I.perf. inf. atteruisse, Tib. 1, 4, 48; cf. Vell. Long. p. 2234 P.), to rub one thing against another; hence, in gen., to rub away, wear out or diminish by rubbing, to waste, wear away, weaken, impair, exhaust.
I. Lit. (most freq. after the Aug. per.; in Cic. only once as P. a.; v. infra): insons Cerberus leniter atterens caudam, rubbing against or upon (sc. Herculi), * Hor. C. 2, 19, 30: “asinus spinetis se scabendi causā atterens,” Plin. 10, 74, 95, § 204: aures, * Plaut. Pers. 4, 9, 11 (cf. antestor): “bucula surgentes atterat herbas,” tramples upon, Verg. G. 4, 12: “opere insuetas atteruisse manus,” Tib. 1, 4, 48; so Prop. 5, 3, 24, and Plin. 2, 63, 63, § 158; so, “dentes usu atteruntur,” id. 7, 16, 15, § 70: “attrivit sedentis pedem,” Vulg. Num. 22, 25: “vestem,” Dig. 23, 3, 10; Col. 11, 2, 16; “Cels. praef.: vestimenta,” Vulg. Deut. 29, 5; ib. Isa. 51, 6.—Poet., of sand worn by the water flowing over it: “attritas versabat rivus harenas,” Ov. M. 2, 456.—
II. Trop., to destroy, waste, weaken, impair: “postquam utrimque legiones item classes saepe fusae fugataeque et alteri alteros aliquantum adtriverant,” Sall. J. 79, 4: “magna pars (exercitūs) temeritate ducum adtrita est,” id. ib. 85, 46: “Italiae opes bello,” id. ib. 5, 4; so Tac. H. 1, 10; 1, 89; 2, 56; Curt. 4, 6 fin.; cf. Sil. 2, 392 Drak.: “nec publicanus atterit (Germanos),” exhausts, drains, Tac. G. 29: “famam atque pudorem,” Sall. C. 16, 2: “et vincere inglorium et atteri sordidum arbitrabatur,” and to suffer injury in his dignity, Tac. Agr. 9 Rupert.: “eo tempore, quo praecipue alenda ingenia atque indulgentiā quādam enutrienda sunt, asperiorum tractatu rerum atteruntur,” are enfeebled, Quint. 8, prooem. 4: “filii ejus atterentur egestate,” Vulg. Job, 20, 10: “Nec res atteritur longo sufflamine litis,” Juv. 16, 50.— Hence, attrītus , a, um, P. a., rubbed off, worn off or away, wasted.
A. Lit.
1. In gen.: ut rictum ejus (simulacri) ac mentum paulo sit attritius, * Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 43: “ansa,” Verg. E. 6, 17: “vomer,” worn bright, id. G. 1, 46; cf. Juv. 8, 16 Rupert.: “caelaturae,” Plin. 33, 12, 55, § 157; Petr. 109, 9.—
2. In medicine, attritae partes or subst. attrita, ōrum, n. (sc. membra), bruised, excoriated parts of the body: “medetur et attritis partibus sive oleo etc.,” Plin. 24, 7, 28, § 43: “attritis medetur cinis muris silvatici etc.,” id. 30, 8, 22, § 70.—
B. Trop.: attrita frons, a shameless, impudent face (lit. a smooth face, to which shame no longer clings; cf. perfrico), Juv. 13, 242 Rupert.; so, “domus Israël attritā fronte,” Vulg. Ezech. 3, 7.—Sup. and adv. not used.
