I.imperf polibant, Verg. A. 8, 436), v. a. root par, in parēre, appārere; cf. pulcher, to smooth, furbish, polish (class.; syn.: limo, levigo).
I. Lit.: ROGVM ASCIA NE POLITO, Fragm. XII. Tab. ap. Cic. Leg. 2, 23, 59: “parietem tectorio,” Col. 8, 8, 3: “daedala signa,” Lucr. 5, 1451: “gemmas cotibus,” Plin. 37, 8, 32, § 109: “ligna squatinae piscis cute,” id. 32, 9, 34, § 108. marmora, id. 36, 6, 9, § 52: “scabritiam ferri hircorum sanguine,” id. 28, 9, 41, § 148: “lapis politus,” Vulg. 1 Macc. 13, 27: “polite lanceas,” id. Jer. 46, 4.—
B. Transf. (= apparare, curare, colere), to set off, adorn, decorate, embellish: causa poliendi agri, Enn. ap. Non. 66, 27 (Ann. v. 324 Vahl.); cf.: “campi politi,” id. ib. (Sat. v. 23 Vahl.); and: “politus culturā fundus,” Varr. R. R. 3, 2, 5: “vestes,” to scour, Plin. 35, 17, 57, § 197; cf. “vestimenta,” Dig. 47, 2, 12; Gai. Inst. 3, 143; 162: “linum in filo,” Plin. 19, 1, 3, § 18: “minium in officinis,” id. 33, 7, 40, § 122; cf. Sillig ad Plin. 3, 5, 9, § 60: “domus polita,” well-ordered, Phaedr. 4, 5, 26; cf.: “regie polita aedificia,” Varr. R. R. 1, 2, 10.—
II. Trop., to polish, refine, improve, adorn: ignarus poliendae orationis, Cic. de Or. 1, 14, 63: “ut opus poliat lima non exterat,” Quint. 10, 4, 4: “verba,” id. 8, 6, 63: “materiam versibus senariis,” Phaedr. 1, prol. 2: “carmina,” Ov. P. 1, 5, 61: “mores,” Petr. 8. —Hence, pŏlītus , a, um, P. a. (in the trop. sense), polished, accomplished, refined, cultivated, polite (class.): “doctrinā homines,” Lucr. 3, 307: “homo politus e scholā,” Cic. Pis. 25, 59: “politus artibus,” id. Fin. 1, 7, 26: “homo (orator),” id. de Or. 2, 58, 236: “aliquem politum reddere,” Plin. Ep. 1, 16, 6. accurata et polita oratio, Cic. Brut. 95, 326; cf.: “ornata oratio et polita,” id. de Or. 1, 8, 31; so, “epistula,” Plin. Ep. 7, 13, 2.—Comp.: “Crassus (in dicendo) politior et ornatior,” Tac. Or. 18: “facundia politiorem fieri,” Val. Max. 2, 2, 2: “homo politioris humanitatis expers,” Cic. de Or. 2, 17, 72.—Sup.: “vir omni liberali doctrinā politissimus,” Cic. Fam. 13, 1, 5.—Hence, adv.: pŏlītē , in a polished manner, exquisitely, elegantly: “polite subtiliterque effici,” Cic. Ac. 2, 38, 120: “polite apteque dicere,” id. Fin. 4, 3, 5: “ornate politeque dicere,” id. Cael. 3, 8: “scribere,” id. Brut. 19, 76.—Comp.: “politius perfectiusque proferre aliquid,” Cic. de Or. 1, 2, 5: “politius limare,” id. Ac. 1, 1, 2.
