I.to be haughty or proud, to take pride in a thing (mostly poet. and in post-Aug. prose).
I. Lit.: si habes quod liqueat, neque respondes, superbis, * Cic. Ac. 2, 29, 94 Orell. (dub.; “B. and K. and Halm, superbe): ut nostris tumefacta superbiat Umbria libris,” Prop. 4 (5), 1, 63. “avi nomine,” Ov. M. 11, 218: “patriis actis,” id. H. 8, 43: “formā multa superbit avis,” id. Med. Fac. 34: “formā,” id. A. A. 3, 103: “nimis triumviratu suo,” Plin. 9, 35, 59, § 122: “honore,” Phaedr. 5, 7, 38: “superbire miles, quod, etc.,” Tac. A. 1, 19 fin.— Poet. with inf.: “spoliare superbit Oenides,” disdains, Stat. Th. 8, 588.—Absol., Vulg. Deut. 17, 12 al.—
II. Transf., of things and in a good sense, to be superb, splendid, magnificent: “et quae sub Tyriā concha superbit aquā,” Prop. 4 (5), 5, 22. “torus radiis auri,” Claud. Laud. Stil. 1, 79: “silva Phlegraeis exuviis,” id. Rapt. Pros. 3, 337: “hac (gemma) apud Menandrum et Philemonem fabulae superbiunt,” Plin. 37, 7, 33, § 106.