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cerno, crēvi, crētum (part. pass. cretus is apparently used only once: cineris bene creti, Pall. 12, 22, 3; but freq. in the compounds of cerno; for the simple part., the orig. form certus also is very rarely used: certā deinde sorte senatus consultum factum est, Liv. 36, 2, 2; v. under II. C., and cf. certus), 3, v. a. [root car- for scar-, to separate; cf. κρίνω; hence, σκώρ, stercus, screo; cf. cera].

  1. I. To separate, sift (rare): per cribrum, Cato. R. R. 107, 1: farinam cribro, Plin. 18, 11, 29, § 115; cf. id. 33, 5, 26, § 87; Pall. Jun. 1; Veg. 3, 28, 6: in cribris omnia cerne cavis, Ov. Med. Fac. 62; cf.: per densa foramina, id. ib. 89: cineris bene creti, well sifted, Pall. Nov. 22.
    Far more freq.,
  2. II. Trop.
    1. A. To separate, distinguish by the senses, mostly by the eyes, i. e. to perceive, see, discern (syn.: video, conspicio; class. in prose and poetry; most freq. probably in Lucretius, where it is used about a hundred times); rarely by the ears; v. infra: lumen jubarve in caelo cerno? Enn. ap. Varr. L. L. 6, § 81 Müll.; 7, § 76 ib.: sed quis illic est, procul quem video? estne hic Hegio? si satis cerno, is hercle’st, Ter. Ad. 3, 3, 85: tum porro varios rerum sentimus odores, nec tamen ad nareis venienteis cernimus umquam: nec voces cernere suemus, Lucr. 1, 300; 4, 598: quod nequeunt oculis rerum primordia cerni, id. 1, 269; v. also id. 2, 314 sq.; 4, 242; cf. id. 2, 837: acute, id. 4, 811; cf.: cerno acutum, Hor. S. 1, 3, 26: altaria exhalare vapore, Lucr. 3, 432; 2, 928 al.
      Hence, sometimes opp. to hearing: ut non solum auribus acciperetur, sed etiam oculis cerneretur, Nep. Timol. 2, 2; or to mental perception: quem ego tam video animo, quam ea, quae oculis cernimus, Cic. Fam. 6, 3, 2: nos enim ne nunc quidem oculis cernimus ea, quae videmus, id. Tusc. 1, 20, 46: quae cernere et videre non possumus, id. de Or. 3, 40, 161; cf. id. Rep. 6, 20, 21 sq.: ego Catuli Cumanum ex hoc loco cerno, Pompeianum non cerno, id. Ac. 2, 25, 80: ut ea cernimus quae videmus, id. Mil. 29, 79: omnia sic aperiam, ut ea cernere oculis videamini, id. Clu. 24, 66: coram aliquid, to witness, Caes. B. G. 6, 8; Verg. A. 2, 538: aliquem, Caes. B. G. 6, 21: acies a nostris cernebatur, id. B. C. 3, 69: in sole sidera ipsa desinunt cerni, Quint. 8, 5, 29: simile quiddam facientes aves cernimus, id. 2, 6, 7: me miserum, turbā quod non ego cernar in illā, Ov. P. 4, 4, 43: Constitit alma Venus, nulli cernenda, id. M. 15, 844; Curt. 8, 13, 16; Tac. A. 1, 59.
      With acc. and inf.: sensumque inesse et motum in membris cerno, Canius ap. Varr. L. L. 6, § 81 Müll.: neque mutari ac misceri omnia cerneres, Sall. C. 2, 3: quos ad resistendum concucurrisse cernebat, * Suet. Caes. 15 fin.: cernis ut insultent Rutuli? Verg. A. 10, 20: cerne quam tenui vos parte contingat, Cic. Rep. 6, 20, 21: cerneres, quanta audacia fuisset, etc., Sall. C. 61, 1.
      Impers. with acc. and inf.: cernebatur, novissimos illorum premi vehementer, Caes. B. C. 1, 64 Herz. N. cr.
      So impers. with rel. -clause: ut non solum auribus acciperetur, sed etiam oculis cerneretur quem detulisset, Nep. Timol. 2, 2.
      Ante-class., of the hearing: vox illius certe est: idem omnes cernimus, Att. ap. Non. p. 261, 11, and perh. also, Titin. ap. Prisc. p. 898 P.
      Hence,
