mico

mĭco, ŭi ( pf. subj. micaverit, Sol. 53), 1, v. n. [Sanscr. mish-, to wink], to move quickly to and fro, to have a vibrating or tremulous motion, to quiver, shake, tremble, e. g. of the pulse; to beat, palpitate; to spring forth, of fountains; of the tremulous rays of the stars, to twinkle, sparkle, glitter, gleam, flash (class.).

I.

In gen.:

venae et arteriae micare non desinunt,

Cic. N. D. 2, 9, 24:

linguis micat ore trisulcis,

Verg. G. 3, 439:

gladii,

Liv. 6, 12, 9:

corque timore micat,

beats, palpitates, Ov. F. 3, 36:

nec audissem corde micante tubam,

for the beating, Prop. 1, 10, 12:

metu micuere sinus,

Ov. H. 1, 45:

et modo cervicem, modo crura micantia captat,

id. M. 9, 37:

noctuarum genus, quibus pluma aurium modo micat,

Plin. 29, 6, 38, § 117: semianimesque micant (culi (of a head cut off), twitch, Enn. ap. Serv. Verg. A. 10, 396 (Ann. v. 463 Vahl.):

digiti (of a hand cut off),

Verg. A. 10, 396:

auribus (of a horse),

id. G. 3, 84:

micuere fontes,

spring forth, Luc. 4, 300:

citatus vulnere angusto micat (cruor),

Sen. Oedip. 345:

fulmina etiam sic undique micabant, ut peti viderentur corpora,

flashed in every direction, Liv. 40, 58, 5:

inter horrendos fragores micare ignes,

id. 21, 58, 5:

tum micent gladii,

id. 6, 12, 9:

eo ferocior inlatus hostis urgere scutis, micare gladiis,

id. 4, 37, 10.—

II.

In partic.

A.

To raise suddenly some of the fingers and let another instantly guess their number, which was practised both as a game of chance (called in Italy mora) and as a mode of deciding doubtful matters:

micare est sortiri digitis,

Non. 347, 27: micandum erit cum Graeco, utrum... an, Varr. ap. Non. 347, 30:

quid enim sors est? item propemodum, quod micare, quod talos jacere,

Cic. Div. 2, 41, 85:

quasi sorte, aut micando,

id. Off. 3, 23, 90:

patrem et filium pro vita rogantes sortiri vel micare jussisse,

Suet. Aug. 13.—Prov.:

dignus est, quicum in tenebris mices, said of a thoroughly honest man, since it would be easy to cheat in the dark,

Cic. Off. 3, 19, 77:

cum quo audacter posses in tenebris micare,

Petr. 44.—Also in contracts: RATIO DOCVIT, CONSVETVDINE MICANDI SVMMOTA, SVB EXAGIO POTIVS PECORA VENDERE, QVAM DIGITIS CONCLVDENTIBVS TRADERE, Edict. in Inscr. Orell. 3166.—

B.

Poet. of the brilliancy of the stars, of the eyes, etc., to flash, gleam, beam, shine, be bright:

micat inter omnes Julium sidus,

Hor. C. 1, 12, 46:

micat ignibus aether,

Verg. A. 1, 90. oculis micat ignis, fire flashes from his eyes, id. ib. 12, 102:

ex oculis micat acrius ardor,

Lucr. 3, 289:

micant ardorem orbes luminis,

Verg. Cul. 220:

genitor circum caput omne micantes Deposuit radios,

Ov. M. 2, 40:

celeri micuerunt nubila flamma,

id. Tr. 1, 2, 45.—Hence, mĭcans, antis, P. a., twinkling, sparkling, glittering, gleaming, flashing, glowing:

stella micans radiis Arcturus, Cic. Div. Poët. 2, 42, 110: micantes stellae,

Ov. M. 7, 100; Vulg. Job, 38, 31:

oculos circumtulit igne micantes,

Ov. M. 15, 674:

vultus,

Liv. 6, 13.— Comp.:

radius sole micantior,

Prud. Cath. 5, 44.