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mordĭcus , adv. mordeo,
I.by biting, with bites, with the teeth, ὀδάξ (class.).
I. Lit.: “mordicus arripere,” Plaut. Curc. 5, 1, 7: “si adbites propius, os denasabit tibi Mordicus,” will bite your nose off, id. Capt. 3, 4, 73; cf. id. Men. 1, 3, 12: “equus eum mordicus interfecit,” Varr. R. R. 2, 7, 9: “premere capita mordicus,” Cic. N. D. 2, 49, 124: “auriculam fortasse mordicus abstulisset,” would have bitten off, id. Q. Fr. 3, 4, 2: “caudā mordicus apprehensā,” Plin. 8, 37, 55, § 132: “calcibus feriens et mordicus appetens,” App. M. 3, p. 140.—Prov.: mordicus petere aurum e flammā expediat, e ceno cibum, Lucil. ap. Non. 138, 21.—
II. Trop.: “rem mordicus tenere,” to hold fast to, not give up, Cic. Ac. 2, 16, 51: “verba tenent mordicus,” id. Fin. 4, 28, 78; Afran. ap. Charis. p. 184 P.
A Latin Dictionary. Founded on Andrews' edition of Freund's Latin dictionary. revised, enlarged, and in great part rewritten by. Charlton T. Lewis, Ph.D. and. Charles Short, LL.D. Oxford. Clarendon Press. 1879.

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hide References (6 total)
  • Cross-references in general dictionaries from this page (6):
    • Cicero, Letters to his brother Quintus, 3.4.2
    • Plautus, Curculio, 5.1
    • Plautus, Captivi, 3.4
    • Plautus, Menaechmi, 1.3
    • Cicero, de Finibus Bonorum et Malorum, 4.28
    • Cicero, de Natura Deorum, 2.49
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