I.inward, inner, interior (ante- and post-class.): “exscrea usque ex penitis faucibus,” Plaut. As. 1, 1, 28: “scaturigo fontis,” App. M. 6, p. 178, 33: “mente penitā conditum,” id. ib. 11, p. 259, 38.—Comp. penitior pars domūs, App. Fragm. ap. Prisc. p. 599 P.—Sup.: “advecta ex Arabiā penitissimā,” Plaut. Pers. 4, 3, 53; so id. ib. 4, 3, 71: “in latebras abscondas pectore penitissimo,” id. Cist. 1, 1, 65: “Scythae illi penitissimi,” the most remote, Gell. 9, 4, 6: “de Graecorum penitissimis litteris,” Macr. S. 5, 19. —As subst.: pĕnĭta , ōrum, n., the inmost parts: “mundi,” Mart. Cap. 1, § 9: “terrae,” id. 6, § 600: “sacri loci,” Jul. Val. Rer. Gest. Alex. 3, 43.—Hence, adv., in two forms.
A. pĕnĭtē (poet. and post-class.), inwardly, internally, Cat. 61, 178.—Sup.: “penitissime,” Sid. Ep. 4, 9.—
1. Lit.
a. In gen. (only poet.): “extra penitusque coacti Exagitant venti, Sev. Aetn. 317: penitusque deus, non fronte notandus,” Manil. 4, 309.—
b. In partic., deeply, far within, into the inmost part (class.): “saxum penitus excisum,” Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 27, § 68: “argentum penitus abditum,” id. Off. 2, 2, 13: “jacent penitus defossa talenta,” Verg. A. 10, 526: “penitus convalle virenti,” id. ib. 6, 679: “penitus terrae defigitur arbos,” id. G. 2, 290: “penitus penetrare,” Cels. 5, 26, 7: “Suevos penitus ad extremos fines se recepisse,” Caes. B. G. 6, 9: “penitus in Thraciam se abdidit,” Nep. Alcib. 9: “mare retibus penitus scrutare,” Juv. 5, 95.—
(β).
Trop., deeply, far within. from the innermost depths or recesses: “penitus ex intimā philosophiā hauriendam juris disciplinam putas,” from the very depths of philosophy, Cic. Leg. 1, 5, 17: “opinio tam penitus insita,” so deeply rooted, id. Clu. 1, 4: “bene penitus sese dare in familiaritatem alicujus,” Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 70, § 169: “periculum penitus in venis et visceribus rei publicae,” in the very heart, id. Cat. 1, 13, 31: “demittere se penitus in causam,” id. Att. 7, 12, 3.—
2. Transf. (qs. through and through, to the bottom of a thing, i. e.), thoroughly, completely, wholly, entirely, utterly (class.): “caput et supercilia penitus abrasa,” Cic. Rosc. Com. 7, 20: “utrum hic confirmasse videtur religionem an penitus totam sustulisse?” id. N. D. 1, 42, 119: “res penitus perspectae,” id. de Or. 1, 23, 108: “penitus pernoscere omnes animorum motus,” id. ib. 1, 5, 17: “quod in memoriā meā penitus insederit,” id. ib. 2, 28, 122: “intellegere aliquid,” id. Att. 8, 12, 1: “amittere hanc consuetudinem et disciplinam,” id. Off. 2, 8, 27: “diffidere rei publicae,” id. Fam. 5, 13, 5: “perdere se ipsos,” id. Fin. 1, 15, 49: te penitus rogo ne, etc., Q. Cic. ap. Cic. Fam. 16, 8, 1: “penitus toto divisos orbe Britannos,” Verg. E. 1, 66: “dilecta penitus,” Hor. C. 1, 21, 4.— Hence, to strengthen the comp.: “penitus crudelior,” far more, Prop. 1, 16, 17.—To strengthen the sup.: “vir penitus Romano nomini infestissimus,” Vell. 2, 27, 1.