        1. b. Cerni aliquā re or in aliquā re, to become distinguished or known in something: fortis animus et magnus duabus rebus maxime cernitur, Cic. Off. 1, 20, 66; so id. Tusc. 5, 8, 22: amicus certus in re incertā cernitur, Enn. ap. Cic. Lael. 17, 64: atque hae quidem virtutes cernuntur in agendo, Cic. Part. Or. 23, 78; id. Top. 21, 80 (also in Quint. 3, 5, 18).
        2. * c. Have before the mind, have respect to, regard any one: ubi gratus, si non eum ipsi cernunt grati, cui referunt gratiam? Cic. Leg. 1, 18, 49.
    2. B. Transf. to intellectual objects, to perceive, comprehend, understand (syn.: intellego, cognosco, perspicio): neque tanta in rebus obscuritas, ut eas (res) non penitus acri vir ingenio cernat, si modo aspexerit, Cic. de Or. 3, 31, 124: jam cernam mene an illam potiorem putes, id. poët. Tusc. 2, 9, 20: (antiquitas) hoc melius ea fortasse, quae erant vera, cernebat, id. ib. 1, 12, 26; id. Fin. 1, 19, 64; id. Top. 5, 27; id. N. D. 1, 19, 49; id. Fam. 5, 12, 2: quae cum ego non solum suspicarer, sed plane cernerem, id. Agr. 2, 4, 9; id. de Or. 3, 31, 124: ut consuetum facile amorem cerneres, Ter. And. 1, 1, 108.
      Hence,
        1. b. Rarely of future events, to foresee, discern beforehand: cerno animo sepultā in patriā miseros atque insepultos acervos civium, Cic. Cat. 4, 6, 11: cerno jam animo, quanto omnia uberiora atque ornatiora futura sint, id. Fam. 5, 12, 2.
    3. C. To decide something that is contested or doubtful (judicially), to decree, determine (more rare than decernere): quotcumque senatus creverit populusque jusserit tot sunto, Cic. Leg. 3, 3, 8: quodcumque senatus creverit agunto, id. ib. 3, 3, 8, § 6: jurati cernant. Pac. ap. Non. p. 261, 13: illum locum tempusque consilio destinatum quid de Armeniā cernerent, Tac. A. 15, 14: priusquam id sors cerneret, Liv. 43, 12, 2: certā sorte, after the lot was decided, id. 36, 2, 2.
      Hence,
        1. b. To decide by contending or fighting (more rare than the freq. certare, and even in Seneca’s time out of use; cf. Sen. Ep. 58, 3): ferro non auro vitam (acc. respect = de vitā) cernamus utrique, Enn. ap. Cic. Off. 1, 12, 38; id. ap. Non. p. 261, 19, and ap. Varr. L. L. 6, § 81 Müll.; Pac. ap. Non. p. 261, 21: nisi esset qui armis secum vellet cernere, Att. ap. Non. p. 261, 17: cernere ferro, Verg. A. 12, 709 (also ap. Sen. Ep. 58, 3); so, cernere certamen, Plaut. Bacch. 3, 2, 15; id. Cas. 3, 1, 2; Lucr. 5, 394: pro patriā, pro liberis, pro aris atque focis suis, * Sall. C. 59, 5 Kritz N. cr. (al. certare): seu libeat duplicem sejunctim cernere martem, Tib. 4, 1, 103.
          Humorously, Plaut. Trin. 2, 4, 77.
    4. D. In gen., to decide for something, to conclude upon, resolve (syn.: constituo, decerno; also rare): praesidium castris educere, Lucil. ap. Non. p. 261, 5: acribus inter se cum armis confligere, id. ib. p. 261, 6: te mihi amicam esse crevi, Plaut. Cist. 1, 1, 1 (crevi valet constitui, Varr. L. L. 7, § 98 Müll.); Cat. 64, 150.
      Hence,
    5. E. In judic. lang. t. t., of inheritances.
      1. 1. To resolve to enter upon an inheritance, Varr. L. L. 7, § 98 Müll.; cf. Tit. 22, 27, and cretio.
      2. 2. To make known this determination, Tit. 22, 28 and 30; Cic. Att. 11, 2, 1.
      3. 3. = adire, to enter upon an inheritance, Cic. Agr. 2, 15, 40; Liv. 24, 25, 3; 40, 8, 17; Plin. Ep. 10, 79, 2; Quint. Decl. 261; Fest. p. 41.
        1. b. Trop.: debet etiam fratris Appii amorem erga me cum reliquā hereditate crevisse, Cic. Att. 6, 1, 10; so id. Fam. 9, 14, 4; Val. Max. 5, 3, ext. 3.
          P. a. v. certus.

