I.v. inch. n. [id.], to reach the age of puberty, become pubescent.
I. Lit. (class.; “syn. adulesco): molli pubescere veste,” to put on the down of puberty, Lucr. 5, 672: “flore novo,” Sil. 3, 79: “Herculem, cum primum pubesceret, etc.,” Cic. Off. 1, 32, 118: “flos juvenum pubescentium ad militiam,” Liv. 8, 8: “puer vix pubescente juventā,” Sil. 16, 678: “et nunc aequali tecum pubesceret aevo,” Verg. A. 3, 491: “pubescere bello,” Sil. 4, 429: “dehinc pubescens (Tiberius),” Suet. Tib. 6: “pubescunt dulces malae,” Val. Fl. 7, 340: “pubescente mala,” Sil. 5, 414: “et nati modo pubescentia ora,” Stat. S. 3, 3, 11: “pubescentibus annis,” Petr. 119.—
II. Transf.
A. To be covered or clothed, to clothe itself with any thing (poet.): vites laetificae pampinis pubescere, Enn. ap. Cic. Tusc. 1, 28, 69 (Trag. v. 193 Vahl.); so Plin. 14, 2, 4, § 24: “virgulta fetu,” Claud. Rapt. Pros. 2, 79: “prataque pubescunt variorum flore colorum,” Ov. Tr. 3, 12, 7.—
B. To grow up, ripen (class.): “omnia, quae terra gignit, maturata pubescunt,” Cic. N. D. 1, 2, 4; cf. id. ib. 2, 19, 50; Col. 4, 28, 1.—
C. Trop., to grow, improve, ripen, flourish, be renewed; of wine, Macr. S. 7, 7.—Of the phœnix renewing its youth, Claud. Phoen. 51.—Of the full beams of the rising sun, Claud. Rapt. Pros. 2, 49.— “Of war: subcrescentis rabiem belli, antequam pubescat validus, opprimere,” Amm. 21, 13, 14.—Of the spring: “pubescente vere,” Amm. 27, 5, 2; 30, 5, 1.—Of belief: “pubescente jam fide gestorum,” Amm. 31, 4, 4.
