I.inf. verberarier, Plaut. As. 2, 3, 7; id. Most. 3, 1, 92), v. a. verber, to lash, scourge, whip, flog, beat, drub (class.; syn.: ferio, pulso).
I. Lit.: So. Sum obtusus pugnis pessume. Am. Quis te verberavit? Plaut. Am. 2, 1, 60: “pulsare verberareque homines,” Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 54, § 142; so (with pulsare) id. ib. 2, 3, 26, § “66: civem Romanum,” id. Rep. 2, 31, 54: “matrem,” id. Vatin. 5, 11; cf.: “parentem, servum injuriā,” id. Fin. 4, 27, 76: “oculos virgis,” Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 43, § 112: “laterum costas ense,” Ov. M. 4, 727; Mart. 7, 94, 6; Dig. 47, 10, 5 proöem.—Absol.: “quo firme verberaturi insisterent,” Suet. Calig. 26: “caudā verberando excutere cibum,” Plin. 32, 2, 5, § 12. —Prov.: “noli verberare lapidem, ne perdas manum,” Plaut. Curc. 1, 3, 41.—
b. Transf., of inanimate things, to beat, strike, lash, knock, etc.: “locum coaequato et paviculis verberato,” Cato, R. R. 91: “tormentis Mutinam verberavit,” Cic. Phil. 8, 7, 20: “aquila aethera verberat alis,” Verg. A. 11, 756: “verberat ictibus auras,” id. ib. 5, 377: “fundā amnem,” id. G. 1, 141; cf.: “sidera (unda),” id. A. 3, 423: “agros nive (Juppiter),” Stat. Th. 5, 390: “undas (Aufidus),” to lash, Luc. 2, 407; cf.: “navem (Auster),” Hor. Epod. 10, 3: “puppim (Eurus),” Val. Fl. 1, 639.—In a comic pun, Plaut. Am. 1, 1, 177.—
II. Trop., to lash, chastise, plague, torment, harass with words: “aliquem verbis,” Plaut. Truc. 1, 2, 17: “ne me ut surdo verbera aures,” id. Mil. 4, 1, 204: “senatus convicio verberari,” Cic. Pis. 26, 63; cf.: “verberavi te cogitationis tacito duntaxat convicio,” id. Fam. 16, 26, 1: “orator in dicendo exercitatus hac ipsā exercitatione istos verberabit,” id. de Or. 3, 21, 79: “aures sermonibus,” Tac. Agr. 41; Petr. 132.