I. In a good sense, adroit, dexterous, versatile; shrewd, clever, ingenious (class.; “syn. callidus): homo versutus et callidus (versutos eos appello, quorum celeriter mens versatur),” Cic. N. D. 3, 10, 25: “quod (genus acuminis) erat in reprehendendis verbis versutum et sollers,” id. Brut. 67, 236: “animus acutus atque versutus,” id. de Or. 2, 20, 84: “versutissimum et patientissimum Lacedaemonium Lysandrum accepimus,” id. Off. 1, 30, 109: “adulescens docte vorsutus fuit,” Plaut. Stich. 4, 1, 55.—
II. In a bad sense, cunning, crafty, wily, sly, deceitful (freq. and class.; “syn. vafer): vorsutior es quam rota figularis,” Plaut. Ep. 3, 2, 35: “non esse servus pejor hoc quisquam potest, Nec magis versutus,” id. As. 1, 1, 106; cf. id. Ps. 4, 8, 6: “hoc est hominis versuti, obscuri, astuti, fallacis, malitiosi, callidi, veteratoris, vafri,” Cic. de Or. 3, 13, 57; cf. id. ib. 2, 3, 10: “acutus, versutus, veterator,” id. Fin. 2, 16, 53; 2, 17, 54: “Corinna,” Ov. Am. 2, 19, 9: “propago,” id. M. 11, 312 al.— Sup., Vell. 2, 118, 1.—With gen.: “versutus ingenii,” Plin. 7, 12, 10, § 56.—Adv.: ver-sūtē , cunningly, craftily, slyly, Cic. Or. 7, 22; id. Brut. 9, 35.—Sup., Aug Trin. 15, 20.
