I.sup. creberrimus; “but crebrissimus,” Gell. 2, 30, 2; cf. Rudd. I. p. 170; “and CEREBERRIMVS,” Inscr. Orell. 68), adj. from cre-, root of cresco, Corn. Beitr. p. 356, that exists or takes place in a continuous multitude, following closely together or one after another (hence with continuus, Quint. 12, 10, 46; opp. rarus).
I. Thick, close, pressed together, frequent, numerous, repeated (very freq., and class.).
A. Of material subjects: “lucus avius, Crebro salicto oppletus,” Plaut. Aul. 4, 6, 9; cf. “silva,” Lucr. 6, 135: “crebris arboribus succisis omnes introitus erant praeclusi,” Caes. B. G. 5, 9: “rami,” id. ib. 2, 17: “(venae et arteriae) crebrae multaeque, toto corpore intextae,” Cic. N. D. 2, 55, 138: “funale,” numerous torches, id. Sen. 13, 44: “castella,” Caes. B. G. 2, 30: “creberrima aedificia,” id. ib. 5, 12: “ignes quam creberrimi,” Sall. J. 106, 4; cf. id. ib. 98, 6: “vigilias ponere,” id. ib. 45, 2: “tanto crebriores litterae nuntiique,” Caes. B. G. 5, 45; cf. “exploratores,” id. ib. 6, 10: “tam crebri ad terram decidebant quam pira,” as thick as pears, Plaut. Poen. 2, 38; cf. “hostes,” id. Am. 1, 1, 84: “crebri cecidere caelo lapides,” Liv. 1, 31, 2; cf. sup., id. 28, 37, 7 et saep.—
B. Of immaterial subjects: “itiones,” Ter. Phorm. 5, 9, 23; cf. “excursiones,” Nep. Milt. 2, 1: “ictus,” Lucr. 4, 935; Hor. C. 1, 25, 2; Suet. Calig. 30: “impetus,” Lucr. 1, 294; Sall. J. 50, 1 al.: “anhelitus,” Quint. 11, 3, 55; Verg. A. 5, 199: “commutationes aestuum,” Caes. B. G. 5, 1: “rumores,” id. ib. 2, 1: “amplexus,” Ov. M. 9, 538 al.: “compellationes,” Cic. Fam. 12, 25, 2: “sonus,” oft repeated, Plin. 10, 29, 43, § 81: “argumentatio,” Quint. 2, 5, 8: “supplosio pedis,” id. 11, 3, 128: “crebriores figurae,” id. 9, 2, 94: “quae apud Sallustium rare fuerunt, apud hunc crebra sunt et paene continua,” Sen. Ep. 114, 18: “crebra lumina (dicendi) et continua,” Quint. 12, 10, 46.—
II. Meton., of an object that is furnished with abundance, or produces something in multitudes, crowded with, abundant, abounding in: “creber harundinibus lucus,” Ov. M. 11, 190: “Africus procellis,” Verg. A. 1, 85: “Tiberis creber ac subitus incrementis,” Plin. 3, 5, 9, § 55.—Esp., of speech or writing: “sane in eo creber fuisti, Te noluisse, etc.,” you frequently said, Cic. Planc. 34, 83: “si mihi tantum esset otii, quantum est tibi ... in scribendo multo essem crebrior quam tu,” id. Att. 1, 19, 1: “(Thucydides) ita creber est rerum frequentia, ut, etc.,” id. de Or. 2, 13, 56; id. Brut. 7, 29: quis sententiis aut acutior aut crebrior? id. ap. Suet. Caes. 55; Quint. 10, 1, 102 (cf.: densus sententiis, id. ib. § “68).—In Gr. constr., of the person: densis ictibus heros Creber utrāque manu pulsat versatque Dareta,” Verg. A. 5, 460: “modus (dicendi) translationibus crebrior,” Quint. 12, 10, 60.—Hence, advv.,
1. Most freq. in the form crēbrō , close one after another (in time or number), repeatedly, often, oftentimes, frequently, many times: “si crebro cades,” Plaut. Pers. 4, 4, 105: “ruri esse,” Ter. Hec. 2, 1, 18: “mittere litteras,” Cic. Att. 6, 5, 1: “tussire et exspuere,” Quint. 11, 5, 56: “personare purgatam aurem,” Hor. Ep. 1, 1, 7 et saep.: “qui crebro Catulum, saepe me, saepissime rem publicam nominabat,” Cic. Cael. 24, 59.—Comp. crebrius: “perlucet villa crebrius quam cribrum,” i. e. with more holes, openings, Plaut. Rud. 1, 2, 14: “mittas litteras,” Cic. Fam. 5, 6, 3 fin.: “crebrius aut perfidiosius rebellantes,” Suet. Aug. 21.— Sup. creberrime (creberru-): “commemorantur a Stoicis,” Cic. Div. 1, 27, 56.—
2. crē-bră (acc. plur.; cf. Rudd. II. p. 159), repeatedly: “revisit ad stabulum (mater),” Lucr. 2, 359: “et pede terram Crebra ferit (equus),” Verg. G. 3, 500.—
3. crēbrē , closely, compactly (of place; “only in Vitr.): fundamenta aedificiorum palationibus crebre fixa,” Vitr. 2, 9, 10.—Sup.: “crates ex virgis creberrime textae,” Vitr. 10, 14, 3.—*
4. crē-brĭter , repeatedly, frequently (in time), Vitr. 10, 13, 7; cf. Hand, Turs. II. p. 133 sq.
