I.gen. sing. graduis, Varr. ap. Non. 494, 17; dat. gradu, Lucil. ap. Fest. s. v. remeligines, p. 276 Müll.), m. kindr. with Sanscr. kram, to go; v. gradior, a step, pace (cf.: gressus, passus, incessus).
I. Lit.: “ad hanc conversionem, quae pedibus et gradu non egeret, ingrediendi membra non dedit,” Cic. Univ. 6: quaenam vox ex te resonans meo gradu remoram facit? Lucil. l. l.: gradum proferre pedum, Enn. ap. Fest. S. V. PEDUM, p. 249, a Müll. (Trag. v. 248 Vahl.): quo nunc incerta re atque inorata gradum Regredere conare? id. ap. Non. 166, 23 (Trag. v. 12 Vahl.): “gradum facere,” Cic. de Or. 2, 61, 249: “tollere gradum,” Plaut. Bacch. 3, 6, 6: “ad forum suspenso gradu placide ire perrexi,” Ter. Phorm. 5, 6, 27: “quieto et placido gradu sequi,” Phaedr. 2, 7, 6; cf.“, on the contrary: celeri gradu Eunt uterque,” Plaut. Trin. 3, 1, 22: “ut tu es gradibus grandibus,” id. Ep. 1, 1, 11: “citato gradu in hostem ducere,” Liv. 28, 14, 17: “concito gradu properare,” Phaedr. 3, 2, 11: “gradum celerare,” to hasten, Verg. A. 4, 641: so, “corripere,” Hor. C. 1, 3, 33: “addere,” Liv. 26, 9, 5: “sistere,” Verg. A. 6, 465: “sustinere,” Ov. F. 6, 398: “revocare,” Verg. A. 6, 128: “referre,” Ov. F. 5, 502: “vertere,” Stat. Th. 8, 138 et saep.: “peditum aciem instructam pleno gradu in hostem inducit,” at full pace, at a quick step, Liv. 4, 32, 10; 34, 15, 3; 34, 16, 2; cf.: militari gradu viginti milia passuum horis quinque dumtaxat aestivis conficienda sunt; “pleno autem gradu, qui citatior est, totidem horis XXIV. milia peragenda sunt,” Veg. 1, 9: “modico gradu,” Liv. 30, 5, 3: presso gradu, = βάδην, with measured step, a moderate pace, id. 28, 14, 14: “citato gradu,” id. 28, 14, 17; Trebon. ap. Cic. Fam. 12, 16, 2: non gradu, sed praecipiti cursu a virtute descitum, ad vitia transcursum, step by step, = gradatim, Vell. 2, 1, 1: “per gradus,” Ov. M. 2, 354.—
B. Trop., a step, stage, degree: “quem mortis timuit gradum,” pace, approach, Hor. C. 1, 3, 17: “hunc quasi gradum quendam atque aditum ad cetera factum intelligitis,” Cic. Agr. 2, 15, 38; cf.: “itaque majoribus nostris in Africam ex hac provincia gradus imperii factus est,” Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 1, § 3; Quint. 3, 6, 8; so, “Crassus Licinius nec consul nec praetor ante fuerat, quam censor est factus: ex aedilitate gradum censuram fecit,” Liv. 27, 6, 17; 6, 35, 2 Drak.: “hunc gradum mei reditus esse, quod mulieres revertissent,” a step towards my return, Cic. Att. 7, 23, 2; cf. Liv. 6, 42, 2: “notitiam primosque gradus vicinia fecit: Tempore crevit amor,” Ov. M. 4, 59; cf. Prop. 1, 13, 8: “cum consuleretur, quid sentiret, Non possum, inquit, tibi dicere: nescio enim quid de gradu faciat: tamquam de essedario interrogaretur,” i. e. of the Peripatetics, Sen. Ep. 29: “etsi spondeus, quod est e longis duabus, hebetior videtur et tardior, habet tamen stabilem quendam et non expertem dignitatis gradum,” pace, Cic. Or. 64, 216.
II. Transf.
A. In milit. and gladiator's lang., station, position, ground taken by a combatant: “obnisos vos (velim) stabili gradu impetum hostium excipere,” Liv. 6, 12, 8; cf. Tac. H. 2, 35: “de gradu libero ac stabili conari,” Liv. 34, 39, 3: “in suo quisque gradu obnixi, urgentes scutis, sine respiratione ac respectu pugnabant,” id. 8, 38, 11: “inque gradu stetimus, certi non cedere,” Ov. M. 9, 43: “hostes gradu demoti,” Liv. 6, 32, 8 Drak. N. cr.; for which: “turbare ac statu movere,” id. 30, 18, 4.—
2. Trop., a firm position or stand: “corda virum mansere gradu,” i. e. firm, steadfast, Sil. 16, 21: “fortis et constantis est, non perturbari in rebus asperis, nec tumultuantem de gradu deici, ut dicitur,” to let one's self be disconcerted, Cic. Off. 1, 23, 80; cf.: “dejectus de gradu,” id. Att. 16, 15, 3: motus gradu, Sen. Const. Sap. 19: “gradu depulsus,” Nep. Them. 5, 1; cf.: “nam si gradum, si caritatem filii apud te haberem,” Liv. 40, 9, 3.—
