vellico

vellĭco, āvi, ātum, 1, v. a. [vello], to pluck, twitch, pinch, nip (syn. carpo).

I.

Lit.:

cornix vulturios vellicat,

Plaut. Most. 3, 2, 148:

puer, quid fieret, interrogatus, a paedagogo se vellicari respondit,

Quint. 6, 1, 41:

saetas,

Nemes. Ecl. 3, 32:

vellicata blande auricula suscitavit,

Paul. Nol. Ep. 36, 3.—

B.

Transf., of bees:

nullius opus,

to suck, Varr. R. R. 3, 16, 7.—

II.

Trop.

A.

To wake up, arouse by twitching:

excitandus e somno et vellicandus est animus admonendusque,

Sen. Ep. 20, 11; 63, 1.—

B.

To pluck or twitch in speaking, i. e. to twit, taunt, carp, rail at (cf. rodo):

contemplent, conspiciant omnes, nutent, nectent, sibilent, vellicent, vocent, etc.,

Plaut. Merc. 2, 3, 73:

more hominum invident, in conviviis rodunt, in circulis vellicant, maledico dente carpunt,

Cic. Balb. 26, 57:

quod vellicet absentem Demetrius,

Hor. S. 1, 10, 79; cf.:

nullum est tam plenum beneficium, quod non vellicare malignitas possit,

belittle, Sen. Ben. 2, 28, 2:

(puella) te vellicet,

Prop. 2, 5, 8; Gell. 4, 15, 1.