I.a. [degener].
I. Neutr., to depart from its race or kind, to degenerate (class.).
A. Lit.: “qui a vobis nihil degenerat,” Cic. Phil. 13, 15: “Pandione nata, degeneras!” Ov. M. 6, 635: “pomaque degenerant succos oblita priores,” Verg. G. 2, 59; cf. id. ib. 1, 198: “frumenta,” Col. 2, 9, 11: “surculus,” id. 3, 9, 7: “hordeum in avenam,” Plin. 18, 17, 44, § 149; cf. id. 17, 15, 25, § 117: “Macedones in Syros degenerarunt,” Liv. 38, 17, 11; 9, 38, 3; Curt. 8, 5, 14. —
B. Trop.
(α).
With ab: “ab hac virtute majorum,” Cic. Fl. 11, 25; cf. Suet. Ner. 1; so, “a gravitate paterna,” Cic. Prov. Cons. 8, 18: “a parentibus nostris,” Liv. 22, 14: “a familia imperiosissima,” id. 9, 34: “a civili more,” Suet. Aug. 17: “a fama vitaque sua,” Tac. H. 3, 28: “non modo a libertate sed etiam a servitute,” id. G. 45 fin.: “a Stoicis degeneravit Panaetius,” Cic. Div. 1, 3, 6; cf. id. Tusc. 2, 25, 60.—
(γ).
With dat. (poet.): “degenerant nati patribus,” Manil. 4, 78; so, “Marti paterno,” Stat. Th. 1, 464: “patri,” Claud. IV. Cons. Honor. 366.—
(δ).
With ad or in and acc.: “ad theatrales artes,” Tac. A. 14, 21: “in feritatem,” Plin. 17, 15, 25, § 117.—（ε) Absol.: “consuetudo eum et disciplina degenerare non sineret,” Cic. Verr. 2, 3, 68; id. Brut. 34, 130: “nec Narisci Quadive degenerant,” Tac. G. 42; id. A. 14, 21; 15, 68.
II. Act.
A. To cause to degenerate or deteriorate: “Venus carpit corpus et vires animosque degenerat,” Col. 7, 12, 11: “multum degenerat transcribentium fors varia,” Plin. 25, 2, 4, § 8: “ni degeneratum in aliis huic quoque decori offecisset,” i. e. his degeneracy, his vicious character, Liv. 1, 53; see Zumpt, Gram. § 638, N. 1.—
B. With acc. of that from which any thing degenerates, to dishonor, to stain, by degeneracy (poet., and in post-Aug. prose): “non degenerasse propinquos (sc. me),” Prop. 4, 1, 81 (5, 1, 79 M): “palmas,” Ov. M. 7, 543: “famam,” Stat. Th. 4, 149; id. Silv. 3, 1, 160. —Pass.: “conspectus degenerati patris,” Val. Max. 8, 4; cf. Sol. 17, 11.
