I.v. a., to separate, set apart.
I. Lit., to separate, part, divide (freq. since the Aug. per.): “equas, ne inter se pugnare possint,” Varr. R. R. 2, 7, 10: ordines (preceded by senatus a populo secretus), Liv. 34, 54: “lignum a carnibus,” Plin. 13, 4, 7, § 33: “Lusitaniam a Baetica,” id. 4, 21, 35, § 116: “neque mons erat, qui fines eorum discerneret,” i. e. to mark out, determine, Sall. J. 79, 3; cf. poet.: “(saxum) telas auro,” to interweave with gold, Verg. A. 4, 264; 11, 75: “haec ipsa fortuna huc illucve discernit,” divides, distributes, Cels. 7, 3.—In the part. perf., divided, separated: “duae urbes, magno inter se spatio discretae,” Liv. 27, 39 fin.; cf.: “Peraea a ceteris Judaeis Jordane amne,” Plin. 5, 14, 15, § 70: “Philippus mari tantum Ionio discretus,” Liv. 23, 33; so, “sol tanto intervallo,” Plin. 2, 11, 8, § 50: “uxor velo,” id. Ep. 4, 19, 3: “ager saxo,” Stat. Th. 5, 559: “decurias pluribus nominibus,” Plin. 33, 2, 7, § 31 et saep.— Of the hair, parted: “discretaque collo Caesaries,” Grat. Cyn. 272: “divisa discretaque tellus,” divided and separated, Lucr. 5, 1441: “tellus (opp. permixta),” id. 691: “ubi discretas insula rumpit aquas,” Ov. F. 2, 194: “sedes piorum,” set apart, retired, Hor. C. 2, 13, 23: “quae cum sint turpissima discreta ac separata, turpius junguntur,” Plin. Ep. 2, 6 fin.: “septem discretus in ostia Nilus,” Ov. M. 5, 324 (for which: septem digestum in cornua Nilum, id. ib. 9, 774); cf. Quint. 7, 1, 1.
II. Trop.
A. To separate things according to their different qualities, to distinguish between, discern (freq. and class.): “alba et atra,” Cic. Tusc. 5, 39, 114: “discernere et dispicere insidiatorem et petitum insidiis,” Liv. 40, 10: “jus et injuriam,” Tac. A. 2, 66: “probanda atque improbanda,” Quint. 2, 2, 11: “fas atque nefas,” Hor. C. 1, 18, 11 et saep.: “id quod visum erit a falso,” Cic. Ac. 2, 8, 25: “pantheras a pardis solo candore,” Plin. 8, 17, 23, § 63 et saep.: “verba discerni articulatim,” Lucr. 4, 555: suos, * Caes. B. G. 7, 75: “piceam visu,” Plin. 16, 10, 18, § 40: “temperantiam duobus modis,” Cic. Part. Or. 22, 77 et saep.: “animus discernit, quid sit ejusdem generis, quid alterius,” id. Univ. 8: “pecuniae an famae minus parceret haud facile dis cerneres,” Sall. C. 25, 3; so with an, Tac. A. 5, 6; id. H. 3, 28; Suet. Calig. 25; cf.: nec discernatur, jussu injussu imperatoris pugnent, Liv. 8, 34 fin.—
B. To determine, settle: “limes agro positus litem ut discerneret arvis,” Verg. A. 12, 898: “discerne causam meam,” Vulg. Psa. 42, 1.—
C. To except, omit, Amm. 14, 8, 7.—Hence, *
