luc. 5, 700.—Rarely with pers. objects:

Cato discutit Etruscos, Gabinius Marsos, etc.,

routs, subdues, Flor. 3, 18, 13; cf.:

hostiles turmae discussae,

Amm. 25, 1.—Far more freq. and class.,

2.

Trop.:

terrorem animi tenebrasque,

to disperse, dispel, Lucr. 1, 148; 2, 61 al.; cf. Cic. de Or. 3, 57:

quod rem totam discusseram,

had frustrated, brought to naught, id. Q. Fr. 2, 12;

so freq.: rem,

Liv. 34, 56; 39, 10; Suet. Dom. 2 al.:

discutere et comprimere periculum consilio,

Cic. Mur. 39, 84; so,

periculum,

Liv. 2, 52; Front. Strat. 2, 11, 4:

captiones (shortly before: dissolvere interrogationes),

Cic. Ac. 2, 15, 46: omnem ejus cunctationem, Asin. Pollio ap. Cic. Fam. 10, 33, 2:

disceptationem,

Liv. 38, 13:

crimen alicujus,

Quint. 4, 2, 18:

famam,

Tac. H. 2, 9:

fidem,

Luc. 1, 119:

consilia hostium,

Front. Strat. 4, 7, 31:

seditionem,

id. ib. 1, 9, 2; Vell. 2, 81:

bellum (with sepelire),

id. 2, 75:

nefas,

Flor. 3, 18, 9 et saep. —Hence, * discussē, adv., only comp., minutely, accurately:

explorare discussius,

Mart. Cap. 9, § 891.

► For the meaning to investigate, discuss (lit.

, to separate mentally, distinguish, as in disputare, discernere, etc.), which prevails in the post-class. derivatives: discussio, discussor, and discusse; as also in the Romance: discutere, discussare, discussione; discuter, discussion, etc., there appear to be no examples in the literary language.