I.to befoul, stain, pollute, defile (syn.: polluo, contamino, conspurco).
I. Lit.: “vestem,” Plaut. Capt. 2, 2, 17: “mentior at si quid, merdis caput inquiner albis Corvorum,” Hor. S. 1, 8, 37: “ruris opes niteant: inquinet arma situs,” Ov. F. 4, 928: “(gurgitem) venenis,” id. M. 14, 56: “segetem injecto lolio,” Dig. 9, 2, 27. —
II. Trop., to pollute, defile, corrupt, contaminate: saepe unus puer petulans atque impurus inquinat gregem puerorum, Varr. ap. Non. 168, 7: “amicitiam nomine criminoso,” Cic. Planc. 19, 46: “agros turpissimis possessoribus, id. Phil, 2, 17, 43: omnem splendorem honestatis,” id. Fin. 5, 8, 22: “urbis jura et exempla corrumpere domesticaque immanitate inquinare,” id. Deiot. 12, 23: “senatum,” Liv. 9, 46, 10: “famam alterius,” id. 29, 37 med.: “argumenta puerorum foedis amoribus,” Quint. 10, 1, 100; cf. id. 2, 5, 24; 4, 2, 102: “se parricidio,” Cic. Tusc. 5, 2, 6: “se vitiis atque flagitiis,” id. ib. 1, 30, 72: “nuptias et genus et domos,” Hor. C. 3, 6, 18: “Juppiter inquinavit aere tempus aureum,” id. Epod. 16, 64.—Hence, inquĭnātus , a, um, P. a., befouled, polluted.
A. Lit.: “aqua turbida et cadaveribus inquinata,” Cic. Tusc. 5, 34, 97.—
2. Transf., stained, dyed: “bis murice vellus inquinatum,” Mart. 4, 4, 6.—
B. Trop., defiled, impure, filthy, base.
1. In gen.: “omnibus flagitiis vita inquinata,” Cic. Rosc. Am. 24, 68: “nihil hoc homine inquinatius,” id. Fl. 22, 53: “sordidissima ratio et inquinatissima,” id. Off. 2, 6, 21: “quis in voluptate inquinatior,” id. Cael. 6, 13: comitia largitione inquinata, id. Q. Petit. Cons. fin.: “dextra inquinatior,” Cat. 33, 3: “sermo inquinatissimus,” Cic. Verr. 2, 3, 26, § 65.—
2. In partic.
a. Of speech, low, base: “est vitiosum in verbis, si inquinatum, si abjectum,” Cic. Opt. Gen. Or. 3, 7: “versus inquinatus, insuavissima littera,” id. Or. 49, 163. —
b. Tinctured, slightly imbued with any thing (cf. A. 2.): “litteris satis inquinatus est,” Petr. Fragm. Trag. 46 Burm.: “non inquinati sumus (istis vitiis), sed infecti,” Sen. Ep. 59 med.— Adv.: inquĭnātē , filthily, impurely; loqui, Cic. Brut. 37, 140; 74, 258.