I.v. dep. n., to become tired or wearied; to grow weary, faint; to be exhausted. (For syn. v. defatigo. As a verb. fin. ante-class. and rare, but class. and freq. in the part. perf.): “neque defetiscar experirier,” Ter. Ph. 4, 1, 23; so with inf.: “ego sum defessus reperire, vos defessi quaerere,” Plaut. Ep. 5, 2, 54 sq. (for which, sum defessus quaeritando, id. Am. 4, 1, 6); id. Ep. 2, 2, 13; id. Merc. 4, 5, 3; Lucr. 5, 1145: “non si quid malae pugnae acciderit, defetiscendum, Front. B. Parth.: ego vapulando, ille verberando usque ambo defessi sumus,” Ter. Ad. 2, 2, 5; so, defessus with abl. gerund., id. ib. 4, 6, 1; id. Eun. 5, 7, 7; Afran. ap. Non. 392, 20; Ov. M. 9, 198; cf.: “aggerunda aqua defessi,” Plaut. Poen. 1, 2, 14.—With abl. nominis: “diuturnitate pugnae defessi,” Caes. B. G. 3, 4, 3; cf. “the foll.: defessus totius diei labore,” id. ib. 7, 88, 7; cf. id. B. C. 1, 65 fin.: “vulneribus,” id. B. G. 1, 25, 5: “cultu agrorum,” Cic. Agr. 2, 32 fin.: “forensibus negotiis atque urbano opere,” id. de Or. 2, 6, 23; 2, 57 fin.: “convicio (aures),” id. Arch. 6, 12 et saep.: “semperque ipsi recentes defessis succederent,” Caes. B. G. 7, 25; so opp. recens or integer, id. ib. 7, 41, 2; id. B. C. 1, 45, 7; 3, 94, 2; Cic. de Or. 3, 36 fin.: “defessi Aeneadae,” Verg. A. 1, 157; cf. ib. 2, 285; 565: defessus omnibus medullis, Catul. 55, 30; Prop. 3 (4), 1, 54.—
II. Transf., of things: “arbores defatiscentes,” Plin. 17, 2, 2, § 10: “ita defessa ac refrigerata accusatio,” weakened, Cic. Verr. 1, 10 fin.; cf. “oratio,” id. ib. 1, 10, 31: “orant defessis subeant rebus, i. e. afflictis,” Sil. 1, 566.