I.to tear or rend in pieces, to mangle, lacerate (class.; cf.: lacero, discerpo, dilanio).
I. Lit.: “hominem,” Cic. Fam. 7, 1, 3: “corpora a feris laniata,” id. Tusc. 1, 45, 108: “lanianda viscera praebere,” Liv. 9, 1, 9: “laniando dentibus hostem exspirare,” id. 22, 51, 9: “foede crura brachiaque,” Tac. H. 1, 41: “vestem,” Ov. M. 5, 398: “vestes,” Quint. 11, 3, 174: “Priamiden laniatum corpore toto vidit,” Verg. A. 6, 494: “digitis ora,” Ov. A. A. 3, 678: “carmen,” Dig. 33, 7, 18 init.—With Gr. acc.: “flavos Lavinia crinīs, Et roseas laniata genas,” Verg. A. 12, 606: “comas,” Ov. M. 4, 139.—Transf., poet.: “venti mundum laniant,” Ov. M. 1, 60: “laniata classis,” id. H. 7, 175.—
II. Trop. (poet. and in post-Aug. prose): “et tua sacrilegae laniarunt carmina linguae,” Ov. R. Am. 367: “vitia cor laniant,” Sen. Ep. 51, 13.