I.inf. fut. expugnassere, Plaut. Am. 1, 1, 55), v. a., to take by assault, to storm, capture, reduce, subdue (freq. and class.; syn.: obsideo, oppugno, capio).
I. Lit., of places: “id (oppidum Noviodunum) ex itinere oppugnare conatus, expugnare non potuit,” Caes. B. G. 2, 12, 2: “oppidum,” id. ib. 2, 10, 4; “3, 14, 1 al.: nonnullas urbes per vim,” id. B. C. 3, 55, 3: “urbem,” Liv. 2, 12, 1: “Cirtam armis,” Sall. J. 23, 1: “castellum,” Caes. B. G. 2, 9, 4; 3, 1, 4: “loca multa,” Nep. Ages. 3: “moenia mundi,” Lucr. 2, 1144 et saep.—
B. Transf., of other objects (things or persons), to subdue, overcome, break down or through, sweep away: “naves,” Caes. B. G. 3, 15, 2 and 5: “aedes,” Ter. Eun. 4, 7, 3; cf. “villas,” Sall. J. 44, 5: “carcerem,” Plaut. Ps. 4, 7, 76: “Philippum et Nabin expugnatos,” conquered, Liv. 37, 25, 6; cf.: “inclusos moenibus expugnat,” Curt. 9, 4: “aliquos,” id. 6, 6; Tac. Agr. 41; Flor. 2, 2, 16; Just. 3, 5: “expugnavi amanti herili filio aurum ab suo patre,” obtained by force, Plaut. Bacch. 4, 9, 5.—Of inanimate subjects: “flumina id oppidum expugnavere,” swept away, Plin. 6, 27, 31, § 138: “Euphrates Taurum expugnat,” i. e. breaks through, id. 5, 24, 20, § 85: “lacte equino venena et toxica expugnantur,” are counteracted, id. 28, 10, 45, § 159.—
II. Trop., to conquer, subdue, overcome: “sapientis animus magnitudine consilii, tolerantia, virtutibus, etc. ... vincetur et expugnabitur,” Cic. Par. 4, 1, 27: “nihil tam munitum, quod non expugnari pecuniā possit,” Cic. Verr. 1, 2, 4: “fortunas patrias,” id. Clu. 13, 36: “pudicitiam,” to violate, id. Cael. 20; 50: “aut enim expugnatur intentio aut adsumptio aut conclusio, nonnumquam omnia,” i. e. is refuted, confuted, Quint. 5, 14, 20 sq.: “pertinaciam legatorum,” Liv. 37, 56, 9: “paupertatem,” Petr. 126: “expugnatus precibus uxoris,” Suet. Tib. 21; “so simply expugnatus,” id. Caes. 1; id. Vesp. 22: “coepta,” to fight through, to accomplish, Ov. M. 9, 619; cf.: sibi legationem expugnavit, extorted, wrung out, obtained (= extorsit), Cic. Verr. 2, 1, 16, § 44.—With ut: “aliqua ratione expugnasset iste, ut dies tollerentur,” Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 52, § 130: “aegre expugnavit, ut, etc.,” Petr. 108.—Hence, * ex-pugnans , antis, P. a., efficient, efficacious: “expugnantior herba,” Ov. M. 14, 21 (so Jahn and Bach., Merkel, expugnacior).
