I.perf., ētum, 2 (cf. Prisc. p. 837 P.; Charis. p. 233 ib. The MSS. often confound the two forms; densare appears to be critically certain in Liv. and Quint.; densere act. only denset, Verg. A. 11, 650; imp. densete, id. ib. 12, 264: “densebant,” Lucr. 5, 491: “denserent,” Tac. A. 2, 14; also active forms, Apul. Mund. p. 61, 13; Prud. Cath. 5, 53 al.; Sil. 4, 159; “gerund, densendo,” Lucr. 6, 482; pass. inf. parag. denserier, id. 1, 395; 647: “densetur,” Ov. M. 14, 369 al.: “densentur,” Hor. Od. 1, 28, 19; Verg. A. 7, 794, and other forms in Verg.; cf. “Wagner,” Verg. G. 1, 248.—See also addenso and condenso), v. a., to make thick, to press together, thicken (not in Cic. and Caes.).
I. Lit.: “Juppiter uvidus austris Densat, erant quae rara modo, et, quae densa, relaxat,” Verg. G. 1, 419 (paraphrased: “densatus et laxatus aer,” Quint. 5, 9, 16); cf.: “rarum pectine denset opus,” Ov. F. 3, 820; Lucr. 1, 395: “ignem,” id. 1, 647; 656: “omnia,” id. 1, 662: “agmina,” Verg. A. 7, 794; cf. “catervas,” id. ib. 12, 264: “ordines,” Liv. 33, 8 fin.: “scutis super capita densatis,” Liv. 44, 9: funera, * Hor. Od. 1, 28, 19: “glomerata corpus in unum densatur,” Ov. M. 13, 605; cf.: “(nubes) largos in imbres,” Luc. 4, 76; Plin. 11, 41, 96, § 239: “obtenta densantur nocte tenebrae,” Verg. G. 1, 246; cf. Ov. M. 14, 369: “hastilia,” i. e. hurls thickly, Verg. A. 11, 650; cf. “ictus,” Tac. A. 2, 14: “super acervum petrarum radices ejus densabuntur,” Vulg. Job 8, 17.—Absol.: “(aestus) quasi densendo subtexit caerula nimbis,” Lucr. 6, 482.—
II. Trop. of speech, to condense: “instandum quibusdam in partibus et densanda oratio,” Quint. 11, 3, 164: “figuras,” id. 9, 3, 101.
