I.to press together, compress, contract, confine (opp. laxo, dilato, etc.; class.).
I. Prop.: “faenum in struem,” Col. 2, 19, 2; 8, 7, 2: “alveum Tiberis (opp. laxo),” Suet. Aug. 30: “angustae fauces coartant iter,” Liv. 28, 5, 8; so id. 33, 6, 7: “viam,” Dig. 43, 8, 2: “forum,” Tac. Or. 39; Front. Aquaed. 35: os et fauces sudario, to strangle one's self, Val. Max. 9, 12, 7 al.: “Gnaeus in oppidis coartatus,” Cic. Att. 7, 10 med.: “in terra,” Vulg. Exod. 14, 3.—
II. Trop.
A. Of time, to abridge, shorten: “tempus sponsas habendi,” Suet. Aug. 34 fin.: “consulatus aliorum,” Tac. H. 2, 71: “nox coartat iter,” Ov. F. 5, 546: “tempus potestatis censoriae,” Val. Max. 4, 1, 3.—
B. Of discourse, to abridge, compress: “ut Crassus haec quae coartavit et peranguste refersit in oratione suā, dilatet nobis atque explicet,” Cic. de Or. 1, 35, 163; cf.: “plura in unum librum,” Plin. Ep. 1, 20, 8.—
C. ( = cogo.) To compel, constrain: aliquem ad solutionem debiti, Cod. Th. 2, 29, 2; Dig. 18, 1, 57; cf.: “coarctor e duobus,” pressed, urged, Vulg. Phil. 1, 23.