I.v. inch. n. [frondeo], to become leafy, to put forth leaves, to shoot out.
I. Lit. (class.): caelum nitescere, arbores frondescere, Vites pampinis pubescere, etc., Enn. ap. Cic. Tusc. 1, 28, 69 (Trag. v. 192 ed. Vahl.); Lucr. 1, 1092: “alia hieme nudata, verno tempore tepefacta frondescunt,” Cic. Tusc. 5, 13, 37: “cum subito vidit frondescere Romulus hastam,” Ov. M. 15, 561; cf. id. ib. 4, 395: “simili frondescit virga metallo,” Verg. A. 6, 144.—*
II. Trop., of speech, to be flowery: “oratio verborum compositione frondescat,” Hier. Ep. 36, 14.