I.shining, glittering, bright, polished, clear (class.; syn.: splendidus, lautus).
I. Lit.: “facite, sultis, nitidae ut aedes meae sint,” Plaut. Stich. 1, 2, 8: “in picturis alios horrida, inculta ... contra alios nitida, laeta delectant,” Cic. Or. 11, 36: “nitidus juventā (anguis),” Verg. G. 3, 437: “caesaries,” id. ib. 4, 337: “caput solis,” id. ib. 1, 467: “ebur,” Ov. M. 2, 3: “aries nitidissimus auro,” id. F. 3, 867: “aether,” Val. Fl. 3, 467: “pisces,” with gleaming scales, Ov. M. 1, 74: “cujus turbavit nitidos exstinctus passer ocellos,” Juv. 6, 8.—
B. Transf.
1. Of animals, sleek, plump, fat: “jumenta,” Nep. Eum. 5, 6.—
2. Of persons, well-conditioned, well-favored, healthy-looking: “me pinguem et nitidum bene curatā cute vises,” Hor. Ep. 1, 4, 15.—So, nitidis sensibus haurire aliquid, with fresh, unblunted, unsated senses, Claud. Cons. Mall. Theod. 193.—
3. Good-looking, handsome, beautiful, neat, elegant, spruce, trim: “nimis nitida femina,” Plaut. Mil. 4, 2, 12; id. Aul. 3, 6, 4: “quos pexo capillo nitidos videtis,” Cic. Cat. 2, 10, 22: “ex nitido fit rusticus,” Hor. Ep. 1, 7, 83: “villae,” id. ib. 1, 15, 46: “nitidioris vitae instrumenta,” Plin. 13, 16, 30, § 100.—
4. Of fields and plants, blooming, fertile, luxuriant: “nitidae fruges arbustaque laeta,” Lucr. 2, 594: “campi nitidissimi viridissimique,” Cic. Verr. 2, 3, 18, § 47: “nitidissima arboris pars,” Plin. 17, 14, 24, § 104. —Poet.: “nitidissimus annus,” rich, fertile, Ov. F. 5, 265.—
5. Of the wrestling ring, in allusion to the oil with which the wrestlers' bodies were anointed: palaestrae, Mart. 4, 8, 5.—
II. Trop., cultivated, polished, refined: “nitidum quoddam genus verborum et laetum,” Cic. de Or. 1, 18, 81: “verba nitidiora,” id. Part. 5, 17: “Isocrates nitidus et comptus,” Quint. 10, 1, 79: “Messala,” id. 1, 7, 35: “oratio,” id. 8, 3, 18; 49; “orator,” id. 12, 10, 78: “nitida et curata vox,” id. 11, 3, 26: “hilares nitidique vocantur,” Juv. 11, 178: “vita nitidior,” Plin. 13, 16, 30, § 100.—Hence, adv.: nĭtĭdē , splendidly, brightly, beautifully, magnificently: “ut nitide nitet,” Plaut. Truc. 2, 4, 3: “cenare nitide,” id. Cas. 3, 6, 19; cf. id. Cist. 1, 1, 11.
