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di-stringo , nxi, ctum, 3, v. a.
I. To draw asunder, to stretch out (very rarely): radiis rotarum districti pendent, * Verg. A. 6, 616.—Poet.: “(canum) rabies districta,” i. e. showing the teeth, Lucr. 5, 1064; cf.: “acies dentium,” Amm. 14, 7, 13.—Far more freq., esp. since the Aug. per. (not in Caesar, and in Cicero only as P. a.),
II. (Like distineo, II.) To detain a person anywhere, to hinder, to occupy, engage: “Romanum a tergo,” Flor. 2, 13, 1: “urbem (i. e. Romanos) incendiis,” id. 4, 1, 2: “distringit quem multarum rerum varietas,” Phaedr. 4, 26, 3; cf. Plin. 18, 26, 65, § 239: “distringor officio,” id. Ep. 1, 10, 9; cf. id. ib. 7, 15, 1; Quint. 12, 1, 5: “(Jovem) votis,” to molest, importune, Plin. Pan. 94, 2.—Esp. as milit. t. t., to make a diversion against an enemy, to distract the attention of: “Hannibalem mittendum in Africam esse ad distringendos Romanos,” Liv. 35, 18 fin.: “copias regias populatione maritimae orae,” id. 44, 35; cf.: “Scipionem oppugnatione plurium oppidorum,” Front. Strat. 1, 3, 5.—
2. To puzzle, confound: “ut distrinxi hominem,” Plaut. Truc. 5, 1, 65 (Spengel, destrinxi).—
B. Transf., of abstract objects: “ut discordiam moveret, qua consensus Romanorum distringeretur,” would be hindered, disturbed, Front. Strat. 1, 8, 1 Oud. N. cr.—Hence, districtus , a, um, P. a.
A. (Qs. stretched tight, i. e.) Strict, severe (post-Aug.): “districtior accusator,” Tac. A. 4, 36 fin.: “feneratrix (opp. amica obsequens),” Val. Max. 8, 2, 2: “censura,” id. 2, 9, 6: “districtissimi defensores,” Cod. Just. 1, 55, 6.—
B. Divided in mind, at strife with one's self; hence, hesitating, vacillating: “districtus mihi videris esse, quod et bonus civis et bonus amicus es,” Cic. Fam. 2, 15, 3.—
C. More freq. and class., occupied, engaged, busy: “judicio districtus atque obligatus,” Cic. Verr. 1, 9; cf. “(vinculo mortali) alii alligati sunt, alii astricti, alii districti quoque,” Sen. Vit. Beat. 16 fin.: “ancipiti contentione,” Cic. de Imp. Pomp. 4, 9: “labore vita districta,” id. de Or. 3, 2, 7; Quint. Ep. ad Tryph. 1; * Hor. S. 2, 8, 68; Nep. Hann. 13, 2; cf.: “imperium circa mala sua,” Flor. 4, 12, 1; and in the comp.: “numquam me a causis et judiciis districtiorem fuisse,” Cic. Q. Fr. 2, 16.—Adv. acc. to A., strictly, severely.
(α). districte (des- ): “minatus,” Plin. Ep. 9, 21, 4: “deneganda,” Dig. 3, 3, 13.—
(β). districtim : “innocens,” Sen. Contr. 7.—
b. Comp.: “districtius: repercutere,” Tert. Idol. 5: “vivere,” Hier. Ep. 22, no. 11.—Sup., Cassiod. Var. 9, 18.
A Latin Dictionary. Founded on Andrews' edition of Freund's Latin dictionary. revised, enlarged, and in great part rewritten by. Charlton T. Lewis, Ph.D. and. Charles Short, LL.D. Oxford. Clarendon Press. 1879.

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hide References (17 total)
  • Cross-references in general dictionaries from this page (17):
    • Cicero, Letters to his Friends, 2.15.3
    • Vergil, Aeneid, 6.616
    • Horace, Satires, 2.8.68
    • Tacitus, Annales, 4.36
    • Plautus, Truculentus, 5.1
    • Cicero, On Oratory, 3.2
    • Lucretius, De Rerum Natura, 5.1064
    • Cornelius Nepos, Hannibal, 13.2
    • Pliny the Elder, Naturalis Historia, 7.15
    • Pliny the Younger, Epistulae, 1.10.9
    • Pliny the Younger, Epistulae, 9.21.4
    • Livy, The History of Rome, Book 35, 18
    • Livy, The History of Rome, Book 44, 35
    • Quintilian, Institutio Oratoria, Book 12, 1.5
    • Seneca the Elder, Controversiae, 7
    • Valerius Maximus, Facta et Dicta Memorabilia, 2.9.6
    • Valerius Maximus, Facta et Dicta Memorabilia, 8.2.2
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