oscitor

oscĭto, āre, v. n., and oscĭtor, āri, v. dep. ( inf. oscitarier, Turp. ap. Non. 322, 18; or Com. Rel. v. 15 Rib.) [oscieo], to open the mouth wide, to gape.

I.

Of plants, to open, unclose: oscitat in campis caput a cervice revulsum, of the plant lion's-mouth, Enn. ap. Serv. Verg. A. 10, 396; cf. Col. 10, 260; and:

(arborum) folia cotidie ad solem oscitant,

turn towards the sun, Plin. 16, 24, 36, § 88.—

II.

Of living beings, to gape, yawn:

ut pandiculans oscitatur,

Plaut. Men. 5, 2, 80; * Lucr. 3, 1065:

clare ac sonore oscitavit,

Gell. 4, 20, 8.— With acc.:

quid adhuc oscitamus crapulam hesternam,

August. Ver. Rel. 3.—

B.

Trop., to be listless, drowsy, inactive (cf.:

dormio. sterto): cum majores (calamitates) impendere videantur, sedetis et oscitamini,

i. e. are listless, idle, negligent, Auct. Her. 4, 36, 48; cf. the foll.—Hence, oscĭtans, antis, P. a., listless, sluggish, lazy, negligent (class.):

interea oscitantes opprimi,

Ter. And. 1, 2, 10: quae Epicurus oscitans allucinatus est, qs. half asleep, Cic. N. D. 1, 26, 72.—Of abstract things:

oscitans et dormitans sapientia,

Cic. de Or. 2, 33, 144.—

* Adv.: oscĭtanter, carelessly, negligently:

quod ille tam solute egisset, tam leniter, tam oscitanter,

Cic. Brut. 80, 277.