I.violent, vehement.
I. Lit. (poet.): “venti,” Hor. C. 1, 26, 2: “Africus,” id. Epod. 16, 22: “Eurus,” Ov. H. 11, 14: “stella canis,” scorching, oppressive, id. Am. 2, 16, 4.—
II. Trop., forward, bold, pert, wanton, shameless, impudent (class.; generally milder than procax and petulans; v. protervitas): petulans protervo animo sum, Plaut. Bacch. 4, 3, 1: “homo,” Cic. Fin. 5, 12, 35; 1, 18, 61: “dictum aut factum,” id. ib. 2, 14, 47: “vidua,” id. Cael. 16, 38: “Satyri, turba proterva,” Ov. H. 5, 136: “juvenes,” Hor. C. 1, 25, 2: “rixae,” id. ib. 3, 14, 26: “frons,” id. ib. 2, 5, 15: “oculi,” Ov. H. 17, 77: “manus,” id. M. 5, 671: “Musa,” id. R. Am. 362: “lingua,” id. Ib. 520: “sal protervum,” ribald wit, Mart. 10, 9, 2.—Comp.: “meretrix protervior,” Just. 30, 2, 2.—Hence, adv., in two forms, proterve and proterviter.
A. prŏtervē .
1. In a bad sense, boldly, wantonly, shamelessly, impudently (class.): “aedes arietare,” Plaut. Truc. 2, 2, 1: “proterve iracundus,” Ter. Hec. 3, 5, 53 (immoderate, superbe, Don.): “consectans aliquem proterve,” Cic. Rep. 1, 44, 68.—Comp., Ov. A. A. 1, 599.—Sup., Aug. Civ. Dei, 5, 22.—
2. In a good sense, boldly, with spirit: “confidenter pro se et proterve loqui,” Plaut. Am. 2, 2, 207.—
B. prŏtervĭter , boldly, wantonly, shamelessly, impudently, Enn. ap. Non. 513, 11 (Com. v. 8 Vahl.).