Charlton T. Lewis, Charles Short, A Latin Dictionary

I.v. a., to send down; to drop; to let, sink, or bring down; to cause to hang or fall down; to lower, put down, let fall (freq. and class.).

I. Lit.

A. In gen.: “picis e caelo demissum flumen,” Lucr. 6, 257; cf.: “caelo imbrem,” Verg. G. 1, 23: “caelo ancilia,” Liv. 5, 54 et saep.: “barbam malis,” Lucr. 5, 673: “latum clavum pectore,” Hor. S. 1, 6, 28; cf.: “monilia pectoribus,” Verg. A. 7, 278: “laenam ex humeris,” id. ib. 4, 263: Maia genitum demittit ab alto, Verg. A. 1, 297; cf.: “ab aethere currum, Ov M. 7, 219: e muro sporta,” Sall. Hist. 2, 53: “aliquem in sporta per murum,” Vulg. 2 Cor. 11, 33: “taleam (sc. in terram),” to put into the ground, plant, Cato R. R. 45, 2; “arbores altius,” Plin. 17, 11, 16, § 81: “puteum alte in solido,” i. e. to sink deep, Verg. G. 2, 231: “triginta pedes in terram turrium fundamenta,” Curt. 5, 1, 31: “arbusta certo demittunt tempore florem,” Lucr. 5, 670: “demisit nardini amphoram cellarius (i. e. deprompsit),” Plaut. Mil. 3, 2, 12: “fasces,” Cic. Rep. 2, 31; cf. id. ib. 1, 40: “cibos (sc. in alvum),” Quint. 10, 1, 19; cf. Ov. M. 8, 835.—Naut. t. t., to lower, demittere antennas, Sall. Hist. 4, 41 Dietsch.; “Auct. B. Alex. 45, 2: cornua (i.e. antennas),” Ov. M. 11, 482; cf.: “effugit hibernas demissa antenna procellas,” id. Tr. 3, 4, 9: “arma, classem, socios Rheno,” Tac. A. 1, 45 fin.; cf.: farinam doliis secundā aquā Volturni fluminis, Frontin. Strat. 3, 14, 2; “and pecora secundā aquā,” id. ib. 3, 14, 4: “manum artifices demitti infra pectus vetant,” Quint. 11, 3, 112; cf. “brachia,” id. 2, 13, 9: “frontem (opp. attolli),” id. 11, 3, 78: “supercilia (opp. allevari), ib. § 79: aures,” Hor. Od. 2, 13, 34; cf. “auriculas,” id. S. 1, 9, 20: “caput,” Ov. M. 10, 192: “crinem,” id. ib. 6, 289: “demisso capite,” Vulg. Job 32, 6 al.: “aliquos per funem,” Verg. A. 2, 262; Hor. A. P. 461: “vestem,” id. S. 1, 2, 95; cf. “tunicam,” id. ib. 25: “stolam,” id. ib. 99 et saep.; often in a violent manner, to cast down, to cast, throw, thrust, plunge, drive, etc.: “equum in flumen,” Cic. Div. 1, 33, 73; cf.: “equos a campo in cavam viam,” Liv. 23, 47: “aliquem in carcerem,” Liv. 34, 44 fin.; cf. Sall. C. 55, 4: “aliquem ad imos Manes,” Verg. A. 12, 884: “hostem in ovilia,” Hor. Od. 4, 4, 10: “gladium in jugulum,” Plaut. Merc. 3, 4, 28; cf.: “ferrum in ilia,” Ov. M. 4, 119: “sublicas in terram,” Caes. B. G. 3, 49, 4; cf.: “huc stipites,” id. ib. 7, 73, 3 and 6: “huc caementa,” Hor. Od. 3, 1, 35: “nummum in loculos,” to put, id. Ep. 2, 1, 175: “calculum atrum in urnam,” Ov. M. 15, 44: “milia sex nummum in arcam nummariam,” Nov. Com. v. 108 Rib.: caput ad fornicem Fabii, to bow, stoop, Crassus ap. Cic. de Or. 2, 66, 267: tunicam ad talos, Varr. ap. Non. 286, 19; cf. Cic. Clu. 40, 111; Quint. 5, 13, 39 et saep.: “quove velim magis fessas demittere naves,” Verg. A. 5, 29; cf.: “navem secundo amni Scodam,” Liv. 44, 31.—Poet. with dat.: “corpora Stygiae nocti tormentis,” Ov. M. 3, 695; cf.: “aliquem neci,” Verg. A. 2, 85: “aliquem Orco,” id. ib. 2, 398; Hor. Od. 1, 28, 11: “aliquem umbris,” Sil. 11, 142: “ferrum jugulo,” Ov. H. 14, 5: “ferrum lacubus,” id. M. 12, 278: “offa demittitur faucibus boum,” Plin. 27, 11, 76, § 101.—

