Lewis & Short

fĕrox, ōcis (gen. plur. ferocum, Albin. 1, 275; abl. sing. feroci, Neue, Formenl. 2, 67 sq.), adj. [root in Gr. θήρ, Aeol. φήρ, θηρίον; cf.: ferus, fera; cf. also Zend. dvar, to run, Gr. θρώσκω, θορεῖν, Lat. furere], wild, bold, courageous, warlike, spirited, brave, gallant, savage, headstrong, untamable, fierce, insolent (class.; syn.: dirus, ferus, durus, saevus, crudelis; immanis, immitis, barbarus, etc.).

  1. I. In a good sense: moechus qui formest ferox, Plaut. Mil. 4, 9, 13: naturā ferox, vehemens, manu promptus erat, Sall. C. 43 fin.; cf.: nimium es vehemens feroxque naturā, Cic. Vat. 2, 4: ferox naturā, Sall. J. 11, 3: vicimus vi feroces, Plaut. Am. 1, 1, 82: Aequorum magna gens et ferox, warlike, Cic. Rep. 2, 20: Latium, Hor. C. 1, 35, 10: Roma, id. ib. 3, 3, 44: Parthi, id. ib. 3, 2, 3: Sygambri, id. ib. 4, 2, 34: miles, id. ib. 1, 6, 3: Hector, id. ib. 4, 9, 21: virgo (i. e. Minerva), Mart. 14, 179; cf. Sil. 9, 457: loca amoena, voluptaria facile in otio feroces militum animos molliverat, Sall. C. 11, 5; cf. id. J. 106, 3: ferox bello, Hor. C. 1, 32, 6; cf.: feroces ad bellandum, Liv. 38, 13, 11: adversus pericula ferox, Tac. H. 3, 69 fin.: Triaria ultra feminam ferox, id. ib. 2, 63: vir nobilis ac ferox, id. A. 4, 21.
    With gen.: animi, Tac. A. 1, 32.
    Sup.: globus ferocissimorum juvenum, Liv. 1, 12, 9: auxiliarii, Tac. H. 2, 24: nullo adversante, cum ferocissimi cecidissent, id. A. 1, 2.
  2. II. In a bad sense: equi indomiti, feroces, Plaut. Men. 5, 2, 110: leones, Lucr. 4, 717: aper, Verg. A. 10, 711: indulgentia ferocem fortasse atque arrogantem et infestum facit, Cic. Att. 10, 11, 3: dote fretae, feroces, i. e. arrogant, Plaut. Men. 5, 2, 17; cf.: ferox formā, id. Mil. 4, 9, 13; Titin. ap. Non. 305, 6: Numidae secundis rebus feroces, Sall. J. 94, 4; cf.: ferox viribus, Liv. 1, 7, 5; 7, 5, 6: robore corporis stolide ferox, Tac. A. 1, 3: nequicquam Veneris praesidio ferox, Hor. C. 1, 15, 13: sit Medea ferox invictaque, id. A. P. 123: animus ferox inopiā rei familiaris, Sall. C. 5, 7; cf.: quibus aetas animusque ferox erat, id. ib. 38, 1: oculi, Luc. 5, 211: patribus ferox, haughty toward the senators, Liv. 7, 40, 8.
    Comp.: in bellis civilibus, victoria, etiamsi ad meliores venit, tamen eos ipsos ferociores impotentioresque reddit, Cic. Fam. 4, 9, 3; id. Fragm. ap. Non. 305, 10: et quia tecum eram, propterea animo eram ferocior, Plaut. Mil. 4, 8, 13; id. Rud. 3, 1, 14; Quint. 2, 2, 3.
    Sup.: duas ferocissimas affectiones amoris atque odii coërcere, Gell. 1, 3 fin.: bestiae, Vulg. 2 Macc. 11, 9.
          1. (β) With gen.: linguae feroces, Tac. H. 1, 35: ferox scelerum, eager for, prone to crimes, id. A. 4, 12: deorum Spretor erat mentisque ferox Ixione natus, Ov. M. 8, 614: scelerum, Tac. A. 4, 12.
          2. (γ) With in and acc.: ferox in suos erat miles, ignavus in hostes, Amm. 22, 4, 7.
          3. (δ) With inf.: ferox est, viginti minas meas tractare sese, Plaut. As. 2, 4, 62: odium renovare ferox, Sil. 11, 8.
            Hence, adv.: fĕrōcĭter.
      1. 1. (Acc. to I.) Courageously, valorously, bravely: strenue et ferociter facta in bello plura memorari possunt, Liv. 3, 47, 2: adequitare, id. 9, 22, 4: mandata edere, Tac. A. 15, 5.
        Comp.: pauci ferocius decernunt, Sall. J. 104, 2.
        Sup.: cum quo ferocissime pro Romana societate adversus Punicum foedus steterat, Liv. 23, 8, 3.
      2. 2. (Acc. to II.) Fiercely, savagely, insolently: aspere et ferociter et libere dicta, Cic. Planc. 13, 33: increpare, Plaut. Am. 1, 1, 58: dictae sententiae, Liv. 2, 55, 11.
        Comp.: paulo ferocius (exagitatus), Cic. Q. Fr. 2, 13, 2.
        Sup.: obloqui, Curt. 10, 2 fin.