I.to pull or pluck hard; to pull, iwitch any thing.
I. Lit.: “nates,” Plaut. Pers. 5, 2, 66: “aurem,” Phaedr. 5, 5, 32; also, prov., aurem, to pull one's ear, i. e. to remind one of a thing, Sen. Ben. 5, 7, 5; Val. Max. 1, 5, 8; Sen. Ep. 94, 55; id. Ben. 4, 36, 1; 5, 7, 6.—
B. Transf., to excite, sharpen: “stomachum,” Hor. S. 2, 8, 9.—
II. Trop.
A. To twitch, pinch: “fortuna pervellere te forsitan potuerit et pungere, etc.,” Cic. Tusc. 3, 17, 36: “si te forte dolor aliquis pervellerit,” id. ib. 2, 20, 46.—
2. To revile, disparage: “jus civile,” Cic. de Or. 1, 62, 265.—
B. To arouse, enliven: “ad referendam gratiam fides languet: hanc pervellamus,” Sen. Ben. 5, 23, 1.