b. Se, or in the pass. form with middle signif., to let one's self down, stoop, descend: “(venti vortex) ubi se in terras demisit,” Lucr. 6, 446: “se inguinibus tenus in aquam calidam,” Cels. 1, 3: “se ad aurem alicujus,” Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 30; cf.: “cum se demittit ob assem,” Hor. Ep. 1, 16, 64: “concava vallis erat, qua se demittere rivi Assuerant,” Ov. M. 8, 334 al.: “nonullae (matres familias) de muris per manus demissae,” Caes. B. G. 7, 47, 6.— Prov.: demitti de caelo, or simply caelo, to be sent down from heaven, i. e. to be of celestial origin, Liv. 10, 8, 10; Quint. 1, 6, 16.—

B. Esp., milit. t. t.

1. To send, bring, or lead down soldiers into a lower place: “in loca plana agmen demittunt,” Liv. 9, 27; cf.: “agmen in vallem infimam,” id. 7, 34: “equites Numidas in inferiorem campum,” id. 27, 18: “agmen in Thessaliam,” id. 32, 13; 38, 2: exercitum in planitiem, Frontin. Strat. 1, 2, 7 al.; and without in: “agmen,” Liv. 9, 2: “levem armaturam,” id. 22, 28 al.: “cum se major pars agminis in magnam convallem demisisset,” had descended, Caes. B. G. 5, 32 fin.; “so with se,” id. ib. 6, 40, 6; 7, 28, 2; id. B. C. 1, 79, 4; Cic. Fam. 15, 4, 4 al.—

2. Arma demittere, in making a military salute: armis demissis salutationem more militari faciunt, with grounded arms, Auct. B. Afr. 85, 6. —

II. Trop., to cast down, let sink, etc.: “demisere oculos omnes gemitumque dedere,” Ov. M. 15, 612; cf.: “vultu demisso,” Vulg. Isa. 49, 23: “demissis in terram oculis,” Liv. 9, 38, 13; “also in sleep: cadit inscia clavo Dextera, demittitque oculos,” Val. Fl. 3, 41: “vultum,” Val. Max. 8, 14, 5; Curt. 6, 32, 1: “vultum animumque metu,” Ov. M. 7, 133; cf. “vultus,” id. ib. 10, 367; Liv. 2, 58. hoc in pectus tuum demitte, impress this deeply on your mind, Sall. J. 102 fin.; cf.: “eas voces in pectora animosque,” Liv. 34, 50; and: “dolor hoc altius demissus, quo minus profiteri licet,” Just. 8, 5, 11: cum in eum casum me fortuna demisisset, ut, etc., had reduced, Planc. ap. Cic. Fam. 10, 8, 2: “dignitatem in discrimen,” Liv. 3, 35: “vim dicendi ad unum auditorem (opp. supra modum sermonis attolli),” Quint. 1, 2, 31; to engage in, enter upon, embark in, meddle with: “me penitus in causam,” Cic. Att. 7, 12, 3; cf.: “me in res turbulentissimas,” id. Fam. 9, 1, 2: cogita ne te eo demittas, unde, etc., Cael. ap. Cic. Fam. 8, 16 fin.: “se in comparationem,” Suet. Rhet. 6: “se in adulationem,” to descend to, Tac. A. 15, 73: “se usque ad servilem patientiam,” id. ib. 14, 26: “se ad minora illa,” Quint. 1 prooem. § 1: re in secunda tollere animos et in mala demittere, to let it sink, i. e. to be disheartened, Lucil. ap. Non. 286, 7; cf.: “si vicerint, efferunt se laetitia: victi debilitantur animosque demittunt,” Cic. Fin. 5, 15, 42; so, “animos (with contrahere),” id. Tusc. 4, 6 fin.; and: “animum (with contrahere),” id. Q. Fr. 1, 1, § 4: “mentes,” Verg. A. 12, 609 (desperant, sicut e contra sperantes aliquid erigunt mentes, Serv.); and with abl.: “ne se admodum animo demitterent,” Caes. B. G. 7, 29.—In geom., t. t., to let fall a line, Vitr. 3, 5, 5.—Hence, dēmissus , a, um, P. a., brought down, lowered.

