I.very many, a very great part, the most, most (rare in sing., and only in Sall. and post-class. writers; but in plur. freq. in all periods and styles).
(α).
Plur.: “habent hunc morem plerique argentarii,” Plaut. Curc. 3, 7: “pleraeque hae (meretrices) sub vestimentis secum habebant retia,” id. Ep. 2, 2, 32; Ter. Eun. 1, 2, 38: “multi nihil prodesse philosophiam, plerique etiam obesse arbitrantur,” Cic. Inv. 1, 36, 65: “ut plerique meministis,” id. Sest. 3, 6: “plerique Belgae,” Caes. B. G. 2, 4: “pleraeque boves,” Varr. R. R. 2, 5: “pleraque tecta ... alia, etc.,” Liv. 27, 3.—With ex and abl.: “plerique e Graecis,” Plin. 5, 1, 1, § 8: “plerisque ex factione ejus corruptis,” Sall. J. 29, 2.—With omnes, almost all: plerique omnes subiguntur sub suum judicium, Naev. ap. Don. ad Ter. And. 1, 1, 28 (Naev. Klussmann, p. 80): “plerique omnes adulescentuli,” id. ib. 1, 1, 28; cf.: “dixi pleraque omnia,” id. Heaut. 4, 7, 2.—Less emphatically, a considerable part, very many: “rapti e publico plerique, plures in tabernis intercepti,” Tac. H. 1, 86; so, “like plures: non dubito fore plerosque, qui hoc genus scripturae leve judicent, Nep. praef. 1: pleraque testimonia,” id. Tim. 4, 2: “deum ipsum multi Aesculapium, quidam Osirim, plerique Iovem, plurimi Ditem patrem conjectant,” Tac. H 4, 84 fin.—With gen.: “plerique nostrūm oratorum,” Cic. Or. 42, 143: “Poenorum,” Cic. Verr. 2, 3, 6, § 12: “vestrum,” id. Clu. 42, 117: “quorum plerique,” id. Lael. 20, 71; Sall. J. 74, 1: “urbium pleraeque,” Liv. 5, 6, 9: “eorum plerique,” Cic. Top. 21, 80; id. Fam. 5, 21, 1: “legentium, Liv. praef. 4: Graecorum,” Plin. Ep. 5, 20, 4: “militum,” Tac. H. 1, 5.— Gen. plur. (rare and post-class.): “scientia plerarumque litterarum,” Vitr. 1, 1, 11.— Subst.: plērăque , n. plur., all, every thing: “nec ratione animi quicquam, sed pleraque viribus corporis administrabant,” Cic. Inv. 1, 2.—Also, the most, the greatest part.: “pleraque ejus insulae,” Curt. 4, 8, 15. —plērăque , adverb., mostly, for the most part (post-class.): “is erit pleraque impeccabilis,” Gell. 17, 19, 6.—
(β).
Sing.: juventus pleraque Catilinae favebat, the greatest or largest part, Sall. C. 17, 6: “pleraque nobilitas,” id. ib. 23, 6: “quā tempestate Carthaginienses pleraeque Africae imperitabant,” id. J. 79, 2: “exercitum plerumque opperiri jubet,” id. ib. 54, 9: “Graecia,” Gell. 17, 21: “comae pleramque contegebant faciem,” App. M. 9, p. 231, 5.—Neutr.: plērum-que , subst., with gen., the greatest part: “ubi plerumque noctis processit,” Sall. J. 21, 2: “Europae,” Liv. 45, 9; Just. 41, 1, 12; Mel. 1, 4, 2.—More freq.: plērumquē , adv., for the most part, mostly, commonly, very often, very frequently: “haec ipsa fortuita sunt: plerumque enim non semper eveniunt,” Cic. Div. 2, 5, 14: “plerumque casu, saepe naturā,” id. Or. 51, 170; Plaut. Rud. 4, 7, 11: “ridiculum acri Fortius et melius magnas plerumque secat res,” Hor. S. 1, 10, 15: “hi plerumque gradus,” usually, Juv. 11, 46.—Post-Aug., in a less emphatic sense, often, frequently: “plerumque permoveor, num ad ipsum referri verius sit,” Tac. A. 4, 57; id. H. 5, 1; id. G. 13; 45; id. Or. 15; Dig. 2, 14, 25 and 26.
