Lewis & Short

bacchor, ātus (part. pres. gen. plur. bacchantum; v. I. fin. infra), 1, v. dep. [Bacchus].

  1. I. Lit., to celebrate the festival of Bacchus: Baccha bacchans, Plaut. Am. 2, 2, 71: saxea ut effigies bacchantis prospicit Evoe, i. e. which cries Evoe in the orgies, Cat. 64, 61; 64, 255: cum aliquo, Plin. 3, 1, 3, § 8.
    Hence, P. a. as subst.: bacchan-tes, um, f., Bacchae, the Bacchantes: passis Medea capillis Bacchantum ritu, Ov.M. 7, 258; 3, 703; Curt. 8, 10, 15; gen. Bacchantium, id. 9, 10, 24.
    1. B. Pass. (as in later Gr. βακχεύεσθαι, βακχευθῆναι) of the place in which the orgies of Bacchus were celebrated: virginibus bacchata Lacaenis Taygeta, Verg. G. 2, 487 Heyn.: bacchata jugis Naxos, id. A. 3, 125: Dindyma sanguineis famulum bacchata lacertis, Val. Fl. 3, 20: ita obsoletum sono furenter ab omni parti bacchatur nemus, Santra ap. Non. p. 78, 28: ululatibus Ide bacchatur, Claud. Rapt. Pros. 1, 206.
  2. II. Transf., in gen., to revel, rave, rant, like the Bacchœ (of every species of mental excitement, love, hatred, joy, etc.; mostly poet. and in more elevated prose): quibus gaudiis exsultabis? quantā in voluptate bacchabere? Cic. Cat. 1, 10, 26: furor in vestrā caede bacchantis, id. ib. 4, 6, 11; id. Har. Resp. 18, 39: non ego sanius Bacchabor Edonis, Hor. C. 2, 7, 26; Col. poët. 10, 198; * Suet. Calig. 56; Claud. Laud. Stil. 2, 213; id. VI. Cons. Hon. 192.
    Of murderous fury: tantā in illos caede bacchati sunt, Vulg. Judic. 20, 25.
    So of poet. inspiration, Stat. S. 1, 2, 258; and with carmen as object: grande Sophocleo carmen bacchamur hiatu, Juv. 6, 636; cf.: furebant Euhoe bacchantes, raving to the cry of Euhoe, Cat. 64, 255; 64, 61.
    Also, to go or run about in a wanton, wild, raving, or furious manner: animans Omne, quod in magnis bacchatur montibu’ passim, * Lucr. 5, 822: saevit inops animi, totamque incensa per urbem Bacchatur, Verg. A. 4, 301 ( = discursitat, Heyne): immanis in antro Bacchatur vates, raves, is inspired, id. ib. 6, 78; 7, 385: infelix virgo totā bacchatur in urbe, id. Cir. 166.
    Hence,
    1. B. Transf. to inanimate things, to be furious, rage with fury, etc., to be impetuous, etc.
      1. 1. So of a vessel of wine that is filled very often: ubi bacchabatur aula, casabant cadi, Plaut. Mil. 3, 2, 41 Lorenz ad loc.
      2. 2. Of winds: Thracio bacchante magis sub interlunia vento, Hor. C. 1, 25, 11; Ov. Tr. 1, 2, 29.
        Of violent rain, Val. Fl. 6, 632.
      3. 3. Of a rumor: concussam bacchatur fama per urbem, spreads rapidly, Verg A. 4, 666.
      4. 4. Of enthusiastic, raging discourse: quod eos, quorum altior oratio actioque esset ardentior furere et bacchari arbitraretur, Cic. Brut. 80, 276: vitiosum dicendi genus, quod inanibus locis bacchatur, etc., Quint. 12, 10, 73.