distringo

di-stringo, nxi, ctum, 3, v. a.

I.

To draw asunder, to stretch out (very rarely): radiis rotarum districti pendent, * Verg. A. 6, 616.— Poet.:

(canum) rabies districta,

i. e. showing the teeth, Lucr. 5, 1064; cf.:

acies dentium,

Amm. 14, 7, 13.—Far more freq., esp. since the Aug. per. (not in Caesar, and in Cicero only as P. a.),

II.

(Like distineo, II.) To detain a person anywhere, to hinder, to occupy, engage:

Romanum a tergo,

Flor. 2, 13, 1:

urbem (i. e. Romanos) incendiis,

id. 4, 1, 2:

distringit quem multarum rerum varietas,

Phaedr. 4, 26, 3; cf. Plin. 18, 26, 65, § 239:

distringor officio,

id. Ep. 1, 10, 9; cf. id. ib. 7, 15, 1; Quint. 12, 1, 5:

(Jovem) votis,

to molest, importune, Plin. Pan. 94, 2.—Esp. as milit. t. t., to make a diversion against an enemy, to distract the attention of:

Hannibalem mittendum in Africam esse ad distringendos Romanos,

Liv. 35, 18 fin.:

copias regias populatione maritimae orae,

id. 44, 35; cf.:

Scipionem oppugnatione plurium oppidorum,

Front. Strat. 1, 3, 5.—

2.

To puzzle, confound:

ut distrinxi hominem,

Plaut. Truc. 5, 1, 65 (Spengel, destrinxi).—

B.

Transf., of abstract objects:

ut discordiam moveret, qua consensus Romanorum distringeretur,

would be hindered, disturbed, Front. Strat. 1, 8, 1 Oud. N. cr. —Hence, districtus, a, um, P. a.

A.

(Qs. stretched tight, i. e.) Strict, severe (post-Aug.):

districtior accusator,

Tac. A. 4, 36 fin.:

feneratrix (opp. amica obsequens),

Val. Max. 8, 2, 2:

censura,

id. 2, 9, 6:

districtissimi defensores,

Cod. Just. 1, 55, 6.—

B.

Divided in mind, at strife with one's self; hence, hesitating, vacillating:

districtus mihi videris esse, quod et bonus civis et bonus amicus es,

Cic. Fam. 2, 15, 3.—

C.

More freq. and class., occupied, engaged, busy:

judicio districtus atque obligatus,

Cic. Verr. 1, 9; cf.

(vinculo mortali) alii alligati sunt, alii astricti, alii districti quoque,

Sen. Vit. Beat. 16 fin.:

ancipiti contentione,

Cic. de Imp. Pomp. 4, 9:

labore vita districta,

id. de Or. 3, 2, 7; Quint. Ep. ad Tryph. 1; * Hor. S. 2, 8, 68; Nep. Hann. 13, 2; cf.:

imperium circa mala sua,

Flor. 4, 12, 1; and in the comp.:

numquam me a causis et judiciis districtiorem fuisse,

Cic. Q. Fr. 2, 16.— Adv. acc. to A., strictly, severely.

(α).

districte ( des- ):

minatus,

Plin. Ep. 9, 21, 4:

deneganda,

Dig. 3, 3, 13.—

(β).

districtim:

innocens,

Sen. Contr. 7.—

b.

Comp.:

districtius: repercutere,

Tert. Idol. 5:

vivere,

Hier. Ep. 22, no. 11.— Sup., Cassiod. Var. 9, 18.