I.v. a., to hew or cut to pieces, to cut down, to put to the sword, slay (rare, but in good prose).
I. Prop.: “debilitato corpore et contrucidato se abjecit exanimatus (cf., shortly after, concisum vulneribus),” Cic. Sest. 37, 79; so, “plebem immisso milite,” Sen. Ira, 1, 2, 3: “universos,” Suet. Calig. 28; cf. id. ib. 48; id. Ner. 43 al.: “taurorum opima corpora,” Sen. Ep. 115, 5: “bestias ad munus populi comparatas,” Suet. Caes. 75.—*
II. Trop.: “hi summi imperii nomine armati rem publicam contrucidaverunt,” cut in pieces, Cic. Sest. 10, 24 (v. the figure in connection).