I. Act., to cause to freeze, to congeal.—Pass., to be frozen, to freeze.
A. In gen.: “si gelent frigora, quarto die premendam (olivam),” Plin. 15, 6, 6, § 21: “fluvius, qui ferrum gelat,” Mart. 1, 50, 12.—Pass.: “quae (alvearia fictilia) et accenduntur aestatis vaporibus et gelantur hiemis frigoribus (shortly before: nec hieme rigent, nec candent aestate),” Col. 9, 6, 2.—Esp. freq. in the part. perf.: “amnes gelati lacusque,” Plin. 8, 28, 42, § 103: “lac, Col. poët. 10, 397: caseus,” id. 7, 8, 7: “manus Aquilone,” Mart. 5, 9, 3.—
B. In partic., to freeze, chill, stiffen with fright, horror, etc.; in pass., to be frozen, chilled; to be numbed or stiff (cf.: “gelu and gelidus): gelat ora pavor,” Stat. Th. 4, 497: “timent pavidoque gelantur Pectore,” Juv. 6, 95: “sic fata gelatis Vultibus,” Stat. Th. 4, 404: “gelato corde attonitus,” Luc. 7, 339: “gelati orbes (i. e. oculi emortui),” id. 6, 541.—
II. Neutr., to freeze: “pruinae perniciosior natura, quoniam lapsa persidet gelatque,” Plin. 17, 24, 37, § 222: “venae,” Stat. Th. 4, 727: “vultus Perseos,” i. e. to be petrified, Luc. 9, 681.—Impers.: “non ante demetuntur quam gelaverit,” Plin. 14, 3, 4, § 39; Vulg. Sir. 43, 21.
