I.to break through, to break or dash in pieces, to shiver, shatter (class.).
I. Lit.
A. In gen.: “elephanto pugno perfregisti bracchium,” Plaut. Mil. 1, 1, 26: “jumenta ingredientia nivem ... jactandis gravius in connitendo ungulis penitus perfringebant,” broke through, Liv. 21, 36, 8: “saxo perfracto capite,” his skull fractured by a stroke of a stone, id. 4, 28 fin.: “tempora fulvo protecta capillo,” Ov. M. 12, 274: “perfracto saxo sortes erupisse,” Cic. Div. 2, 41, 85: “Olympum fulmine,” Ov. M. 1, 154: “nucem,” Plin. 10, 12, 14, § 30: “aliquid,” Ter. Ad. 1, 1, 12: “munitiones,” Caes. B. G. 7, 85: “tabulationem,” id. B. C. 2, 9: “naves perfregerant proras, litori illisas,” had been wrecked, Liv. 22, 20.—
B. In partic., to break or burst through, to force one's way through any obstacle: “hostium phalangem,” Caes. B. G. 1, 25: “aciem,” Sil. 9, 362: “muros,” Tac. H. 3, 20: “domos,” to break into, id. ib. 4, 1.—
II. Trop.
A. To break through, violate, infringe: “decreta senatūs,” Cic. Mil. 32, 87: “leges,” id. Cat. 1, 7, 18: “ac prosternere omnia cupiditate ac furore,” id. Clu. 6, 15.—
B. To break or burst through: omnia repagula juris, pudoris et officii perfringere. Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 15, § 39: “perfringere et labefactare tantam conspirationem bonorum omnium,” id. Cat. 4, 10, 22: “animos suavitate,” to affect powerfully, id. Brut. 9, 38.—Absol.: “haec (eloquentia) modo perfringit, modo irrepit in sensus,” Cic. Or. 28, 97.
