I. Act., to keep back, hinder, delay, detain, impede, retard (class.; a favorite word with Cic., esp. in the trop. signif.; syn. moror).
A. Lit.: “quarum (stellarum vagarum) motus tum incitantur, tum retardantur, saepe etiam insistunt,” Cic. N. D. 2, 40, 103: “aliquem in viā,” id. Phil. 10, 5, 11: “itinere devio per ignorantiam locorum retardati,” Suet. Galb. 20: “flumina retardant equos,” Verg. G. 3, 253: “boves retinere ac retardare,” Col. 2, 2, 26: “instantia ora retardat Cuspide praetentā,” Ov. M. 3, 82: “te metuunt nuper Virgines nuptae, tua ne retardet Aura maritos,” Hor. C. 2, 8, 23: “inundationibus Tiberis retardatus,” Suet. Oth. 8: “mulierum mensibus retardatis,” Plin. 21, 21, 89, § 156. — Absol.: “eae res, quae ceteros remorari solent, non retardarunt,” Cic. Imp. Pomp. 14, 40; Suet. Caes. 34.—
B. Trop.: “impetus hostium repressos esse intellegunt ac retardatos,” Cic. Imp. Pomp. 5, 13: “impetum, Auct. B. Afr. 68: illius animos atque impetus,” Cic. Div. in Caecil. 11, 33: “celeritatem persequendi,” id. Imp. Pomp. 9, 22: “loquacitatem,” id. Vatin. 1, 2: “animos testium,” Cic. Verr. 2, 1, 6, § 17: “consuetudinem,” id. Sest. 31, 67: “auxilium,” id. Pis. 31, 77: “aliquem a scribendo,” id. Fam. 5, 17, 1; cf.: “aliquem ab alicujus tempore aut commodo,” id. Arch. 6. 12; Suet. Caes. 59: “Tigranem Asiae minitantem,” Cic. Imp. Pomp. 15, 45: “ergo non aetas quemquam, non valetudo, non sexus retardavit, quominus, etc.,” Plin. Pan. 22, 2: “mea te fortuna retardat,” Ov. Tr. 3, 7, 21: “incepta,” Sil. 1, 478: “invidia retardat sceptra,” id. 11, 609.— Absol.: “ad quem (agrum) fruendum non modo non retardat, verum etiam invitat atque allectat senectus,” Cic. Sen. 16, 57.— *
II. Neutr., to tarry, remain behind, delay: “in quo cursu (stella Saturni) multa mirabiliter efficiens, tum antecedendo, tum retardando, tum, etc.,” Cic. N. D. 2, 20, 52.
