ob-tundo — Lewis & Short
ob-tundo, tŭdi, tūsum (and tunsum), 3, v. a.
I To strike or beat against, at, or on a thing; to beat, thump, belabor (very rare;
perh. only ante- and post-class.): pectora pugnis, Firm. Math. 5, 5: obtundit os mihi,breaks my jaw, Plaut. Cas. 5, 2, 50; cf.:
obtunso ore,id. ib. 5, 1, 8; cf.:
nam sum obtusus pugnis pessume,id. Am. 2, 1, 59.—
II To blunt, dull, by striking.
A Lit. (very rare):
telum,Lucr. 6, 399:
gladios,Claud. Cons. Mall. Theod. 166.—
B Transf.
1 To blunt, weaken, make dull, deprive of strength:
aciem oculorum,Plin. 22, 25, 70, § 142:
auditum,id. 24, 11, 50, § 87:
obtusus stomachus,id. Ep. 7, 3, 5:
vocem,to blunt, weaken, Lucr. 4, 613:
ingenia,Cic. de Or. 2, 70, 282:
et obtusis ceciderunt viribus artis,Lucr. 3, 452; Liv. 7, 2:
mentem,Cic. Tusc. 1, 33, 80:
ingenia,id. de Or. 3, 24, 93:
nihil est quod tam obtundat elevetque aegritudinem, quam. etc.,id. Tusc. 3, 16, 34.—
2 Aures or aliquem, or simply obtundere, to stun or din the ears; to deafen one by saying a thing too often or too long; hence, to annoy or tease with importunity; aures graviter obtundo tuas, ne quem ames, Plaut. Cist. 1, 1, 120: ne brevitas defraudasse aures videatur, neve longitudo obtudisse, Cic. Or. 66, 221:
aliquem longis epistulis,to annoy, molest, id. Att. 8, 1:
aliquem,id. Fam. 5, 14, 3:
rogitando,Ter. Eun. 3, 5, 6.—With object-clause: obtuderunt ejus aures, te socium praetoris fuisse, they dinned into him that, etc., Timarch. ap. Cic. Verr. 2, 3, 67, § 157.— With subj.:
non cessat obtundere, totam prorsus a principio fabulam promeret,App. M. 9, p. 228, 8:
aliquem de aliquā re,to importune, annoy, Ter. Ad. 1, 2, 33:
obtundis, tametsi intellego, etc.,id. And. 2, 2, 11.—Hence, obtūsus (obtunsus or optūsus), a, um, P. a., blunt, dull, obtuse (class.).
A Lit.:
falx obtusa et hebes,Col. 4, 24, 21:
pugio,Tac. A. 15, 54:
vomer,Verg. G. 1, 262:
angulus,Lucr. 4, 355:
cornua lunae obtusa,Plin. 18, 35, 79, § 347.—
B Transf., blunted, blunt, dull, weak, faint, powerless:
animi acies obtusior,Cic. Sen. 23, 83:
stellis acies obtunsa,Verg. G. 1, 395: obtusi et hebetes ad aliquam rem, Cic. Fragm. ap. Lact. 3, 14:
aures obtunsae,blunted, dull of hearing, Auct. Her. 3, 9, 17: vox, thick, not clear (opp. clara), Quint. 11, 3, 15:
fauces tumentes strangulant vocem, optusae obscurant,id. 11, 3, 20:
stomachus,weakened, spoiled, Plin. Ep. 7, 3, 5:
obtunsa pectora,insensible, without feeling, Verg. A. 1, 567:
ingenium,Gell. 13, 24, 21:
vires,enfeebled, Lucr. 3, 452:
nimio ne luxu obtunsior usus Sit genitali arvo,too blunted, too enfeebled, Verg. G. 3, 135:
vigor animi,Liv. 5, 18:
cor,Lact. 2, 5, 4:
sensus eorum,Vulg. 2 Cor. 3, 14:
venenum,powerless, Calp. Ecl. 5, 94.—Comp.:
quo quid dici potest obtusius?Cic. N. D. 1, 25, 70.—Sup. does not occur.—Hence, adv.: obtūsē, dully, not keenly (postclass.):
crocodili in aquā obtusius vident, in terrā acutissime,Sol. 32, § 28.—Fig.:
hoc facere obtuse,Aug. Doct. Christ. 4, 5, § 7.