I.v. dep. n. and a.
I. Neutr., to slip or glide away, to fall out, get off, escape (class.).
A. Lit.: “anguilla est, elabitur,” Plaut. Ps. 2, 4, 57; “so of a snake,” Liv. 1, 56; 26, 19; Verg. G. 1, 244; Ov. M. 9, 63: “cum se convolvens sol elaberetur et abiret,” Cic. Div. 1, 23, 46: “(animal) ex utero elapsum,” id. N. D. 2, 51, 128; cf. id. Cat. 1, 6 fin.: “elapsae manibus tabellae,” Ov. M. 9, 571; cf.: “gladius ei e manu,” Just. 33, 2, 3: “jumentum e manibus curantium elapsum,” Liv. 44, 40: “animi corporibus elapsi,” Cic. Rep. 6, 26 fin.; cf. id. Tusc. 1, 45 fin.: “quicquid incidit, fastigio musculi elabitur,” Caes. B. C. 2, 11, 1: “Manlii cuspis super galeam hostis elapsa est,” slipped along, Liv. 8, 7: “foras elapsa corpora,” Lucr. 5, 489.—
b. In an upward direction of fire: “frondes elapsus in altas,” having crept, glided, upwards, Verg. G. 2, 305. —
2. In partic.
(α).
Of persons, to slip off, get clear, escape: “ex proelio elapsi,” Caes. B. G. 5, 37 fin.: “e soceri manibus ac ferro,” Cic. Att. 10, 4, 3: “de caede Pyrrhi,” Verg. A. 2, 526: “telis Achivum,” id. ib. 2, 318; cf. “custodiae,” Tac. A. 5, 10: “inter tumultum,” Liv. 28, 33: “mediis Achivis,” Verg. A. 1, 242 et saep.—
(β).
Of limbs or joints, to be dislocated: “articuli,” Cels. 8, 11, 13: “id quod in latus elapsum est, digitis restitui,” id. 8, 19: “illi elapsos in pravum artus, etc.,” Tac. H. 4, 81.—
B. Trop.
A. In gen., to slip away, escape: “causa e manibus,” Cic. de Or. 2, 50; cf.: “rei publicae statum illum elapsum scito esse de manibus,” id. Att. 1, 16, 6; and with this cf. id. Mur. 39, 85: “animus devinctus paulatim elapsus est Bacchidi,” i. e. became estranged, Ter. Hec. 1, 2, 94: libros adolescenti elapsos esse, had slipped from him, i. e. had been published prematurely, Quint. 3, 1, 20: “in servitutem elapsi,” who had insensibly fallen into, Liv. 3, 37.—
B. In partic.
1. To get off, get clear, escape from condemnation, punishment: “ex tot tantisque criminibus elapsus,” Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 58; 2, 1, 39 fin.; id. de Sen. 12 fin.; id. Q. Fr. 3, 4, 2; Quint. 2, 11, 2; 3, 6, 83; Suet. Tib. 33 al. Less freq. of things: “ne quod maleficium impunitate elaberetur,” Suet. Aug. 32.—
2. Pregn., to pass away, disappear, escape: “imperfecta tibi elapsa est vita,” Lucr. 3, 958; so, “ea spes,” Plaut. Capt. 3, 5, 101: “assensio omnis illa,” Cic. Tusc. 1, 11, 24: aliquid memoriă, id. Phil. 13, 5, 11; cf. Quint. 10, 3, 33; Luc. 9, 80.—
II. Act. like effugere, to escape from any evil or danger (post-Aug. and very rare): “pugnam aut vincula,” Tac. A. 1, 61: “custodias,” id. H. 3, 59; Flor. 1, 10, 7 Duker. N. cr.: “vim ignium (statua),” Tac. A. 4, 64.
