I.holding fast, griping, tenacious.
I. Lit.
A. In gen. (mostly poet. and in post-Aug. prose): “prensatque tenaci forcipe ferrum,” Verg. A. 12, 404; 8, 453; cf.: “dente tenaci Ancora fundabat naves,” id. ib. 6, 3: “vinclum,” id. G. 4, 412; Ov. M. 11, 252: “complexus,” id. ib. 4, 377: “lappa,” id. P. 2, 1, 14: “hedera arborem implicat,” Cat. 61, 34: “loca limosa tenacia gravi caeno,” Tac. A. 1, 63: “amplexus,” App. M. 9, p. 219, 17: “maltha, quae est res omnium tenacissima,” Plin. 36, 24, 58, § 181.— With gen.: “herba asperitate etiam vestium tenaci,” Plin. 27, 5, 15, § 32. — Comp.: “cutis tenacior capilli,” Plin. 22, 22, 39, § 82.—
b. Subst.: tĕnāces , ĭum, m., things that hold fast. i. e. bands, stalks, or pedicles of fruit, etc., Pall. Febr. 18, 1; 25, 9; id. Mart. 10, 4 and 9; id. Sept. 17.—
B. In partic., holding fast to wealth, power, etc., griping, sparing, niggardly, stingy, tenacious (class.; “syn. parcus): filius familias patre parco ac tenaci,” Cic. Cael. 15, 36: He. Tenaxne pater ejus est? Phi. Immo edepol pertinax, Plaut. Capt. 2, 2, 39: “parcus, truculentus, tenax,” Ter. Ad. 5, 4, 12: “eosdem restrictos et tenaces fuisse,” Cic. Planc. 22, 54: “non tenax in largitate,” Spart. Car. 5.—With gen.: “genus Quaesiti tenax,” Ov. M. 7, 657.—Comp.: “milites tenaciores eorum (armorum) in proelio,” Suet. Caes. 67.—
C. Transf., of things, that holds or sticks fast: jacere in tenaci gramine, that clings together, i. e. matted, Hor. Epod. 2, 24.—Sup.: “glaebis tenacissimum solum,” Plin. Ep. 5, 6, 10: “cerae,” sticky, viscid, Verg. G. 4, 161: “turpe referre pedem nec passu stare tenaci,” Ov. P. 2, 6, 21.— Comp.: “pondere tenacior navis,” Liv. 28, 30, 11: “panicula glutino tenacior,” Plin. 16, 36, 64, § 158.—
II. Trop.
A. Holding fast, retentive, firm, steadfast, persistent, tenacious (mostly poet. and in post-Aug. prose); usually joined with gen.: “memoria tenacissima,” Quint. 1, 1, 19: “naturā tenacissimi sumus eorum, quae rudibus annis percepimus,” id. 1, 1, 5: “pertinacem ultra modum esse tenacem propositi,” id. 11, 1, 90; so, “propositi,” Hor. C. 3, 3, 1; Ov. M. 10, 405: “tenacem esse sui juris debet,” Col. 1, 7, 2: “disciplinae tenacissimus,” Plin. Ep. 10, 85 (17): “justitiae,” Juv. 8, 25: “ficti pravique (Fama),” Verg. A. 4, 188: “veri,” Pers. 5, 48: “amicitiarum,” Vell. 2, 29, 3: “exempli sui,” id. 2, 84, 3 Ruhnk.: “animi,” Manil. 4, 165: “longa tenaxque fides,” Ov. Am. 2, 6, 14.—
B. In a bad sense, stubborn, obstinate: “equus contra sua vincla tenax,” Ov. Am. 3, 4, 13; so, “equus,” Liv. 39, 25, 13; “and in a lusus verbb.: si esses equos, esses indomabilis ... nimis tenax es,” Plaut. Cas. 4, 3, 13: “cum video, quam sint mea fata tenacia, frangor,” Ov. P. 1, 2, 63: “ira Caesaris,” id. ib. 1, 9, 28: “morbi,” Suet. Claud. 2.—Adv.: tĕnācĭter , closely, firmly, strongly, tightly, tenaciously.
a. Lit.: “pressisse tenaciter ungues,” Ov. H. 9, 21: “vincire,” Macr. Somn. Scip. 1, 6.—Comp.: “apprehendere,” Val. Max. 7, 5, 2; Macr. S. 7, 3: “habitare,” Aug. Ep. 6.—
b. Trop., persistently, firmly: “urgere,” Ov. H. 3, 43.— Comp., Sol. 52, § 44; Amm. 25, 4, 4.—Sup., App. M. 5, p. 167, 22.