venustus

vĕnustus, a, um, adj. [1. Venus], lovely, comely, charming, pleasing, winning, agreeable, graceful, beautiful, elegant, etc. (syn.: pulcher, formosus, speciosus).

I.

Physically:

species,

Plaut. Poen. 5, 2, 153:

vultus,

Ter. And. 1, 1, 93; Suet. Ner. 51:

gestus et motus corporis,

Cic. Brut. 55, 203:

soror,

Cat. 89, 2.— Sup.:

diva venustissima Venus,

Plaut. Poen. 5, 4, 4:

forma,

Suet. Aug. 79.— Transf., of inanim. things:

sphaera venustior et nobilior,

Cic. Rep. 1, 14, 21:

hortuli,

Phaedr. 4, 5, 34:

Sirmio,

Cat. 31, 12:

aspectus figurationis,

Vitr. 3, 2.—

II.

Mentally:

Graecus facilis et valde venustus,

Cic. Pis. 28, 70:

plerumque dolor etiam venustos facit,

Plin. Ep. 3, 9, 3: venustum esse, quod cum gratiā quādam et venere dicatur apparet, Quint. 6, 3, 18:

(genus dictionis) sententiosum et argutum, sententiae concinnae et venustae,

Cic. Brut. 95, 325:

(antiqua comoedia) grandis et elegans et venusta,

Quint. 10, 1, 65:

transitus,

id. 9, 2, 61.— Comp.:

homines venustiores,

Cat. 3, 1:

longe venustiora omnia in respondendo quam in provocando,

Quint. 6, 3, 13.— Sup.:

repercutiendi genus venustissimum,

Quint. 6, 3, 78:

materia,

id. 6, 3, 84:

lusus,

id. 5, 13, 46.— Adv.: vĕnustē, charmingly, gracefully, beautifully: venuste cecidisse, most delightfully, Cael. ap. Cic. Fam. 8, 4, 2:

dicere,

Quint. 6, 3, 54:

respondere,

id. 5, 7, 31:

eludere,

id. 5, 13, 48:

scribere mimiambos,

Plin. Ep. 6, 21, 4.— Comp.:

Hispanus hunc colorem venustius (adhibuit),

Sen. Contr. 1, 1, 20.— Sup.: quibus venustissime Curio respondit, se, etc., Cael. ap. Cic. Fam. 8, 11, 2:

omnia venustissime fingere,

Quint. 6, 3, 41.