pungo

pungo, pŭpŭgi, punctum, 3 (old fut. perf. pepugero, Att. ap. Gell. 7, 9, 10; perf. punxi, acc. to Diom. p. 369 P.:

pupungi, in pungit, punxit, pupungit,

Not. Tir. p. 131; scanned pŭpūgi, Prud. steph. 9, 59), v. a. [root pug-, to thrust, strike, whence also pugil, pugnus; Gr. pux, etc.], to prick, puncture (class.).

I.

Lit.:

aliquem,

Cic. Sest. 10, 24:

acu comatoriā mihi malas pungebat,

Petr. 21:

vulnus quod acu punctum videretur,

Cic. Mil. 24, 65.—

B.

Transf.

* 1.

To pierce into, penetrate, enter:

corpus,

Lucr. 2, 460 (v. the passage in connection).—

2.

To affect sensibly, to sting, bite: ut pungat colubram: cum pupugerit, etc., Varr. ap. Prisc. p. 894 P.:

pungunt sensum,

Lucr. 4, 625:

aliquem manu,

to pinch, Petr. 87 fin.:

nitrum adulteratum pungit,

has a pungent taste, Plin. 31, 10, 46, § 114.—

3.

To press, hasten:

futura pungunt, nec se superari sinunt,

Pub. Syr. v. 177 Rib.—

II.

Trop., to prick, sting, vex, grieve, trouble, disturb, afflict, mortify, annoy, etc.:

scrupulus aliquem stimulat ac pungit,

Cic. Rosc. Am. 2, 6:

epistula illa ita me pupugit, ut somnum mihi ademerit,

id. Att. 2, 16, 1:

jamdudum meum ille pectus pungit aculeus,

Plaut. Trin. 4, 2, 158:

pungit me, quod scribis, etc.,

Cic. Fam. 7, 15, 1:

si paupertas momordit, si ignominia pupugit,

id. Tusc. 3, 34, 82:

quos tamen pungit aliquid,

id. ib. 5, 35, 102:

odi ego, quos numquam pungunt suspiria somnos,

Prop. 3, 8 (4, 7), 27. —Hence, punctus, a, um, P. a., pricked in, like a point; hence, of time: puncto tempore (cf.: puncto temporis; v. infra), in an instant, in a moment (only in Lucr.), Lucr. 2, 263; 456; 1006; 4, 216; 6, 230.—Hence, subst. in two forms.

I.

punctum, i, n., that which is pricked or pricked in, a point, small hole, puncture.

A.

Lit. (very rare), Mart. 11, 45, 6.—

B.

Transf.

1.

A point, small spot (as if made by pricking):

ova punctis distincta,

Plin. 10, 52, 74, § 144:

gemma sanguineis punctis,

id. 37, 8, 34, § 113:

puncta quae terebrantur acu,

Mart. 11, 46, 2:

ferream frontem convulnerandam praebeant punctis,

i. e. with the marks of slavery, Plin. Pan. 35.—

b.

In partic.

(α).

A point made in writing, Aus. Epigr. 35, 1; 145, 5;

as a punctuation mark,

Diom. p. 432 P.—

(β).

A mathematical point. Cic. Ac. 2, 36, 116.—

(γ).

A point or spot on dice: quadringenis in punctum sestertiis aleam lusit, Suet. Ner. [p. 1492] 30; Aus. Prof. 1, 29.—

(δ).

A point or dot as the sign of a vote, made in a waxen tablet, before the introduction of separate ballots;

hence, transf.,

a vote, suffrage, ballot, Cic. Planc. 22, 53; id. Mur. 34, 72; id. Tusc. 2, 26, 62.—Hence, poet., applause, approbation:

omne tulit punctum qui miscuit utile dulci,

Hor. A. P. 343:

discedo Alcaeus puncto illius,

id. Ep. 2, 2, 99; Aus. Grat. Act. ad Grat. 5.—

(ε).

A point on the bar of a steelyard, indicating the weight:

diluis helleborum, certo compescere puncto nescius examen,

Pers. 5, 100.—

2.

A small part of any thing divided or measured off, e.g.,

a.

A small weight, Pers. 5, 100.—

b.

A small liquid measure, Front. Aquaed. 25.—

c.

A small portion of time, an instant, a moment (cf. momentum):

puncto temporis eodem,

in the same moment, Cic. Sest. 24, 53; cf.:

ne punctum quidem temporis,

id. Phil. 8, 7, 20; Ter. Phorm. 1, 4, 7:

nullo puncto temporis intermisso,

id. N. D. 1, 20, 52; Caes. B. C. 2, 14.—In plur.:

omnibus minimis temporum punctis,

Cic. N. D. 1, 24, 67:

animi discessus a corpore fit ad punctum temporis,

id. Tusc. 1, 34, 82:

temporis puncto omnes Uticam relinquunt,

Caes. B. C. 2, 25 fin.; Plin. Pan. 56:

horae,

Hor. Ep. 2, 2, 172:

diei,

Lucr. 4, 201.—Rarely absol.:

punctum est quod vivimus et adhuc puncto minus,

Sen. Ep. 49, 14, 3:

puncto brevissimo dilapsa domus,

App. M. 9, p. 235, 30; cf.:

quod momentum, quod immo temporis punctum, aut beneficio sterile aut vacuum laude,

Plin. Pan. 56, 2; Vulg. Isa. 54, 7.—

d.

In space, a point:

ipsa terra ita mihi parva visa est, ut me imperii nostri, quo quasi punctum ejus attingimus, poeniteret,

Cic. Rep. 6, 16, 16.—

e.

In discourse, a small portion, brief clause, short section, Cic. Par. prooem. § 2; id. de Or. 2, 41, 177; Aus. Idyll. 12 prooem.—

II.

puncta, ae, f. (very rare), a prick, puncture, Veg. Mil. 1, 12.