B. That on which one steps, a step or round of a ladder, a stair.
1. Lit. (usu. in plur.): quemadmodum scalarum gradus si alios tollas, alios incidas, etc., Caecin. ap. Cic. Fam. 6, 7, 3: “haerent parietibus scalae, postesque sub ipsos Nituntur gradibus,” Verg. A. 2, 443: “gradus templorum,” Cic. Att. 4, 1, 5: “gradus ejusdem templi tollebantur,” id. Sest. 15, 34; cf.: “aerea cui (templo) gradibus surgebant limina,” Verg. A. 1, 448; Vell. 2, 3, 1: “pro Palatii gradibus,” Suet. Ner. 8; id. Vit. 15: “praeceps per gradus ire,” id. Calig. 35: “si gradibus trepidatur ab imis,” Juv. 3, 200.—
b. Transf., of things that rise by steps.
(α).
In hair-dressing, a braid of hair: “caput in gradus atque anulos comptum,” Quint. 12, 10, 47: “comam in gradus frangere,” id. 1, 6, 44; cf.: “coma in gradus formata,” Suet. Ner. 51.—
(β).
In econom. lang., a spit or such a depth of earth as can be dug at once with the spade, Col. 3, 13, 19; 4, 1, 3.—
(γ).
In math., a degree of a circle, Manil. 1, 579.—
2. Trop., a step, degree in tones, in age, relationship, rank, etc. (equally common in sing. and plur.): “ille princeps variabit et mutabit, omnes sonorum tum intendens tum remittens persequetur gradus,” Cic. Or. 18, 59; cf. id. de Or. 3, 61, 227: “ab ima ad summam (vocem) ac retro multi sunt gradus,” Quint. 11, 3, 15; cf. Vulg. Psa. 119 Tit. et saep.: “Paulatim gradus aetatis scandere adultae,” Lucr. 2, 1123; cf.: “quod tanta penuria est in omni vel honoris vel aetatis gradu, ut, etc.,” Cic. Fam. 3, 11, 3; so, “aetatis,” Vell. 2, 36, 2; Quint. 3, 7, 15; Suet. Aug. 79; id. Tit. 3 al.: “unus gradus et una progenies,” Lact. 2, 10, 10: “nostri quoque sanguinis auctor Juppiter est, totidemque gradus distamus ab illo,” Ov. M. 13, 143; cf.: “a matre Magnum Pompeium artissimo contingebat gradu,” Suet. Aug. 4; id. Ner. 2: “qui (populus) te tam mature ad summum imperium per omnes honorum gradus extulit,” Cic. Cat. 1, 11, 28: “gradus dignitatis,” id. Rep. 1, 27; cf. id. ib. 1, 27 fin.—Sing.: “ex tam alto dignitatis gradu,” Cic. Lael. 3, 12 fin.: “gradus altior, altissimus, amplissimus, dignitatis,” id. Clu. 55, 150; id. Phil. 1, 6, 14; id. Mur. 14, 30; cf. also id. ib. 27, 55: “summum in praefectura florentissima gradum tenere et dignitatis et gratiae,” id. Planc. 13, 32: “a senatorio gradu longe abesse,” id. de Imp. Pomp. 21, 61; cf.: “ascendens gradibus magistratuum,” id. Brut. 81, 281.—Without gen.: “etenim quis est civis praesertim hoc gradu, quo me vos esse voluistis, tam oblitus beneficii vestri, etc.,” id. Phil. 6, 7, 18; id. Ac. 2, 2, 6: “omni gradu amplissimo dignissimus,” id. Fam. 6, 10, 2: “gradus officiorum,” id. Off. 1, 45, 160: “temporum servantur gradus,” id. Part. 4, 12: cf.: “non iidem erunt necessitudinum gradus qui temporum,” id. Off. 1, 18, 59: “gradus cognationis,” Dig. 38, 10, 1 sqq.: “v. de gradibus,” Paul. Sent. 4, 11, 1-8: “agnationis,” Gai. Inst. 3, 10, 11: “si plures eodem gradu sint agnati,” Ulp. Fragm. 26, 5: cognati ex transverso gradu usque ad quartum gradum, i. e. collateral kindred (opp. parentes et liberi), id. ib. 5, 6: “gradus plures sunt societatis hominum,” id. ib. 1, 17, 53: “peccatorum gradus,” id. Verr. 2, 3, 74, § 172: “oratorum aetates et gradus,” id. Brut. 32, 122; cf.: “gradus et dissimilitudines Atticorum,” id. ib. 82, 285: “accendendi judicis plures sunt gradus,” Quint. 11, 3, 166; 6, 4, 67: nec gradus est ultra Fabios cognominis ullus; “Illa domus meritis Maxima dicta suis,” Ov. F. 1, 605: “si ita esset, quid opus erat te gradatim istuc pervenire? . . . A beatis ad virtutem, a virtute ad rationem video te venisse gradibus,” Cic. N. D. 1, 32, 89; cf.: “omnes gradus virtutis implere,” Lact. 5, 14, 18; and: “hi plerumque gradus,” Juv. 11, 46.
