I. To drive forth, drive away: “ver proterit aestas Interitura,” i. e. supplants, Hor. C. 4, 7, 9.—
II. To tread under foot, trample down, wear away, crush, bruise (class.; syn. proculco).
A. Lit.: “aliquem pedibus,” Plaut. Truc. 2, 2, 13: “homines elephantis proterendos substravit,” Val. Max. 2, 7, 14: “januam limā,” i. e. to destroy, Plaut. Men. 1, 1, 9: “equitatus aversos proterere incipit,” Caes. B. C. 2, 41: “agmina curru,” Verg. A. 12, 330: “florentia arva,” Ov. M. 2, 791: “adversum rota proterit agmen,” Sil. 2, 175: “ulmus labens proterit uvas,” Stat. Th. 8, 747: “seges torrefacta proteritur,” Col. 2, 21, 3.—
B. Transf., in gen., to overthrow, beat, crush, defeat, destroy: “Marte Poenos,” Hor. C. 3, 5, 34: “protrita hostium acies,” Tac. H. 2, 26: “aliquem proterere et conculcare,” to maltreat, abuse, trample upon, Cic. Fl. 2, 22, 53; cf.: “pati urbem proteri atque conculcari,” Auct. Her. 4, 53, 66: “ruinā suā proteri,” Vell. 2, 91, 4: “umbram,” Ov. Tr. 3, 11, 25: “omnia ferro,” Just. 24, 4, 6: “barbaram plebem,” Amm. 15, 4, 12. —Hence, prōtrītus , a, um, P.a., worn out (by rubbing); hence, of words, of frequent use, common, trite, vulgar (post-class.): “verba,” Gell. 5, 21, 4; 12, 2, 1; 18, 4, 6.
