I.deep, profound, vast (class.; syn. altus).
I. Lit.: “mare profundum et immensum,” Cic. Planc. 6, 15; Curt. 9, 4, 18: “per inane profundum,” Lucr. 1, 1108: “pontus,” Verg. A. 5, 614: “Acheron,” Lucr. 3, 978: “Danubius,” Hor. C. 4, 15, 21: “fornax,” Ov. M. 2, 229: “valles,” Stat. Th. 10, 95: “terrae foramen,” Just. 24, 6, 9: “atque hiavit humus multa, vasta, et profunda,” Sall. H. 4, 37 Dietsch: “vulnera,” Eum. Pan. Constant. 14.—Sup.: “profundissimus libidinum gurges,” Cic. Sest. 43, 93.—
2. Subst.: prŏfundum , i, n., depth.
a. In gen.: “esse in profundo (aquae),” Cic. Fin. 3, 14, 48 4, 23, 64: “maris,” Suet. Tib. 40; Ov. Hal. 84: “immensa ac profunda camporum,” Just. 41, 1, 11.—
b. In partic.
(α).
The depths of the sea, the deep, the sea (class.): ex profundo molem ad caelum erigit, Att. ap. Cic. N. D. 2, 35, 89: “jecissem ipse me potius in profundum, ut ceteros conservarem, quam, etc.,” Cic. Sest. 20, 45: “profundo Vela dabit,” Verg. A. 12, 263: “vastum,” Val. Fl. 8, 314; Sil. 4, 246: “summum,” Ov. M. 2, 267: “indomitum,” id. Tr. 1, 11, 39: “pater ipse profundi,” i.e. Neptune, Val. Fl. 2, 606: “genitor profundi,” Ov. M. 11, 202: “Pamphylium,” Col. 8, 16, 9: “profundi imperium,” Juv. 13, 49; Hor. C. 4, 4, 65; Ov. H. 18, 89; id. M. 5, 439; 11, 197.—
(β).
In comic. lang., an abyss, meaning the stomach, in a lusus verbb. with fundus, Plaut. Capt. 1, 2, 79.—
B. Transf.
1. Thick, dense (poet. and in post - class. prose): “Erebi nox,” Verg. A. 4, 26: “silvae,” Lucr. 5, 41; Curt. 7, 7, 4: “ursi villis profundioribus,” Sol. 26.—
2. Like altus, high (poet.): “caelum profundum,” Verg. G. 4, 222: “caelum,” id. E. 4, 51; id. A. 1, 58; Val. Fl. 7, 478: “altitudo,” Liv. 38, 23; Tac. A. 2, 61.—
3. In a great quantity, copious, unlimited, without stint (poet.): “merum,” Stat. Th. 5, 262.—
4. Of the underworld, infernal (poet.): “Manes,” Verg. G. 1, 243: “Chaos,” Val. Fl. 7, 401: “Juppiter, i. e. Pluto,” Stat. Th. 1, 615: “Juno, = Proserpina,” Claud. Rapt. Pros. 1, 2.—
II. Trop.
A. Deep, bottomless, profound, boundless, immoderate (class.): “profundae libidines,” Cic. Pis. 21, 48: “avaritia,” Sall. J. 81, 1: “cupido imperii et divitiarum,” id. H. 4, 61, 5: “vitia animi,” Plin. 30, 2, 5, § 14: “cupiditas confundendi omnia,” Vell. 2, 125, 2: “securitas,” Gell. 1, 15, 2: “otium,” Nazar. Pan. Constant. 35: “profundissimā pace florere (=summā),” Mamert. Pan. Maxim. 14: “caedes,” Stat. Th. 10, 831: “tempestas,” id. Achill. 1, 45: “gula,” Suet. Vit. 13: “venter,” Curt. 10, 2, 26: “immensusque ruit profundo Pindarus ore,” i.e. with inexhaustible copiousness of expression, Hor. C. 4, 2, 7: “scientia,” Macr. S. 3, 2, 7: “cum me somnus profundus in imum barathrum demergit,” App. M. 2, p. 125 fin.: “in profundam ruinam cupidinis se praecipitare,” id. ib. 8, p. 202, 1.—
C. Subst.: prŏfun-dum , i, n., a depth, abyss (class.): “in profundo veritatem penitus abstrudere,” Cic. Ac. 2, 10, 32: “Democritus (dixit) in profundo veritatem esse demersam,” id. ib. 1, 12, 44: “in profundum ultimarum miseriarum abjectus,” Val. Max. 2, 10, 6: “immergere aliquem miserabiliter profundo cladium,” id. 2, 6, 9, ext. 7: “in profundum injuriarum et turpitudinis decidere,” id. 2, 9, 1, ext. 2; cf.: “de profundis clamavi ad te,” Vulg. Psa. 129, 1.—Hence, adv.: prŏfun-dē , deeply (post-Aug.): “in bibendo profundius nares mergere,” Plin. 8, 42, 66, § 165; Vulg. Osee, 9, 9.