cresco, crēvi, crētum, 3 (inf. perf. sync. cresse, Lucr. 3, 683), v. inch. n. [1. creo].

  1. I. Orig., of things not previously in existence, to come forth, grow, to arise, spring, be born, become visible, appear (so mostly poet.)
    1. A. Lit.: cetera, quae sursum crescunt sursumque creantur, Lucr. 6, 527: quaecumque e terrā corpora crescunt (for which, subsequently, exoriuntur), id. 1, 868: corpore de patrio ac materno sanguine crescunt, id. 4, 1210: hic et acanthus Et rosa crescit, Verg. Cul. 397.
      So esp. freq. in part. perf.: crētus, a, um, arisen, sprung, descended from, born of; with abl.: mortali corpore cretus, Lucr. 5, 6; 2, 906; cf.: mortali semine, Ov. M. 15, 760: corpore materno, Lucr. 4, 1224: nativo corpore, id. 5, 61: Semiramio sanguine, Ov. M. 5, 85; cf. id. ib. 13, 31: Amyntore, id. ib. 8, 307; cf. Verg. A. 9, 672; Ov. M. 13, 750.
      With ab: ab origine eādem, Ov. M. 4, 607; cf.: Trojano a sanguine, Verg. A. 4, 191.
    2. B. Trop.: haec villa inter manus meas crevit, Sen. Ep. 12, 1: ingens hic terris crescit labor, Sil. 3, 75.
      Far more freq.,
  2. II. Of things already in existence, to rise in height, to rise, grow, grow up, thrive, increase, etc.
    1. A. Lit.: arbores, Lucr. 1, 254; so, fruges, arbusta, animantes, id. 1, 808: omnia paulatim crescunt (with grandescere alique), id. 1, 190 sq.: ut (ostrea) cum lunā pariter crescant pariterque decrescant, Cic. Div. 2, 14, 33: in lecticis crescunt (infantes), Quint. 1, 2, 7: cresce, puer, Ov. M. 2, 643 et saep.: in cujus domo creverat, had grown up, been reared, Suet. Oth. 1; cf.: Alexander per quinquennium sub Aristotele doctore mclito crevit, Just. 12, 16, 8: Nilus in aestatem crescit campisque redundat, Lucr. 6, 713; cf. of the same, id. 6, 737: Liger ex nivibus creverat, Caes. B. G. 7, 55 fin.: in frondem crines, in ramos bracchia, to grow into, Ov. M. 1, 550; cf.: in ungues manus, id. ib. 2, 479: in immensum Atlas, id. ib. 4, 661: in latitudinem, to increase in breadth, Col. Arb. 17: in longitudinem, Plin. 11, 37, 87, § 216: super ora caputque onus, Ov. M. 12, 516: ut clivo crevisse putes, id. ib. 8, 191 et saep.
      1. 2. Transf., to increase in number to, augment, multiply: non mihi absenti crevisse amicos, Cic. Sest. 32, 69 (B. and K. ex conj. decrevisse): adhuc crescentibus annis, Ov. A. A. 1, 61.
    2. B. Trop.
      1. 1. In gen., to grow, increase, to be enlarged or strengthened: cum Atheniensium opes senescere, contra Lacedaemoniorum crescere videret, Nep. Alcib. 5, 3; so, hostium opes animique, Cic. Imp. Pomp. 15, 45: non animi tantum, sed etiam vires crescebant, Liv. 5, 46, 4: animus laude crescit, Quint. 1, 2, 3; Curt. 4, 6, 13; Just. 19, 1, 8: animus crevit praetori, Liv. 44, 4, 1: cujusvis opes contra illius potentiam, Sall. C. 17, 7: cujusquam regnum per scelus, id. J. 14, 7: potentia paucorum (opp. plebis opes imminutae), id. C. 39, 1; Liv. 4, 2, 2 et saep.: haec (mala) primo paulatim, Sall. C. 10, 6: primo pecuniae, deinde imperii cupido, id. ib. 10, 3: fuga atque formido latius, id. J. 55, 7: licentia, id. C. 51, 30: inopia omnium, Liv. 21, 11, 12: rerum cognitio cottidie, Quint. 12, 11, 17: quā ex re creverat cum famā tum opibus, Nep. Alcib. 7 fin.; cf.: (Saguntini) in tantas brevi creverant opes, Liv. 21, 7, 3: Rhodiorum civitas populi Romani opibus, Sall. C. 51, 5; cf.: qui malo rei publicae, id. ib. 51, 32: usque ego postera Crescam laude recens, Hor. C. 3, 30, 8: a brevibus in longas (iambi), Quint. 9, 4, 136.
      2. 2. In partic., to rise or increase in distinction, honor, courage, etc., to be promoted or advanced, to prosper, to become great, attain honor: accusarem alios potius, ex quibus possem crescere, Cic. Rosc. Am. 30, 83: ex invidiā senatoriā, id. Clu. 28, 77: ex his, Liv. 29, 37, 17: ex me, id. 35, 19, 5: de uno isto, de multis, Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 67, § 173: dignitate, gratiā, Nep. Att. 21, 1; cf. id. ib. 10, 3; and absol.: crescendi in curiā occasio, Liv. 1, 46, 2: cresco et exsulto et discussā senectute recalesco, quotiens, etc., Sen. Ep. 34, 1; cf.: gaudet et ex nostro crescit maerore Charaxus, Ov. H. 15, 117: hic uno modo crescere potest, si se ipse summittat, etc., Plin. Pan. 71, 4.

