I.to cut off.
I. Lit. (rare in ante-Aug. per.; more freq. abscīdo; “not in Caes.): taleas oleaginas tripedaneas,” Cato R. R. 45: “collum,” Plaut. Merc. 2, 2, 37: “aures,” Tac. A. 12, 14: “virgam arbori,” id. G. 10: “caput,” Curt. 7, 2; “prov.: pennas,” to clip the wings, Hor. Ep. 2, 2, 50: “malleolum,” Plin. 17, 21, 35, § 162: “filicem nascentem falce,” Col. 2, 2, 13; Sil. 4, 389 et saep.—
B. Transf., to cudgel, beat soundly: “aliquem verberibus decidere,” Dig. 47, 21, 2.
II. Trop., to decide a disputed, or, indeed, any matter (qs. to cut the knot; cf.: “dirimo and secare lites, res,” Hor. Ep. 1, 16, 42; id. Sat. 1, 10, 15); to determine, settle, terminate, put an end to (class., most freq. in judic. lang.; cf.: transigo, paciscor).
(α).
With acc.: damnum, XII. Tab. 12, 4; Gai. Inst. 4, 37; 4, 45: “quibus rebus actis atque decisis,” Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 45 fin.; cf.: “decisa negotia,” Hor. Ep. 1, 7, 59: “res transactione decisa,” Dig. 5, 2, 29; “and jam decisa quaestio,” ib. 18, 3, 4: “decidis statuisque tu, quid iis ad denarium solveretur,” Cic. Quint. 4, 17; id. Rosc. Com. 11, 32; Dig. 47, 2, 63; cf. ib. 9, 4, 22, § 4: “hoc loco praeter nomen cetera propriis decisa sunt verbis,” i. e. decidedly, clearly expressed, Quint. 8, 6, 47: ego pol istam jam aliquovorsum tragulam decidero, I will now dispose of this dart one way or another, i. e. I will now put an end to this attack, these tricks, Plaut. Casin. 2, 4, 18.—
(β).
With praepp.: “cum aliquo,” Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 32, § 79; 2, 1, 48, § 125; id. Rosc. Am. 39, 114; Plin. 7, 40, 41, § 130: “non erit uncia tota, decidat tecum qua pater ipse deum,” for which Jupiter may compound with you, Mart. 9, 4, 6; cf.: “cum patrono pecuniā,” Dig. 12, 6, 26, § 12: “de rebus,” Cic. Quint. 5, 19; id. Rosc. Com. 12, 35 sq.; id. Att. 1, 8; Just. 31, 7: decidere jactu coepit cum ventis, to compound with the winds by throwing overboard (the cargo), Juv. 12, 33.—
(γ).
Absol.: “in jugera singula ternis medimnis,” Cic. Verr. 2, 3, 48; id. Rosc. Com. 36; Aur. Vict. de Vir. Ill. 56, 4.—
