I.v. dep. a. [scruta; cf.: γρυτεύει, scrutatur, Gloss. Philox.], qs. to search even to the rags, i. e. to search carefully, examine thoroughly, explore a thing; to search, examine a person (syn.: indago, rimo).
I. Lit., of things: “domos, naves,” Cic. Vatin. 5, 12: “loca abdita,” Sall. J. 12, 5: “omnia foramina parietum scrutatur,” Petr. 98, 1: “paleam,” id. 33, 4: “terraï abdita ferro,” Lucr. 6, 809: “ignem gladio,” Hor. S. 2, 3, 276: “lumina manibus,” Sen. Oedip. 965: “scrutatus sum quae potui et quae vidi omnia: inveni duos solos libellos, etc.,” Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 74, § 182; cf. Tac. H. 4, 1: “L. Crassus spiculis prope scrutatus est Alpes,” Cic. Pis. 26, 62: “occulta saltuum,” Tac. A. 1, 61: “mare,” id. Agr. 30; id. G. 45; cf.: “scrutandi orbis gratiā,” Plin. 5, 1, 1, § 9: “canis scrutatur vestigia (ferarum),” id. 8, 40, 61, § 147: “venantium latibula scrutatus,” Curt. 6, 5, 17: “vias presso ore (canis),” Sen. Thyest. 499: “equorum delicta scrutantes,” Amm. 14, 6, 25.—Of personal objects: Eu. Ostende huc manum dexteram ... Nunc laevam ostende ... Jam scrutari mitto, to search you, Plaut. Aul. 4, 4, 24: “non excutio te, non scrutor,” Cic. Rosc. Am. 34, 97; so of searching, Asin. ap. Cic. Fam. 10, 31, 1: “consuetudinem salutantes scrutandi,” Suet. Vesp. 12 fin.; “and of a searching for spoil,” Tac. H. 3, 25.—
B. Transf., to seek for, search out a thing (post-Aug. and very rare): “venas melini inter saxa,” Plin. 35, 6, 19, § 37: “iter,” Claud. Rapt. Pros. 1, 172; cf. infra, II. B.—
II. Trop., to examine thoroughly; to explore, investigate: quod est ante pedes nemo spectat: caeli scrutantur plagas, Enn. ap. Cic. Rep. 1, 18, 30; Cic. Div. 2, 13, 30 (Trag. v. 277 Vahl.): “omnes sordes,” id. Q. Fr. 1, 1, 3, § 11; “cf: nomina ac vultus, alacritatem tristitiamque coëuntium,” Tac. A. 16, 5: “animos ceterorum secretis sermonibus,” id. H. 4, 55: “voluntatem,” Quint. 2, 4, 26: “locos, ex quibus argumenta eruamus,” Cic. de Or 2, 34, 146; cf. id. Part. 3, 8: “desinamus aliquando ea scrutari, quae sunt inania,” id. Rosc. Am. 30, 83; cf.: “quod non ratione scrutabimur, non poterimus invenire nisi casu,” Quint. 5, 10, 22: “interiores et reconditas litteras,” Cic. N. D. 3, 16, 42: “origines nominum,” Quint. 1, 4, 25: “omnia minutius et scrupulosius,” id. 5, 14, 28: “inferiora quoque,” id. 7, 1, 27: “exoletos auctores,” id. 8, 2, 12: “scripturas,” Vulg. Johan. 5, 39.—Absol.: “totum diem mecum scrutor, facta ac dicta mea remetior,” Sen. Ira, 3, 36, 3.—
B. Transf. (cf. supra, I. B.), to search into; to search out, find out a thing (so not till after the Aug. per.): “fibras Inspiciunt, mentes deum scrutantur in illis,” Ov. M. 15, 137: “finem principis per Chaldaeos,” Tac. A. 12, 52: “sua Caesarisque fata,” id. ib. 16, 14: “arcanum ullius,” Hor. Ep. 1, 18, 37: “ut causas hujus infinitae differentiae scrutetur,” Tac. Or. 15; cf. Plin. Ep. 4, 30, 11: “harenarum numerum et montium pondera scrutari,” Amm. 14, 11, 34.—P. a.: scrūtans , antis (late Lat.), perh. only in sup., that most closely examines: “militaris rei ordinum scrutantissimus,” Amm. 30, 9, 4.— Hence, adv.: scrūtanter , searchingly, Ambros. Ep. 80.Act. collat. form scrūto , āre, acc. to Prisc. p. 799 P; cf. γρυτεύω, scruto, Gloss. Philox.—Hence,
