I.v. a., to fasten down or in; and with especial reference to the terminus, to drive, fix, or fasten into (class.). —
I. Lit.: in campo Martio crucem ad civium supplicium defigi et constitui jubes, Cic. Rab. perd. 4; so, “tigna machinationibus immissa in flumen,” Caes. B. G. 4, 17, 4: “sudes sub aqua,” id. ib. 5, 18, 3: “asseres in terra defigebantur,” id. B. C. 2, 2; Liv. 44, 5: “verutum in balteo,” Caes. B. G. 5, 44, 7: “sicam in consulis corpore,” to thrust, Cic. Cat. 1, 6; cf.: “cultrum in corde,” Liv. 1, 58 fin.: “tellure hastas,” Verg. A. 12, 130; cf. id. ib. 6, 652: “gladium superne jugulo,” Liv. 1, 25; cf. Ov. M. 13, 436 al.: cruci defiguntur, Varr. ap. Non. 221, 13: “arborem penitus terrae,” Verg. G. 2, 290: “te hodie, si prehendero, defigam in terram colaphis,” Plaut. Pers. 2, 4, 22 (for which, shortly after, cruci affigere): “morsus in aurem,” Plin. 8, 12, 12, § 34: “clavum percussum malleo in cerebrum,” Vulg. Judic. 4, 21; Eccles. 12, 11. —
B. Meton. (Causa pro effectu.) To fix, fasten, render immovable (rare): “defixa caelo sidera,” Hor. Epod. 17, 5; cf. Ov. M. 11, 76: “defixere aciem in his vestigiis,” have fixed them motionless, Tac. Agr. 34; cf.: “defixi et Neronem intuentes,” id. A. 13, 16: “sedeo defixus,” Plin. Ep. 9, 34, 1: “me defixum in ora, etc.,” Prop. 1, 8, 15.—
C. Esp. in phrase, manus defigere, to strike hands, i. e., to close a contract as surety, to pledge one's person, Vulg. Prov. 6, 1; 22, 26.—
II. Trop.
A. In gen., to fix, fasten; to turn intently in any direction: “virtus est una altissimis defixa radicibus,” Cic. Phil. 4, 5: “oculos in vultu regis,” Curt. 7, 8: “iratos oculos in te,” Ov. Am. 2, 18, 15: “in alicujus possessiones oculos defigere,” Cic. Phil. 11, 5, 10: “oculos defigere in terram,” Quint. 11, 3, 158; Curt. 9, 3.—Absol.: “oculos,” to let fall, cast down, Tac. A. 3, 1: “Aeneas defixus lumina,” Verg. A. 6, 156: “animos in ea, quae perspicua sunt,” Cic. Ac. 2, 15: “disputare non vaganti oratione, sed defixa in una republica,” id. Rep. 1, 11; cf.: “in eo mentem orationemque defigit,” id. de Or. 3, 8, 31: “omnes suas curas in reip. salute,” id. Phil. 14, 5, 13; Cic. Verr. 1, 3; cf. id. Prov. Cons. 4, 8.—
B. In partic.
1. To strike motionless, sc. with astonishment, etc.; to stupefy, astound, astonish (not freq. till after the Aug. per.): “utraque simul objecta res oculis animisque immobiles parumper eos defixit,” Liv. 21, 33; so, “aliquem,” id. 3, 47; 6, 40 al.: silentium triste ita defixit omnium animos, ut, etc., Liv. 1, 29.—In the part. perf.: “dum stupet obtutuque haeret defixus in uno,” Verg. A. 1, 495; 6, 156; 7, 249; Hor. Ep. 1, 6, 14; Liv. 8, 7; Tac. A. 1, 68; 13, 5 et saep.—
2. Religious t. t. *
a. To declare fixedly, firmly, unalterably: “QVAE AVGVR VITIOSA, DIRA DEFIXERIT, IRRITA SVNTO,” Cic. Leg. 2, 8 fin.—
b. (Because, in making imprecations, the waxen image of him for whom destruction was to be prepared, or his name written in wax, was stuck through with a needle; cf. Ov. H. 6, 91 sq., and Voss upon Verg. E. 8, 80.) To bewitch, enchant; to curse any thing: “caput alicujus dira imprecatione,” Sen. Ben. 6, 35: “defigi imprecationibus,” Plin. 28, 2, 4, § 19: “nomina cerā,” Ov. Am. 3, 7, 29; cf.: “DEFIXA NOMINA,” Inscr. Orell. 3726: “regis animum Iolchiacis votis,” Verg. Cir. 376.—
3. To censure, reprove a thing: “culpam,” Pers. 5, 16.