A. Lit.

1. Of localities, sunken, low-lying, low (cf. dejectus, P. a., no. I.): “campestribus ac demissis locis,” Caes. B. G. 7, 72, 3; cf.: “loca demissa ac palustria,” id. B. C. 3, 49, 5.—

2. Of other things, drooping, falling, hanging down: “demissis umeris esse,” Ter. Eun. 2, 3, 22 Ruhnk.: “tremulus, labiis demissis,” with flabby lips, id. ib. 2, 3, 44: “demisso capite discedere,” Cic. Clu. 21, 58; cf.: “tristes, capite demisso,” Caes. B. G. 1, 32: “demisso vultu,” with downcast looks, Sall. C. 31, 7.— Poet. in Gr. constr.: “Dido vultum demissa,” Verg. A. 1, 561.—Also deep: “demissa vulnera,” Sen. Ep. 67 fin.—

B. Trop.

1. Downcast, dejected, dispirited, low (freq.): “erigebat animum jam demissum,” Cic. Clu. 21, 58: “esse fracto animo et demisso,” id. Fam. 1, 9, 16: “(homines) animo demisso atque humili,” id. Font. 11; cf. id. Tusc. 2, 21: “demisso animo fuit,” Sall. J. 98 al.: “demissa voce loqui,” Verg. A. 3, 320.—In the comp.: “nihilo demissiore animo causa ipse pro se dicta,” Liv. 4, 44.—Transf. to the person: “quis P. Sullam nisi moerentem, demissum afflictumque vidit?” Cic. Sull. 26 fin.: “videsne illum demissum?” id. Mur. 21, 45; Quint. 1, 3, 10 al.—Comp.: “orator in ornamentis et verborum et sententiarum demissior,” Cic. Or. 24, 81.—

2. Lowly, humble, unassuming, shy, retiring (opp. elatus, lofty, proud): “ea omnia, quae proborum, demissorum, non acrium sunt, valde benevolentiam conciliant,” Cic. de Or. 2, 43, 182; cf.: “multum demissus homo,” Hor. S. 1, 3, 57: “sit apud vos modestiae locus, sit demissis hominibus perfugium, sit auxilium pudori,” Cic. Mur. 40, 87.—

3. Rarely of external condition, humble, poor: “qui demissi in obscuro vitam habent (opp. qui magno imperio praediti in excelso aetatem habent),” Sall. C. 51, 12.—

4. Poet., and in Tacitus, of genealogical descent, descended, derived, sprung: “ab alto Demissum genus Aenea,” Hor. S. 2, 5, 63; so Verg. G. 3, 35: id. A. 1, 288; Stat. Th. 2, 613; Tac. A. 12, 58.—Sup. does not occur. —Adv.: dēmisse .

1. Lit., low: “hic alte, demissius ille volabat,” Ov. Tr. 3, 4, 23.—

2. Trop., humbly, modestly, abjectly, meanly: “non est ausus elate et ample loqui, cum humiliter demisseque sentiret,” Cic. Tusc. 5, 9, 24: “suppliciter demisseque respondere,” id. Fl. 10, 21: “se tueri,” id. Att. 2, 18, 3.— Sup.: haec quam potest demississime atque subjectissime exponit, * Caes. B. C. 1, 84 fin.