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lūdo , si, sum (
I.inf. ludier, Ter. Ad. 4, 3, 16), 3, v. a. and n. root lud- for loid-, from Sanscr. krīd, to play; cf. laus and cluere from Sanscr. root cru-, to play.
I. Lit., to play, play at a game of some kind: “tesseris,Ter. Ad. 4, 7, 21: “aleā ludere,Cic. Phil. 2, 23, 56: “pilā et duodecim scriptis,id. de Or. 1, 50, 217; 1, 16, 73; 2, 62, 253: “cum pila,id. Tusc. 5, 20, 60: “trocho,Hor. C. 3, 24, 56: “nucibus,Mart. 14, 1, 12: “pilā,Val. Max. 8, 8, 2: “positā luditur arcā,with one's whole cash-box staked, Juv. 1, 90: “eburnis quadrigis cotidie in abaco,Suet. Ner. 22: “apud quem alea lusum esse dicetur,Dig. 11, 5, 1 praef.: “senatus consultum vetuit in pecuniam ludere,to play for money, ib. 11, 5, 2: “ego nisi quom lusim nil morer ullum lucrum,Plaut. Rud. 4, 7, 22. —
(γ). Absol.: “lusimus per omnes dies,Suet. Aug. 71; 94; cf.: “ludis circensibus elephantos lusisse,appeared in the public games, Liv. 44, 18, 8.—In sup.: “dimittere lusum,Varr. Sat. Men. 53, 7.—
II. Trop.
A. To sport, play with any thing, to practise as a pastime, amuse one's self with any thing: “illa ipsa ludens conjeci in communes locos, Cic. Par. prooem.: Prima Syracosio dignata est ludere versu Nostra ... Thalia,Verg. E. 6, 1.—Esp., to play on an instrument of music, to make or compose music or song: “ludere quae vellem calamo permisit agresti,Verg. E. 1, 10: “talia fumosi luduntur mense Decembri,Ov. Tr. 2, 491: “quod tenerae cantent, lusit tua musa, puellae,id. Am. 3, 1, 27: “coloni Versibus incomptis ludunt,Verg. G. 2, 386: “carmina pastorum,id. ib. 4, 565; Suet. Ner. 3: “si quid vacui sub umbra Lusimus tecum,Hor. C. 1, 22, 2.—
B. To sport, dally, wanton (cf. "amorous play," Milton, P. L. 9, 1045): “scis solere illam aetatem tali ludo ludere,Plaut. Most. 5, 2, 36: affatim edi, bibi, lusi, Liv. Andron. ap. Paul. ex Fest. s. v. affatim, p. 11 Müll.; cf.: “lusisti satis, edisti satis, atque bibisti,Hor. Ep. 2, 2, 214; Ov. A. A. 2, 389; Cat. 61, 207; Suet. Tib. 44; Mart. 11, 104, 5.—
C. Ludere aliquem or aliquid, to play, mock, imitate, mimic a person or thing (only in mockery; cf.: partes agere, etc.): civem bonum ludit, Cael. ap. Cic. Fam. 8, 9, 1; cf.: “ludere opus,to imitate work, make believe work, Hor. S. 2, 3, 252: “magistratum fascibus purpurāque,App. M. 11, p. 260 fin.: “ludere causas,Calp. Ecl. 1, 45: impia dum Phoebi Caesar mendacia ludit, Poët. ap. Suet. Aug. 70.—
D. To trifle with: “summa pericula,Mart. 9, 38, 1: “viribus imperii,Sen. Brev. Vit. 18, 4.—
E. To spend in play or amusement, to sport away: “otium,Mart. 3, 67, 9.—Hence, ludere operam, to throw away one's labor, to labor in vain, Plaut. Ps. 1, 3, 135.—
F. To make sport or game of a person, to ridicule, rally, banter: “Domitius in senatu lusit Appium collegam,Cic. Q. Fr. 2, 15 a, 13: “satis jocose aliquem ludere,id. ib. 2, 12, 2: “omnium irrisione ludi,id. de Or. 1, 12, 50.—Rarely with ad: “caput aselli, ad quod lascivi ludebant ruris alumni,Juv. 11, 98.—
G. To delude, deceive: “auditis, an me ludit amabilis Insania?Hor. C. 3, 4, 5; Ov. A. A. 3, 332: “custodes,Tib. 1, 6, 9; 3, 4, 7.—Comp.: “hoc civili bello, quam multa (haruspicum responsa) luserunt,” i. e. gave wanton, deceptive responses, Cic. Div. 2, 24, 53.
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hide References (30 total)
  • Cross-references in general dictionaries from this page (30):
    • Cicero, Letters to his Friends, 8.9.1
    • Cicero, Letters to his brother Quintus, 2.15
    • Cicero, Philippics, 2.23.56
    • Plautus, Pseudolus, 1.3
    • Plautus, Rudens, 4.7
    • Plautus, Stichus, 5.4
    • Vergil, Georgics, 1.363
    • Vergil, Georgics, 2.386
    • Suetonius, Divus Augustus, 70
    • Suetonius, Divus Augustus, 71
    • Suetonius, Divus Claudius, 33
    • Suetonius, Divus Julius, 39
    • Suetonius, Nero, 7
    • Horace, Satires, 2.3.248
    • Horace, Satires, 2.3.252
    • Plautus, Mostellaria, 5.2
    • Cicero, On Oratory, 1.12
    • Cicero, On Oratory, 1.50
    • Cicero, On Oratory, 2.20
    • Lucretius, De Rerum Natura, 2.631
    • Suetonius, Nero, 22
    • Suetonius, Nero, 3
    • Suetonius, Nero, 30
    • Suetonius, Nero, 35
    • Suetonius, Tiberius, 44
    • Livy, The History of Rome, Book 44, 18
    • Cicero, De Divinatione, 2.24
    • Cicero, Tusculanae Disputationes, 5.20
    • Cicero, De Officiis, 1.29
    • Valerius Maximus, Facta et Dicta Memorabilia, 8.8.2
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