I. To strike or beat against, at, or on a thing; to beat, thump, belabor (very rare; “perh. only ante- and post-class.): pectora pugnis, Firm. Math. 5, 5: obtundit os mihi,” breaks my jaw, Plaut. Cas. 5, 2, 50; cf.: “obtunso ore,” id. ib. 5, 1, 8; cf.: “nam sum obtusus pugnis pessume,” id. Am. 2, 1, 59.—
II. To blunt, dull, by striking.
B. Transf.
1. To blunt, weaken, make dull, deprive of strength: “aciem oculorum,” Plin. 22, 25, 70, § 142: “auditum,” id. 24, 11, 50, § 87: “obtusus stomachus,” id. Ep. 7, 3, 5: “vocem,” to blunt, weaken, Lucr. 4, 613: “ingenia,” Cic. de Or. 2, 70, 282: “et obtusis ceciderunt viribus artis,” Lucr. 3, 452; Liv. 7, 2: “mentem,” Cic. Tusc. 1, 33, 80: “ingenia,” id. de Or. 3, 24, 93: “nihil est quod tam obtundat elevetque aegritudinem, quam. etc.,” id. Tusc. 3, 16, 34.—
2. Aures or aliquem, or simply obtundere, to stun or din the ears; to deafen one by saying a thing too often or too long; hence, to annoy or tease with importunity; aures graviter obtundo tuas, ne quem ames, Plaut. Cist. 1, 1, 120: ne brevitas defraudasse aures videatur, neve longitudo obtudisse, Cic. Or. 66, 221: “aliquem longis epistulis,” to annoy, molest, id. Att. 8, 1: “aliquem,” id. Fam. 5, 14, 3: “rogitando,” Ter. Eun. 3, 5, 6.—With object-clause: obtuderunt ejus aures, te socium praetoris fuisse, they dinned into him that, etc., Timarch. ap. Cic. Verr. 2, 3, 67, § 157.— With subj.: “non cessat obtundere, totam prorsus a principio fabulam promeret,” App. M. 9, p. 228, 8: “aliquem de aliquā re,” to importune, annoy, Ter. Ad. 1, 2, 33: “obtundis, tametsi intellego, etc.,” id. And. 2, 2, 11.—Hence, obtūsus (obtunsus or optūsus ), a, um, P. a., blunt, dull, obtuse (class.).
A. Lit.: “falx obtusa et hebes,” Col. 4, 24, 21: “pugio,” Tac. A. 15, 54: “vomer,” Verg. G. 1, 262: “angulus,” Lucr. 4, 355: “cornua lunae obtusa,” Plin. 18, 35, 79, § 347.—
B. Transf., blunted, blunt, dull, weak, faint, powerless: “animi acies obtusior,” Cic. Sen. 23, 83: “stellis acies obtunsa,” Verg. G. 1, 395: obtusi et hebetes ad aliquam rem, Cic. Fragm. ap. Lact. 3, 14: “aures obtunsae,” blunted, dull of hearing, Auct. Her. 3, 9, 17: vox, thick, not clear (opp. clara), Quint. 11, 3, 15: “fauces tumentes strangulant vocem, optusae obscurant,” id. 11, 3, 20: “stomachus,” weakened, spoiled, Plin. Ep. 7, 3, 5: “obtunsa pectora,” insensible, without feeling, Verg. A. 1, 567: “ingenium,” Gell. 13, 24, 21: “vires,” enfeebled, Lucr. 3, 452: “nimio ne luxu obtunsior usus Sit genitali arvo,” too blunted, too enfeebled, Verg. G. 3, 135: “vigor animi,” Liv. 5, 18: “cor,” Lact. 2, 5, 4: “sensus eorum,” Vulg. 2 Cor. 3, 14: “venenum,” powerless, Calp. Ecl. 5, 94.—Comp.: “quo quid dici potest obtusius?” Cic. N. D. 1, 25, 70.—Sup. does not occur.—Hence, adv.: obtūsē , dully, not keenly (postclass.): “crocodili in aquā obtusius vident, in terrā acutissime,” Sol. 32, § 28.—Fig.: “hoc facere obtuse,” Aug. Doct. Christ. 4, 5, § 7.