I.per diaeresin exsolŭātur, Lucr. 1, 811: “exsolŭïsse,” Ov. F. 4, 534; cf. solvo, init.), v. a., to loose, unloose, to unbind, untie, undo (mostly poet. and in post-Aug. prose).
I. Lit.
A. In gen.: “nexus,” Lucr. 1, 220: Am. Agedum, eam solve cistulam. So. Quid ego istam exsolvam? undo, unseal, Plaut. Am. 2, 2, 152: “properans exsolvi restim,” id. Rud. 2, 3, 37: “catenas Caecinae,” Tac. H. 3, 31: “vincula,” id. A. 3, 33; id. H. 3, 12: “pugionem a latere,” to ungird, id. H. 3, 68: “venas praebere exsolvendas,” to be opened, id. A. 4, 22; 11, 3; 16, 17: “brachia ferro eodem ictu,” id. ib. 15, 63: “amictus,” to pull off, Stat. S. 1, 5, 53: “venenum exsoluta alvo transmisit,” i. e. in a flux, diarrhœa, Tac. A. 13, 15.—Of an inanimate subject: “(ignis) exsolvit glaciem,” dissolves, melts, Lucr. 6, 878.—
B. In partic.
1. To set loose, release, deliver, free (mostly poet.): “aliquem vinclis,” Plaut. Truc. 4, 3, 10; so, “exsolutus vinculis,” Suet. Ner. 49: “jube sis me exsolvi cito,” Plaut. Bacch. 4, 8, 16 sq.: “sese e nervis (animae),” Lucr. 3, 696; cf. id. 1, 811: “se paulatim corpore (said of one dying),” Verg. A. 11, 829: “quo (sanguine),” Tac. H. 5, 6.—
2. In mercant. lang. (qs. to free from obligation, v. solvo, to discharge, pay a debt): nomina mea, per deos, expedi, exsolve (for which, shortly after: hoc quod debeo plane expedias et solutum relinquas), Cic. Att. 16, 6, 3: “aes alienum,” Plin. Ep. 3, 11, 2: “pretium,” Plaut. Men. 5, 6, 26: “multiplicem sortem,” Liv. 6, 14, 7: “dotem uxori,” Aur. Vict. Vir. Ill. 56: “legata,” Tac. A. 1, 36 fin. et saep. —
II. Trop.
A. In gen., to throw off, lay aside, rid one's self of a thing: “legis nexus,” Tac. A. 3, 28 fin.: “metus,” i. e. to lay aside, Luc. 5, 259: “pudorem,” Stat. Ach. 1, 565: “robur peditum ad exsolvendum obsidium ducit,” i. e. to raise, Tac. A. 3, 39.—
B. In partic.
1. To release, free from any thing: “animum artis nodis religionum,” Lucr. 1, 932; 4, 7: “animos religione,” Liv. 8, 9, 13: “populum religione,” id. 3, 20, 4: “se occupationibus,” Cic. Fam. 7, 1, 5: “aliquem errore, suspicione,” Ter. Hec. 5, 2, 26: “aliquem aere alieno,” Liv. 6, 14, 11: “curis,” Verg. A. 4, 652: “sollicitudine,” Plin. Ep. 1, 22, 11: “contumeliā,” Tac. A. 13, 36: “poenā,” id. ib. 14, 12: “custode,” id. ib. 12, 46 et saep.—
2. To discharge, pay a debt or an obligation: “de tertio genere se scripsit dicturum, nec exsolvit quod promiserat,” but did not keep his promise, Cic. Off. 3, 2, 7: “vota (deo),” Plaut. Am. 3, 2, 67; Liv. 21, 21, 9 (opp. se obligare): “jus jurandum,” id. 24, 18, 5: “fidem,” to fulfil one's promise, id. 26, 31, 10: “praemia, poenas alicui,” to award, id. 26, 40, 15: “gratiam recte factis, alicujus,” id. 28, 25, 6; cf. “grates,” to render, give, Tac. A. 14, 13: “beneficia,” to repay, requite, id. ib. 11, 18; cf.: “vicem beneficio,” id. H. 4, 3: “poenas morte,” to suffer, id. A. 1, 10; cf. Vell. 2, 88 fin.—