I. To form, fashion (artistically—class.; most freq. in the trop. sense; cf.: formo, informo, conformo, fingo, reddo, instituo, etc.).
A. Lit.: “oris lineamenta in tabula: Veneris Coae pulchritudinem aspersione fortuita,” Cic. Div. 1, 13, 23: “sui dissimilia,” id. N. D. 3, 9, 23: “deum imagines in species hominum,” Tac. H. 5, 5 et saep.—Poet.: “(Daedalus) casus alicujus in auro,” Verg. A. 6, 32; cf. id. ib. 10, 640; Luc. 5, 713: “horrentes effingens crine galeros,” Sil. 1, 404.—
B. Trop., to express, represent, portray: “(natura) speciem ita formavit oris, ut in ea penitus reconditos mores effingeret,” Cic. Leg. 1, 9; cf. id. Rosc. Am. 16, 47; id. de Or. 2, 43 fin.; Tac. A. 11, 14; Quint. 6, 2, 17: “oratorem effingere (connected with corpora fingendo efficere),” id. 5, 12, 21: “effinge aliquid et excude (sc. scribendo), quod sit perpetuo tuum,” Plin. Ep. 1, 3, 4: “imaginem virtutis,” to represent by imitation, Quint. 10, 2, 15; cf. id. 10, 1, 108; 11, 3, 89 sq.; Plin. Ep. 9, 22, 2.—Of the conception of external objects: “visum impressum effictumque ex eo, unde esset,” id. Ac. 2, 6, 18; cf. id. Tusc. 1, 25, 61; id. de Or. 2, 86 fin.—
II. To wipe clean, wipe out (only in the foll. passages): “fiscinas spongia effingat,” Cato R. R. 67, 2 (for which: fiscinas spongia tergendas, Plin. 15, 6, 6, § 22): “spongiis sanguinem,” Cic. Sest. 35 fin., v. Halm ad h. l.—
III. To rub gently, stroke: “manus,” Albin. Cons. ad Liv. 138; Ov. H. 20, 134 (for which: manus fingere, id. F. 5, 409).