1. Crēta, ae (nom. Crētē, Mel. 2, 7, 12; Ov. M. 8, 118; 9, 668; 9, 735; acc. Creten, id. ib. 8, 99; Hor. C. 3, 27, 34 al.;

  1. I. on the contrary, Cretam, Verg. A. 3, 129 al.), f., = Κρήτη, Crete, an island in the Mediterranean Sea, distinguished in ancient times by its fruitfulness and very early cultivation, now Candia, Mel. l. l.; Plin. 4, 12, 20, § 58; Verg. A. 3, 104; Hor. Epod. 9, 29; Cic. Fl. 13, 30; id. Phil. 2, 38, 97; Vell. 2, 34, 1; Varr. R. R. 1, 7, 6; Plin. 15, 11, 10, § 37.
    Hence,
  2. II. Crēs, Crētis, m., and Cressa, ae, f., = Κρής, Κρῆσσα, Cretan; or as subst., a Cretan; a Cretan woman.
        1. a. Masc. Cres: Epimenides, Cic. Div. 1, 18, 34.
          In plur. Cretes, the Cretans, Cic. Mur. 35, 74; Ov. Am. 3, 10, 19; gen. Cretum, Cic. Tusc. 2, 14, 34; Cat. 55, 23; Ov. F. 1, 594 al.; acc. Cretăs, Caes. B. G. 2, 7; Mel. 1, 16, 1; Ov. H. 16, 348; Luc. 4, 441 al.
        2. b. Fem. Cressa, adj.: pharetra, Verg. G. 3, 345: nota, made with Cretan earth or chalk (v. 2. Creta, II.), Hor. C. 1, 36, 10: herbae, for healing in gen., Prop. 2, 1, 61 (acc. to Serv. ad Verg. A. 12, 412, perh. for dictamnus): bos, i. e. Pasiphaë (q. v.), id. 4 (5), 7, 57.
          Subst. for Ariadne, Ov. Am. 1, 7, 16; for Aĕrope, id. A. A. 1, 327.
    1. B. Crēsĭus (in MSS. and edd. also Cressĭus; cf. Verg. A. 5, 285 Wagn.), a, um, adj., = Κρη:σιος, Cretan: nemora, Verg. A. 4, 70: prodigia, i. e. taurus (v. C.), id. ib. 8, 295: regna, Ov. H. 16, 299: tecta, Stat. Th. 12, 582 al.
    2. C. Crētaeus, a, um, adj., Cretan: Ida, Verg. A. 12, 412: urbes, Ov. M. 9, 666: ratis, Prop. 3 (4), 19, 26: taurus, the bullock which Neptune sent to Minos, Ov. M. 7, 434.
      Subst.: Crētae-us, i, m., the Cretan, for Epimenides, Prop. 2, 34 (25), 29.
    3. * D. Crētānus, i, m., a Cretan (prob. a word coined in sport), Plaut. Curc. 3, 73.
