nūto — Lewis & Short
nūto, āvi, ātum, 1,
I v. freq. n. [nuo (of re-nuo, ab-nuo); Gr. neu/w; cf. numen, nutus], to nod with the head.
I Lit.:
neque illa ulli homini nutet, nictet, annuat,Plaut. As. 4, 1, 39; id. Merc. 2, 3, 72:
capite nutat,id. Mil. 2, 2, 52: crebro capitis motu nutans. Suet. Calig. 38:
nutans. Distorquens oculos,Hor. S. 1, 9, 64.—
B Esp., to command by a nod or sign:
nutat ne loquar,Plaut. Men. 4, 2, 48.—
II In gen., to sway to and fro, to totter, shake, stagger.
A Lit.:
nutant circumspectantibus galeae, et incerti trepidant,Liv. 4, 37:
ornus,Verg. A. 2, 629; 9, 682:
percutiens nutanti pectora mento,Ov. M. 11, 620:
nutans machinamentum,Tac. H. 4, 30:
nutantem vulnere civem,Juv. 15, 156:
rami pondere,Ov. A. A. 2, 263:
cristae,Sil. 1, 501:
turres,Luc. 6, 136:
plaustra,Juv. 3, 256.—
B Trop.
1 To waver in one's opinion or judgment; to doubt, hesitate:
etiam Democritus nutare videtur in naturā Deorum,Cic. N. D. 1, 43, 120:
sic animus vario labefactus vulnere nutat,Ov. M. 10, 375; cf. Stat. Th. 8, 614; 4, 197.—
2 To falter in one's fidelity, to be faithless:
ac primo Festūs nutabat, palam Vitellium, occultis nuntiis Vespasianum fovens,Tac. H. 2, 98; Suet. Caes. 4.—
3 To be ready to fall or give way; to totter, to waver, fail, be weak, falter:
fortuna nutabit,Liv. 21, 44:
tanto discrimine urbs nutabat, ut, etc.,Tac. H. 4, 52:
nutantem aciem victor equitatus incursat,id. ib. 3, 18;
4, 49: rempublicam,Suet. Vesp. 8; cf.:
moenia nutantia Romae,Sil. 10, 590:
nutantem hostem praevenire,Tac. H. 3, 40; cf. Flor. 3, 10, 4:
mundi nutante ruinā,Luc. 4, 493.