I.v. inch. n. [clareo] (poet. or in post-Aug. prose), to become or grow bright or clear.
I. Prop.
A. Of the sight, to begin to shine, become visible: “tecta luminibus clarescunt,” Tac. A. 15, 37: “clarescit dies,” Sen. Herc. Fur. 123; Val. Fl. 7, 3; cf. Claud. Nupt. Hon. et Mar. 185 al.—
B. Of the hearing, to sound clear, to become audible: “clarescunt sonitus armorum,” Verg. A. 2, 301: “tibiae,” Quint. 1, 11, 7: vox, Gabius Bassus ap. Gell. 5, 7, 2.—
II. Trop.
A. To become clear, manifest, evident, obvious: “alid ex alio clarescet,” Lucr. 1, 1115; 5, 1456: “verba ipso materiae nitore clarescunt,” Quint. 3, 8, 61; 8, 5, 19; 6, 4, 9; Macr. Somn. Scip. 2, 12.—
B. In character, to become illustrious, famous, renowned (poet. and in post-Aug. prose): “aliud clarescit et e contemptibus exit,” Lucr. 5, 833 Lachm. N. cr.: “quoquo facinore clarescere,” Tac. A. 4, 52: “magnis inimicitiis,” id. H. 2, 53: “quia facilius inter ancipitia clarescunt,” id. G. 14; id. Or. 36; Claud. C. Mall. Theod. 3: “ex gente Domitiā duae familiae claruerunt,” Suet. Ner. 1; cf. id. Gram. 17; Just. 2, 1.
