Lewis & Short

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volvo, volvi, vŏlūtum, 3 (inf. pass. volvier, Lucr. 5, 714), v. a. [Sanscr. varas, circumference; Gr. ἐλύω, to wrap; root ϝελ-], to roll, turn about, turn round, tumble any thing.

  1. I. Lit.
    1. A. In gen.: (amnis) volvit sub undis Grandia saxa, Lucr. 1, 288; Verg. A. 11, 529; Ov. Ib. 173: flumen lapides volvens, Hor. C. 3, 29, 38: beluas cum fluctibus (procellae), Plin. 9, 3, 2, § 5: vortices (flumen), Hor. C. 2, 9, 22: fumum caligine (ventus), Lucr. 6, 691: oculos huc illuc, Verg. A. 4, 363: oculos per singula, id. ib. 8, 618: filum, Varr. L. L. 5, § 114 Müll. volvendi sunt libri, to unroll, i. e. open, Cic. Brut. 87, 298: Tyrrhena carmina retro, Lucr. 6, 381 (hence, volumen, in the signif. of roll, book, volume, v. h. v. I.): semineces volvit multos, rolls in the dust, fells to the ground, Verg. A. 12, 329 et saep.
    2. B. In partic.
      1. 1. To roll up or together, form by rolling: pilas, Plin. 30, 11, 30, § 99; cf.: qui terga dederant, conversi in hostem volventesque orbem, etc., forming a circle, Liv. 22, 29, 5: jam orbem volventes suos increpans, id. 4, 28, 3.
      2. 2. To breathe, exhale, etc. (poet.): vitalis aëris auras Volvere in ore, Lucr. 6, 1225: (equus) Collectumque fremens volvit sub naribus ignem, Verg. G. 3, 85.
      3. 3. Mid., to turn or roll itself round about, to turn or roll along: nobis caenum teterrima quom sit Spurcities, eadem subus haec jucunda videtur, Insatiabiliter toti ut volvantur ibidem, Lucr. 6, 978: ille (anguis) inter vestes et levia pectora lapsus Volvitur, Verg. A. 7, 349: cylindrum volvi et versari turbinem putant, Cic. Fat. 18, 42: illi qui volvuntur stellarum cursus sempiterni, id. Rep. 6, 17, 17: excussus curru moribundus volvitur arvis, rolls, Verg. A. 10, 590: volvi humi, id. ib. 11, 640: volvitur Euryalus leto, id. ib. 9, 433: lacrimae volvuntur inanes, roll, flow, id. ib. 4, 449.
        Part.: volventia plaustra, Verg. G. 1, 163.
  2. II. Trop., to roll, roll along, roll off or onwards, etc.
    1. A. In gen.: volvere curarum tristes in pectore fluctus, Lucr. 6, 34: magnos fluctus irarum, id. 6, 74: ingentes iras in pectore, Liv. 35, 18, 6: tot volvere casus Insignem pietate virum, i. e. to undergo so many misfortunes, Verg. A. 1, 9; cf.: satis diu saxum hoc volvo, Ter. Eun. 5, 9 (8), 55: (lunam) celerem pronos Volvere menses, in rolling on, Hor. C. 4, 6, 40; cf.: volvendis mensibus, Verg. A. 1, 269: has omnis (animas) ubi mille rotam volvere per annos, i. e. completed the cycle, id. ib. 6, 748; and neutr.: volventibus annis, with revolving years, after the lapse of years, id. ib. 1, 234; cf.: volventia lustra, Lucr. 5, 928: volvens annus, Ov. M. 5, 565: sic fata deum rex Sortitur volvitque vices, fixes the series of revolving events, Verg. A. 3, 376; cf.: sic volvere Parcas, id. ib. 1, 22: M. Pontidius celeriter sane verba volvens, rolling off, Cic. Brut. 70, 246: sententias facile verbis, id. ib. 81, 280 longissima est complexio verborum, quae volvi uno spiritu potest, id. de Or. 3, 47, 182: ne verba traic amus aperte, quo melius aut cadat aut volvatur oratio, be rounded, form periods, id. Or. 69, 229.
    2. B. In partic., to turn over or revolve in the mind; to ponder, meditate, or reflect upon, consider (cf. verso): multa cum animo suo volvebat, Sall. J. 6, 2; 108, 3: multa secum, id. C. 32, 1; id. J. 113, 1; Liv. 26, 7, 3: immensa omnia animo, id. 2, 49, 5; Tac. H. 1, 30; Suet. Vesp. 5: bellum in animo, Liv. 42, 5, 1: in pectore, id. 35, 18, 6: has inanium rerum inanes ipsas volventes cogitationes, id. 6, 28, 7; 34, 60, 2; 32, 20, 2; Curt. 10, 5, 15: incerta consilia, id. 10, 8, 7; 5, 9, 3: bellum adversus nos, Tac. A. 3, 38: Fauni sub pectore sortem, Verg. A. 7, 254: haec illis volventibus tandem vicit fortuna reipublicae, Sall. C. 41, 3: subinde hoc in animo volve, Sen. Ep. 13, 13: secretas cogitationes intra se, Curt. 10, 8, 9: adeo ut plerumque intra me ipsum volvam, Tac. A. 14, 53: regna tecum volvis, Val. Max. 7, 2, ext. 1: mente aliquid, Lact. Epit. 60, 13.