I.to dig thoroughly, dig round about, to prepare by digging (orig. pertaining to agriculture).
I. Prop.: “terram minute,” Cato, R. R. 129: “jugera,” Varr. R. R. 1, 18, 2: “hortum,” Plaut. Aul. 2, 2, 66: loca palustria, Sisenn. ap. Non. p. 141, 31: “vineta,” Col. 4, 5: “salices,” Plin. 17, 20, 32, § 142.—
B. Transf., to strike down by stabbing, to pierce, stab, transfix: “constituere (Ciceronem) de improviso domi suae confodere,” Sall. C. 28, 1: “ibique pugnans confoditur,” id. ib. 60, 7; Nep. Pelop. 5, 4; Liv. 24, 7, 5; Suet. Caes. 81; 82; id. Aug. 27; 51; id. Calig. 28; 59; id. Claud. 26; id. Tit. 6; Verg. A. 9, 445; Ov. M. 5, 176; Luc. 3, 744; Curt. 3, 11, 11; 4, 16, 23; Vell. 2, 22, 3; Val. Fl. 6, 418; Cic. Sull. 11, 33 dub. —
II. Trop. (rare; not ante-Aug.): tot judiciis confossi, praedamnatique, = pierced through, Liv. 5, 11, 12: “mala quae vos ab omni parte confodiunt,” Sen. Vit. Beat. 27, 6: “cujus causa, quamquam gravissimis criminibus erat confossa,” i. e. seriously damaged, Val. Max. 8, 1, abs. 11: quaedam (scripta) notis confodias, you strike or cross out, Plin. Ep. 9, 26, 13.—Hence, confos-sus , a, um, P. a., pierced through, full of holes: “te faciam Confossiorem soricina nenia,” Plaut. Bacch. 4, 8, 48.
