I. Sharp to the hearing, clear-sounding, shrill (cf. acutus, 2.): jam cata signa fere sonitum dare voce parabant, Enn. ap. Varr. l. l. (Ann. 447 Vahl.). —
II. Transf. to intellectual objects, in a good and bad sense.
A. In a good sense, clear-sighted, intelligent, sagacious, wise, opp. stultus (in prose probably never naturalized; hence Cic., in prose, adds ut ita dicam; v. the foll.): catus Aelius Sextus, Enn. ap. Cic. Tusc. 1, 9, 18 (Ann. v. 335 Vahl.); Plaut. Most. 1, 3, 29; id. Ps. 2, 3, 15; Ter. And. 5, 2, 14 Don. and Ruhnk.; Hor. C. 1, 10, 3: “prudens et, ut ita dicam, catus,” Cic. Leg. 1, 16, 45.—Constr. with inf.: “jaculari,” Hor. C. 3, 12, 10.—With gen.: “legum,” Aus. Mos. 400.—Of abstract things: “dicta,” Enn. Ann. 519 Vahl.: “consilium,” Plaut. Ep. 2, 2, 75.—
B. In a bad sense, sly, crafty, cunning, artful ( = callidus, astutus): “cata est et callida,” Plaut. Pers. 4, 4, 71; so id. Poen. 5, 2, 147; id. Most. 5, 2, 21; id. Trin. 3, 2, 51; Hor. Ep. 2, 2, 39.—Adv.: cătē , conform. to II. A.: “sapienter, docte et cordate et cate,” Plaut. Poen. 1, 1, 3; id. Men. 2, 3, 61; Cic. Arat. 304.—Comp. and sup. not in use in the adj. or in the adv.
