I.inf. pres. pass. nocerier, Plaut. Curc. 2, 3, 73; gen. plur. nocentūm, Ov. P. 1, 8, 19; perf. subj. noxit: ne boa noxit, Lucil. ap. Paul. ex Fest. s. v. Fama, p. 360 Müll.; Fronto ad M. Caesarem, 3, 13 Mai.), v. n. (and a.; v. infra ε) [Sanscr. root nac, disappear; Gr. νέκυς; cf.: neco, nex, noxa, pernic-ies], to do harm, inflict injury, do hurt to (cf.: obsum, obficio, laedo).—Constr.
(α).
Absol. or with dat.: “declinare ea, quae nocitura videantur,” Cic. Off. 1, 4, 11: “arma alia ad tegendum, alia ad nocendum,” id. Caecin. 21, 60: “nihil nocet,” it does no harm, id. Att. 12, 47, 1: “nocere alteri,” id. Off. 3, 5, 23: “jurejurando accepto, nihil iis nocituros hostes,” Caes. B. C. 3, 28: “jura te nociturum non esse homini de hac re nemini,” Plaut. Mil. 5, 18.—
(β).
With a homogeneous or a general (pronominal) object: OB EAM REM NOXAM NOCVERVNT, have been guilty of a crime, from an old fetial formula, Liv. 9, 10, 9: “si uredo aut grando quippiam nocuit,” Cic. N. D. 3, 35, 86: “quid nocet haec?” Juv. 14, 153.—
(γ).
In pass. (very rare), to be harmed, injured: “larix ab carie aut a tineā non nocetur,” Vitr. 2, 9 med.: “noceri eas (ciconias) omnibus quidem locis nefas ducunt, sed, etc.,” Sol. 40 fin.—
(δ).
Impers. pass. (class.), an injury is done or inflicted: “ut ne cui noceatur,” Cic. Off. 1, 10, 31: “mihi nihil ab istis noceri potest,” id. Cat. 3, 12, 37: ut in agris vastandis hostibus noceretur, Caes. B. G. 5, 19: “ipsi nihil nocitum iri,” id. ib. 5, 36: “neque diem decet me morari, neque nocti nocerier,” that injury be done to the night, Plaut. Curc. 2, 3, 73.—(ε) Act. (late Lat.): “nihil illum nocuit,” Vulg. Luc. 4, 35; id. Act. 7, 26; 18, 10.—Hence, nŏcens , entis, P. a., that commits a wicked action, bad, wicked, culpable, criminal (cf.: “sons, reus): nocens et nefarius,” Cic. Off. 2, 14, 51: “homines nocentissimi,” id. Div. in Caecil. 3, 9: “nocentissima victoria,” Cic. Verr. 1, 14, 41: “nocentissimi mores,” Quint. 2, 15, 32: meritā caede nocentūm (poet. for nocentium; cf. Auct. Her. 4, 35, 45), Ov. P. 1, 8, 19.—
II. In gen., hurtful, harmful, pernicious, baneful, injurious: “a pestiferis et nocentibus refugere,” Cic. N. D. 2, 47, 120: “boletus,” Juv. 6, 620.—Comp.: “edit cicutis allium nocentius,” Hor. Epod. 3, 3.—Hence, adv.: nŏcenter , hurtfully, injuriously (not ante-Aug.): “nocenter armata,” Col. 8, 2, 10: “abscessus nocenter adulescit,” Cels. 5, 28, 11; Tert. Apol. 14.