I.to pluck off, to tear, pull, or break off, to crop, gather (class.; most freq. in the poets.—Constr., usually aliquid ex aliqua re; less freq. aliquid de aliqua re).
I. Lit.: “acina de uvis decerpito,” Cato R. R. 112, 3: “novos flores,” Lucr. 1, 927; 4, 3; cf.: “undique decerptam fronti praeponere olivam,” Hor. Od. 1, 7, 7: “arbore pomum,” Ov. M. 5, 536; cf. id. Pont. 3, 5, 19; “and auricomos fetus arbore,” Verg. A. 6, 141: “praetenuia fila ex abietibus,” Plin. 16, 31, 56, § 128; “lilia tenero ungui,” Prop. 1, 20, 39; cf.: “pollice florem,” Ov. F. 5, 255; “and aurea poma manu mea,” id. M. 10, 649; Val. Max. 2, 8, 5: “herbas,” Ov. M. 1, 645: “ficum,” Juv. 14, 253 et saep.—Absol.: “floret (thymum) circa solstitia, cum et apes decerpunt,” Plin. 21, 10, 31, § 56; Catull. 64, 316.—
II. Trop.: “quae (omnia) nisi cotidie decerpantur arescunt,” Quint. 12, 10, 79: “humanus animus decerptus ex mente divina,” Cic. Tusc. 5, 13, 38; cf. Quint. 4, 1, 23: “ne quid jocus de gravitate decerperet,” Cic. de Or. 2, 56, 229: “quarum (materiarum) nunc facillima decerpunt,” Quint. 10, 5, 21.—Poet.: oscula mordenti semper decerpere rostro, Catull. 68, 127 (cf.: carpo, no. II. 1); “for which, ora puellae,” Verg. Cop. 33 Sillig.—Hence,
B. Transf.
1. (Acc. to carpo, no. II. 1.) To enjoy: “ex re fructus,” Hor. S. 1, 2, 79: “primas noctes tecum epulis,” Pers. 5, 43: “murmura vocis,” Stat. Th. 6, 165: “decus primae pugnae,” Sil. 4, 138; cf.: “nihil sibi ex ista laude centurio decerpit,” Cic. Marc. 2, 7: “mulieres,” Vulg. Baruch, 6, 27.—
2. (Acc. to carpo, no. II. 1.) To destroy: “quae (invidia) spes tantas decerpat,” Quint. 6 prooem. § 6; cf.: “illibatam virginitatem,” Sen. Contr. 1, 2 med.
