I.to wash forth or out, to cast out (mostly poet. and in postAug. prose; not found in Cic.; once in Cæs.; v. infra).
I. Lit.: “genus omne natantum Litore in extremo ... fluctus Proluit,” Verg. G. 3, 543; “ventrem,” i. e. to cause diarrhœa, Col. 7, 3, 25.—
II. Transf.
A. To wash off or away: “tempestas ex omnibus montibus nives proluit,” Caes. B. C. 1, 48: “impetus aquarum proluit terram,” Col. 2, 18, 5; cf.: “silvas Eridanus,” Verg. G. 1, 481; id. A. 12, 686.—Hence, *
2. Trop., to make away with property: “pecuniam prandiorum gurgitibus,” to squander, dissipate, Gell. 2, 24, 11.—
B. To moisten, wet, wash: “in vivo prolue rore manus,” Ov. F. 4, 778: “ensem,” i. e. with blood, Sil. 15, 304: “cruor proluit pectora,” Stat. Th. 8, 711.—Poet., of drinking: “leni praecordia mulso Prolueris melius,” Hor. S. 2, 4, 26: “se pleno auro,” Verg. A. 1, 739; “multā prolutus vappā,” Hor. S. 1, 5, 16: “nec fonte labra prolui caballino,” Pers. prol. 1.—In comic lang.: cloacam (i. e. ventrem), to wash out the stomach, i. e. to drink one's fill, Plaut. Curc. 1, 2, 29.—
C. To overflow, inundate (postclass.): prolutas esse regiones imbribus, App. de Mundo, p. 73, 26.