    4. E. Crētensis, e, adj., Cretan: homo, judex, Cic. Phil. 5, 5, 13 and 14: Juppiter, id. N. D. 3, 21, 53: sagittarii, Liv. 37, 41, 9 et saep.
      In plur.: Crētenses, ium, m., the Cretans (renowned as archers), Nep. Hann. 9, 2; Liv. 37, 60, 4; 41, 25, 7 al.
  3. F. Crētĭcus, a, um, adj., Cretan: mare, Hor. C. 1, 26, 2: vinum, Plin. 14, 9, 11, § 81: labyrinthus, id. 36, 13, 19, § 90: bellum, Flor. 3, 7: pes, an amphimacrus, Diom. p. 475 P. al.: versus, composed of the amphimacrus, id. p. 513 ib. al.
      1. 2. Subst.
        1. a. Crētĭcus, i, m., a surname of Q. Metellus, from his subjugation of Crete, Flor. 3, 7 fin.; 3, 8, 1; Vell. 2, 34; Cic. Att. 1, 19, 2; cf. id. Fl. 13, 30; Ov. F. 1, 594.
        2. b. Crētĭca, ae, f., a plant, called also clematitis, Plin. 25, 8, 54, § 96.
        3. c. In the Gr. form Crētĭcē, ēs, f., a plant, called also hibiscus, App. Herb. 38 and 62.
  4. G. Crētis, ĭdis, f., a Cretan (woman): Nymphae, Ov. F. 3, 444.

2. crēta, ae, f. [orig. adj., from 1. Creta], Cretan earth, i. e. chalk, white earth or clay.

  1. I. Prop., Plin. 35, 17, 57, § 195 sq.; Cato, R. R. 39, 2; Varr. R. R. 1, 7, 8 al.; esp. used for cleansing garments, Plaut. Aul. 4, 9, 6.
    Hence, trop.: creta est profecto horum hominum oratio, i. e. removes all trouble from the mind, Plaut. Poen. 5, 2, 10 sq.
    Also used as a cosmetic, Hor. Epod. 12, 10; Mart. 6, 93, 9; 8, 33, 17 al.; for seals, Cic. Fl. 16, 37; cf. cretula, for marking the goal in a race-course, Plin. 8, 42, 65, § 160; for the making of earthen vessels, Col. 3, 11, 9; Plin. 14, 20, 25, § 123 et saep.
    Poet.: rapidus cretae Oaxes, turbulent, Verg. E. 1, 66 Rib. (dub. al. Cretae; v. Forbig. ad loc.).
  2. II. From its whiteness is borrowed the trope for something favorable or lucky (opp. carbo), Hor. S. 2, 3, 246; imitated by Pers. 5, 108.

1. crētus, a, um, Part., from cerno.

2. crētus, a, um, Part., from cresco. q. v. I. A. fin.