I.to comb.
I. Lit.: “tenues comas,” Tib. 1, 9, 68: “longas comas,” id. 2, 5, 8: “caesariem,” Hor. C. 1, 15, 14: “capillos,” Ov. H. 13, 31; cf.: pexisti capillum, Maec. ap. Prisc. p. 903 P: “barbam,” Juv. 14, 216: “pectebat ferum (cervum),” Verg. A. 7, 489: “capilli pexi,” Juv. 11, 150: “pexa barba,” Mart. 7, 58, 2: “ille pexus pinguisque doctor,” Quint. 1, 5, 14.—In a Greek construction: “ipsa comas pectar,” Ov. H. 13, 39.—
II. Transf.
A. To comb, card, heckle: “stuppa pectitur ferreis hamis,” Plin. 19, 1, 3, § 17: “pectitae lanae,” Col. 12, 3, 6.—
III. Trop., comic.: aliquem fusti or pugnis, to give one a dressing or thrashing: “leno pugnis pectitur,” Plaut. Rud. 3, 2, 47: “pugnis,” id. Men. 5, 7, 28: “aliquem fusti,” id. Capt. 4, 2, 116.—Hence, pexus (as a surname, written PEXSVS, PEXSA, Inscr. Grut. 487, 1; Marin. Iscriz. Alb. p. 91), a, um, P. a., woolly, that still has the nap on, new: “tunica,” Hor. Ep. 1, 1, 95: “vestes,” Plin. 8, 48, 73, § 191.—Hence: pexa munera, prob. a new woolly toga, Mart. 7, 46, 6.—
B. Transf.: “folium,” woolly, Col. 11, 3, 26.