I.to put or dip into any thing; hence,
I. Lit., to stain, dye, color, tinge with: “quia tibi suaso infecisti pallulam,” Plaut. Truc. 2, 2, 16: “omnes se Britanni vitro inficiunt,” Caes. B. G. 5, 14: “lana infecta conchylio,” Plin. 32, 7, 25, § 77: “arma infecta sanguine,” Verg. A. 5, 413; cf.: “locum sanguine,” Tac. H. 2, 55: “diem,” to discolor, darken, Ov. M. 13, 601: “populi sole infecti, nondum exusti,” Plin. 6, 19, 22, § 70: “palpebrae mulieribus infectae quotidiano,” Plin. 11, 37, 56, § 154: “vestis ita infecta,” id. 28, 7, 23, § 83; cf.: “tinguntur sole populi, jam quidem infecti,” darkened, tanned, id. 6, 19, 22, § 70: “albus ora pallor inficit,” covers, Hor. Epod. 7, 15; cf.: “virgo inficitur teneras ore rubente genas,” Tib. 3, 4, 32.—
B. Transf.
1. To mix with something: “pocula veneno,” Just. 21, 4: hōc (abl.) amnem inficit, Verg. A. 12, 418. —
2. In partic., in a bad sense, to taint, infect, spoil: “pabula tabo,” Verg. G. 3, 481; cf.: “Gorgoneis Alecto infecta venenis,” imbued, id. A. 7, 341: “mel infectum fronde,” that has a taste of leaves, Plin. 11, 13, 13, § 32.—
II. Trop.
A. In gen.: “sapientia nisi alte descendit et diu sedit animum non coloravit sed infecit,” has merely tinged, Sen. Ep. 71, 31: “si illā (humanorum divinorumque notitiā) se non perfuderit, sed infecerit,” id. ib. 110, 8; cf.: “(vestes) quarum generosi graminis ipsum Infecit natura pecus,” Juv. 12, 41. —
B. In partic.
1. To instruct in any thing (syn. imbuere): “jam infici debet (puer) iis artibus, quas si, dum est tener, combiberit, ad majora veniet paratior,” Cic. Fin. 3, 2, 9: “animos teneros et rudes inficiunt et flectunt, ut volunt,” id. Leg. 1, 17 fin.—
2. To spoil, corrupt, infect (syn. corrumpo): “nos umbris, deliciis, otio . . . desidia animum infecimus,” Cic. Tusc. 5, 27, 78: “inficimur opinionum pravitate,” id. ib. 3, 2: “vereor ne hoc quod infectum est serpat longius,” id. Att. 1, 13, 2: “cupiditatibus principum et vitiis infici solet tota civitas,” id. Leg. 3, 13, 30: elui difficile est; “non enim inquinati sumus, sed infecti,” Sen. Ep. 59, 9: “artibus infectus,” Tac. A. 2, 2.—Poet.: “infectum eluitur scelus (= quo se infecerunt),” Verg. A. 6, 742 Forbig and Conington ad loc.