tergeo

tergeo or less freq. tergo, si, sum, 2 or 3 (v. Neue, Formenl. 2, 423 sq.; part. perf. tertus, Varr. ap. Non. 179, 7 and 8), v. a. [for stergo; akin to stringo; Gr. strangeuô, to twist], to rub off, wipe off, wipe dry, wipe clean, cleanse.

I.

Lit. (class.;

syn. verro): numquam concessavimus Lavari aut fricari aut tergeri aut ornari,

Plaut. Poen. 1, 2, 10: mantelium, ubi manus terguntur, Varr L. L. 6, § 85 Müll.; so,

frontem sudario,

Quint. 6, 3, 60:

nares in adversum,

id. 11, 3, 121:

fossas,

to dry, Cato, R. R. 2, 4; Col. 2, 21, 3:

aequatam (mensam) mentae tersere virentes,

Ov. M. 8, 663:

pars leves clipeos et spicula lucida tergent,

rub off, polish, burnish, Verg. A. 7, 626:

arma,

Liv. 26, 51, 4:

leve argentum, vasa aspera,

Juv. 14, 62:

manuque simul velut lacrimantia tersit Lumina,

Ov. M. 13, 132:

oculos pedibus,

Plin. 11, 48, 108, § 258. — Poet.:

aridus unde aures terget sonus ille,

grates upon, Lucr. 6, 119:

nubila caeli (Aurora),

to scatter, Sil. 16, 136:

tergere palatum,

to tickle the palate, Hor. S. 2, 2, 24. — Absol.: qui tractant ista, qui tergunt, qui ungunt, qui verrunt, * Cic. Par. 5, 2, 37:

si QVIS TERGERE ORNARE REFICERR VOLET (sc. aram),

Inscr. Orell. 2489.—

II.

Trop. (very rare):

librum,

i. e. to improve, amend, Mart. 6, 1, 3:

scelus,

to expiate, Sen. Herc. Oet. 907.—Hence, tersus, a, um, P. a., wiped off, i. e. clean, neat (not in Cic.).

A.

Lit.:

(mulier) lauta, tersa, ornata, etc.,

Plaut. Stich. 5, 5, 4; cf id. Pa. 1, 2, 31; cf.: alii sunt circumtonsi et tersi atque unctuli, Varr. ap Non. 179, 8:

plantae,

Ov. M. 2, 736:

tersum diem pro sereno dictum ab antiquis,

Fest. p. 363 Müll. —

B.

Trop., pure, correct, nice, neat, terse: judicium acre tersumque. Quint. 12, 10, 20:

tersum ac limatum esse oportet quod libris dedicatur,

id. 12, 10, 50:

elegiae tersus atque elegans auctor,

id. 10, 1, 93; of in comp.:

multo est tersior ac purus magis (Horatius),

id. 10, 1, 94:

opus tersum, molle, jucundum,

Plin. Ep. 9, 22, 2; so,

praefationes tersae, graciles, dulces,

id. ib. 2, 3, 1.— Sup.:

vir in judicio litterarum tersissimus,

Stat. S. 2 praef. —No adv.