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sĕnesco , nŭi, 3 (
I.gerundive: “senescendi homines,” Varr. L. L. 6, § 11 Müll. N. cr.), v. inch. n. [seneo], to grow old, become aged; to grow hoary.
I. Lit. (rare): “ita sensim aetas senescit,” Cic. Sen. 11, 38; cf.: “tempora labuntur tacitisque senescimus annis,” Ov. F. 6, 771: “senescente jam Graeciā,” Cic. Rep. 1, 37, 58: “solve senescentem mature equum,” Hor. Ep. 1, 1, 8: “arbores senescunt,” Plin. 16, 27, 50, § 116: Solon significat se cottidie aliquid addiscentem senescere. Val. Max. 8, 7, 14.—In perf.: “avus (Augusti) tranquillissime senuit,” Suet. Aug. 2: “ego senui et progressioris aetatis sum,” Vulg. Josne, 23, 2.—In gerundive: longissimum spatium senescendorum hominum id (seclum) putarant, Varr. L. L. 6, § 11 Müll. N. cr.—
II. Transf.
A. For the usual consenescere, to grow old or gray in an occupation, etc., i. e. to linger too long over it: “inani circa voces studio senescunt,” Quint. 8 prooem. § 8.—
B. (Causa pro effectu.) To decay or diminish in strength; to grow weak, feeble, or powerless; to waste away, fall off, wane, decline, etc. (the prevailing signif. of the word in prose and poetry; cf. consenesco; while inveterasco is to grow better by age).
1. Of living subjects (a favorite expression of Livy; “perh. not in Cic., but cf. consenesco, II. 2.): Hannibalem jam et famā senescere et viribus,” Liv. 29, 3 fin.; cf. “of the same,” id. 22, 39: “otio senescere,” id. 25, 7: “non esse cum aegro senescendum,” id. 21, 53: “dis hominibusque accusandis senescere,” to pine away, id. 5, 43 Drak.; cf.: “amore senescit habendi,” Hor. Ep. 1, 7, 85: “socordiā,” Tac. A. 1, 9; Val. Max. 8, 13, 7: “ne (agni) desiderio senescant,” Varr. R. R. 2, 2, 17.— “Of doves,” Col. 8, 8, 4: “quod antiquatur et senescit prope interitum est,” Vulg. Heb. 8, 13.—
2. Of things: “quaedam faciunda in agris potius crescente lunā quam senescente,” in the waning of the moon, Varr. R. R. 1, 37, 1; so, “luna (opp. crescens),” Cic. N. D. 2, 37, 95; Plin. 2, 9, 6, § 42: “arbores hiemali tempore cum lunā simul senescentes,” Cic. Div. 2, 14, 33: “nunc pleno orbe, nunc senescente (al. senescentem) exiguo cornu fulgere lunam,” Liv. 44, 37: “continuā messe senescit ager,” becomes exhausted, worn out, Ov. A. A. 3, 82: “prata,” Plin. 18, 28, 67, § 259: uniones, i. e. grow pale or dim, id. 9, 35, 56, § 115; cf. “smaragdi,” id. 37, 5, 18, § 70: “caseus in salem,” grows salt with age, id. 11, 42, 97, § 242: coma, falls out, Domit. ap. Suet. Dom. 18 fin.: monumenta virūm, decay (with delapsa), Lucr. 5, 312 et saep.: “mensis senescens,” drawing to an end, closing, Varr. L. L. 6, § 10 Müll.; so, “hiems,” Cic. N. D. 2, 19, 49.—Of abstr. things: “oratorum laus senescit,” Cic. Tusc. 2, 2, 5; cf.: “ut laus senescens,” id. de Or. 2, 2, 7: “senescere civitatem otio,” Liv. 1, 22, 2: “omnia orta occidunt et aucta senescunt,” Sall. J. 2, 3; cf. Fabri ad Sall. C. 20, 10; so, “somnia,” Sall. J. 35, 3: “vires,” id. H. Fragm. 3, 22, p. 235 Gerl.; Liv. 9, 27: “Hannibalis vis,” id. 25, 16: “bellum,” id. 28, 36; 30, 19: “pugna,” id. 5, 21: “fama,” id. 27, 20; Tac. H. 2, 24; cf. “rumores,” id. A. 2, 77: “consilia,” Liv. 35, 12: “vitia (opp. maturescente virtute),” id. 3, 12: “invidia,” id. 29, 22: “fortuna (opp. florere),” Vell. 2, 11, 3: “amor,” Ov. A. A. 3, 594.
A Latin Dictionary. Founded on Andrews' edition of Freund's Latin dictionary. revised, enlarged, and in great part rewritten by. Charlton T. Lewis, Ph.D. and. Charles Short, LL.D. Oxford. Clarendon Press. 1879.

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  • Cross-references in general dictionaries from this page (38):
    • New Testament, Hebrews, 8.13
    • Livy, The History of Rome, Book 9, 27
    • Tacitus, Annales, 1.9
    • Tacitus, Annales, 2.77
    • Tacitus, Historiae, 2.24
    • Cicero, On Oratory, 2.2
    • Sallust, Catilinae Coniuratio, 20
    • Sallust, Bellum Iugurthinum, 2
    • Sallust, Bellum Iugurthinum, 35
    • Lucretius, De Rerum Natura, 5.312
    • Suetonius, Divus Augustus, 2
    • Suetonius, Domitianus, 18
    • Pliny the Elder, Naturalis Historia, 2.42
    • Pliny the Elder, Naturalis Historia, 37.70
    • Livy, The History of Rome, Book 25, 7
    • Livy, The History of Rome, Book 28, 36
    • Livy, The History of Rome, Book 29, 22
    • Livy, The History of Rome, Book 30, 19
    • Livy, The History of Rome, Book 27, 20
    • Livy, The History of Rome, Book 29, 3
    • Livy, The History of Rome, Book 35, 12
    • Livy, The History of Rome, Book 44, 37
    • Livy, The History of Rome, Book 22, 39
    • Livy, The History of Rome, Book 1, 22.2
    • Livy, The History of Rome, Book 3, 12
    • Livy, The History of Rome, Book 5, 21
    • Livy, The History of Rome, Book 25, 16
    • Livy, The History of Rome, Book 5, 43
    • Livy, The History of Rome, Book 21, 53
    • Cicero, De Republica, 1.37
    • Cicero, de Natura Deorum, 2.19
    • Cicero, de Natura Deorum, 2.37
    • Cicero, De Senectute, 11
    • Cicero, De Divinatione, 2.14
    • Cicero, Tusculanae Disputationes, 2.2
    • Quintilian, Institutio Oratoria, Book 8, pr.8
    • Columella, Res Rustica, 8.8.4
    • Ovid, Fasti, 6
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