I.fut. operibo: ego operibo caput, Pompon. ap. Non. 507, 33; imperf. operibat, Prop. 4, 12, 35), v. a. pario, whence the opp. aperio, to uncover; cf. paro, to cover, cover over any thing (class.; syn.: tego, velo, induo).
I. Lit.
A. Operire capita, Plaut. Poen. 3, 4, 34; cf.: “capite operto esse,” Cic. Sen. 10, 34: “operiri umerum cum toto jugulo,” Quint. 11, 3, 141; id. praef. § 24.—Esp., of clothing: “aeger multā veste operiendus est,” Cels. 3, 7 fin.; so in Vulg. Isa. 58, 7; id. Ezech. 18, 7 et saep.: “fons fluctu totus operiretur, nisi,” Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 53, § 118: “summas amphoras auro et argento,” Nep. Hann. 9, 3: “mons nubibus,” Ov. P. 4, 5, 5: “(rhombos) quos operit glacies Maeotica,” Juv. 4, 42.—Comically: aliquem loris, to cover over, i. e. to lash soundly, Ter. Ad. 2, 1, 28: “reliquias malae pugnae,” i. e. to bury, Tac. A. 15, 28: “operiet eos formido,” Vulg. Ezech. 7, 18; id. Jer. 3, 25.—
B. Transf., to shut, close (syn.: “claudo, praecludo, obsero): fores,” Plaut. Men. 2, 3, 1: “ostium,” Ter. Heaut. 5, 1, 33: “iste opertā lecticā latus est,” Cic. Phil. 2, 41, 106: oculos, to shut, close (opp. patefacere), Plin. 11, 37, 55, § 150; cf.: “opertos compressosve (oculos),” Quint. 11, 2, 76.—
II. Trop.
1. To hide, conceal, keep from observation, dissemble: “quo pacto hoc operiam?” Ter. Hec. 4, 4, 6 Bentl. (al. aperiam): “non in oratione operiendā sunt quaedam,” Quint. 2, 13, 12: “quotiens dictu deformia operit,” id. 8, 6, 59; cf. id. 5, 12, 18: “luctum,” Plin. Ep. 3, 16, 6: “domestica mala tristitia,” Tac. A. 3, 18.—
2. To overwhelm, burden, as with shame, etc. (only in part. perf. pass.): “contumeliis opertus,” loaded, overwhelmed, Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 50, § 111; cf.: “judicia operta dedecore et infamiā,” id. Clu. 22, 61: “infamiā,” Tac. H. 3, 69.—
3. Of sin, to atone for, cover, cause to be forgotten (eccl. Lat.): “qui converti fecerit peccatorem, operiet multitudinem peccatorum,” Vulg. Jac. 5, 20; id. 1 Pet. 4, 8.—ŏpertus , a, um, P. a., hidden, concealed (class.): “operta quae fuere, aperta sunt,” Plaut. Capt. 3, 3, 9: “res,” Cic. Fin. 2, 2, 5: “operta bella,” Verg. G. 1, 465: “cineres,” Hor. C. 2, 8, 9: “hamum,” id. S. 1, 16, 50.—As subst.: ŏpertum , i, n., a secret place or thing, a secret; an ambiguous answer, dark oracle, etc.: “Apollinis operta,” the dark, ambiguous oracles, Cic. Div. 1, 50, 115: “telluris operta subire,” the depths, Verg. A. 6, 140: opertum Bonae Deae, the secret place or secret service, Cic. Par. 4, 2, 32: “litterarum,” a secret, Gell. 17, 9, 22.—Adv.: ŏpertē , covertly, figuratively (post-class.): “operte et symbolice,” Gell. 4, 11, 10.
