I. Act., to shake or toss violently (class.).
A. Lit.: ecus saepe jubam quassat, Enn. ap. Macr. S. 6, 3 (Ann. v. 506 Vahl.): “caput,” Plaut. Merc. 3, 4, 15; Verg. A. 7, 292; Val. Fl. 1, 526: “Etruscam pinum,” Verg. A. 9, 521: “hastam,” id. ib. 12, 94; Ov. A. A. 1, 696: “monumenta,” Plin. Ep. 8, 17, 5: “lampade, of the Furies,” Sil. 2, 611; cf. “lampada,” Verg. A. 6, 587.—Pass., in mid. force, tremble: “quassantur membra metu,” Sen. Phoen. 530.—
2. In partic.
a. To shatter, shiver, to break or dash to pieces, to batter, make leaky: “quassatis vasis,” Lucr. 3, 434: “quassata ventis classis,” Verg. A. 1, 551: “quassata domus,” Ov. Tr. 2, 83; cf.: “hordeum sub molā,” App. M. p. 194, 35: “harundinem,” Petr. S. 134. —
b. To strike or shake: “ramum Lethaeo rore madentem super utraque quassat Tempora,” Verg. A. 5, 854.—
B. Trop., to shake, shatter, impair, weaken: “quassatā re publicā,” Cic. Sest. 34, 73; id. Marc. 8, 24: “quassatum corpus,” shattered, enfeebled, Suet. Aug. 31: “ingenia vitia quassant,” Sil. 11, 428: “tempora quassatus, of a drunkard,” fuddled, beclouded, disordered, id. 7, 202; cf.: “quassus, B. s. v. quatio: IVVENTAM FLETV,” to disfigure, impair, Inscr. Grut. 607, 4: “harundo quassata,” a bruised reed, Vulg. Matt. 12, 20.—
C. Esp., of countries, communities, etc., to disturb, unsettle, throw into confusion: “quassata Placentia bello,” Sil. 8, 593: “bellis urbs,” id. 7, 252.—
II. Neutr., to shake itself, to shake (poet.): “cassanti capite incedit,” Plaut. As. 2, 3, 23 (Ussing, quassanti): “quassanti capite,” App. M. 4, p. 156, 7; 3, p. 140, 28: “siliquā quassante,” rattling, Verg. G. 1, 74.— Plur.: “capitibus quassantibus,” Plaut. Bacch. 2, 3, 71.