Lewis & Short

crēber, bra, brum (sup. creberrimus; but crebrissimus, Gell. 2, 30, 2; cf. Rudd. I. p. 170; and CEREBERRIMVS, Inscr. Orell. 68), adj. [from cre-, root of cresco, Corn. Beitr. p. 356], that exists or takes place in a continuous multitude, following closely together or one after another (hence with continuus, Quint. 12, 10, 46; opp. rarus).

  1. I. Thick, close, pressed together, frequent, numerous, repeated (very freq., and class.).
    1. A. Of material subjects: lucus avius, Crebro salicto oppletus, Plaut. Aul. 4, 6, 9; cf. silva, Lucr. 6, 135: crebris arboribus succisis omnes introitus erant praeclusi, Caes. B. G. 5, 9: rami, id. ib. 2, 17: (venae et arteriae) crebrae multaeque, toto corpore intextae, Cic. N. D. 2, 55, 138: funale, numerous torches, id. Sen. 13, 44: castella, Caes. B. G. 2, 30: creberrima aedificia, id. ib. 5, 12: ignes quam creberrimi, Sall. J. 106, 4; cf. id. ib. 98, 6: vigilias ponere, id. ib. 45, 2: tanto crebriores litterae nuntiique, Caes. B. G. 5, 45; cf. exploratores, id. ib. 6, 10: tam crebri ad terram decidebant quam pira, as thick as pears, Plaut. Poen. 2, 38; cf. hostes, id. Am. 1, 1, 84: crebri cecidere caelo lapides, Liv. 1, 31, 2; cf. sup., id. 28, 37, 7 et saep.
    2. B. Of immaterial subjects: itiones, Ter. Phorm. 5, 9, 23; cf. excursiones, Nep. Milt. 2, 1: ictus, Lucr. 4, 935; Hor. C. 1, 25, 2; Suet. Calig. 30: impetus, Lucr. 1, 294; Sall. J. 50, 1 al.: anhelitus, Quint. 11, 3, 55; Verg. A. 5, 199: commutationes aestuum, Caes. B. G. 5, 1: rumores, id. ib. 2, 1: amplexus, Ov. M. 9, 538 al.: compellationes, Cic. Fam. 12, 25, 2: sonus, oft repeated, Plin. 10, 29, 43, § 81: argumentatio, Quint. 2, 5, 8: supplosio pedis, id. 11, 3, 128: crebriores figurae, id. 9, 2, 94: quae apud Sallustium rare fuerunt, apud hunc crebra sunt et paene continua, Sen. Ep. 114, 18: crebra lumina (dicendi) et continua, Quint. 12, 10, 46.
  2. II. Meton., of an object that is furnished with abundance, or produces something in multitudes, crowded with, abundant, abounding in: creber harundinibus lucus, Ov. M. 11, 190: Africus procellis, Verg. A. 1, 85: Tiberis creber ac subitus incrementis, Plin. 3, 5, 9, § 55.
    Esp., of speech or writing: sane in eo creber fuisti, Te noluisse, etc., you frequently said, Cic. Planc. 34, 83: si mihi tantum esset otii, quantum est tibi … in scribendo multo essem crebrior quam tu, id. Att. 1, 19, 1: (Thucydides) ita creber est rerum frequentia, ut, etc., id. de Or. 2, 13, 56; id. Brut. 7, 29: quis sententiis aut acutior aut crebrior? id. ap. Suet. Caes. 55; Quint. 10, 1, 102 (cf.: densus sententiis, id. ib. § 68).
    In Gr. constr., of the person: densis ictibus heros Creber utrāque manu pulsat versatque Dareta, Verg. A. 5, 460: modus (dicendi) translationibus crebrior, Quint. 12, 10, 60.
    Hence, advv.,
      1. 1. Most freq. in the form crēbrō, close one after another (in time or number), repeatedly, often, oftentimes, frequently, many times: si crebro cades, Plaut. Pers. 4, 4, 105: ruri esse, Ter. Hec. 2, 1, 18: mittere litteras, Cic. Att. 6, 5, 1: tussire et exspuere, Quint. 11, 5, 56: personare purgatam aurem, Hor. Ep. 1, 1, 7 et saep.: qui crebro Catulum, saepe me, saepissime rem publicam nominabat, Cic. Cael. 24, 59.
        Comp. crebrius: perlucet villa crebrius quam cribrum, i. e. with more holes, openings, Plaut. Rud. 1, 2, 14: mittas litteras, Cic. Fam. 5, 6, 3 fin.: crebrius aut perfidiosius rebellantes, Suet. Aug. 21.
        Sup. creberrime (creberru-): commemorantur a Stoicis, Cic. Div. 1, 27, 56.
      2. 2. crē-bră (acc. plur.; cf. Rudd. II. p. 159), repeatedly: revisit ad stabulum (mater), Lucr. 2, 359: et pede terram Crebra ferit (equus), Verg. G. 3, 500.
      3. 3. crēbrē, closely, compactly (of place; only in Vitr.): fundamenta aedificiorum palationibus crebre fixa, Vitr. 2, 9, 10.
        Sup.: crates ex virgis creberrime textae, Vitr. 10, 14, 3.
      4. * 4. crē-brĭter, repeatedly, frequently (in time), Vitr. 10, 13, 7; cf. Hand, Turs. II. p. 133 sq.