I.“abscondidi,” Plaut. Merc. 2, 3, 25; Sil. 8, 192: “absconsum,” Quint. Decl. 17, 15), to put away, conceal carefully, hide, secrete (the access. idea of a careful concealment distinguishes this word from its synn. abdo, celo, abstrudo, etc.).
I. Lit.: “est quiddam, quod occultatur, quod quo studiosius ab istis opprimitur et absconditur, eo magis eminet et apparet,” Cic. Rosc. Am. 41 fin.: “nequiquam (eam) abdidi, abscondidi, abstrusam habebam,” Plaut. Merc. 2, 3, 25: aurum secundum aram, Fragm. ap. Prisc. p. 890 P.: fontes absconditi, Auct. ad Her. 4, 6, 9: “ensem in vulnere,” to bury, Sen. Thyest. 721 (cf.: “lateri abdidit ensem,” Verg. A. 2, 553; v. abdo, II. ε); so, “abscondit in aëre telum,” i. e. shot it out of sight, Sil. 1, 316.—Pass., of stars, to set, and thus become invisible, Verg. G. 1, 221.—Hence,
C. Poet., to put a place out of sight, to lose sight of, to depart from: “aërias Phaeacum abscondimus arces,” we leave behind, Verg. A. 3, 291 (cf. id. ib. 4, 154: transmittunt cursu campos).—
II. Trop.: “fugam furto,” to conceal flight, Verg. A. 4, 337: praenavigavimus vitam, et quemadmodum in mari, sic in hoc cursu rapidissimi temporis, primum pueritiam abscondimus, deinde adulescentiam, leave behind, outlive (cf. the prec., C.), Sen. Ep. 70, 2; Tac. A. 13, 16.— Hence, abscondĭtus , a, um, P. a., hidden, concealed, secret, unknown: “gladii absconditi,” Cic. Phil. 2, 108: “in tam absconditis insidiis,” id. Cat. 3, 1, 3: “jus pontificum,” id. Dom. 54, 138.—Adv.
1. abscondĭtē , of discourse.
a. Obscurely, abstrusely, Cic. Inv. 2, 23.—
b. Profoundly, Cic. Fin. 3, 1, 2.—
2. absconsē (from absconsus), secretly, Hyg. Fab. 184; Firm. Math. 2, 2.