Lewis & Short

Parsing inflected forms may not always work as expected. If the following does not give the correct word, try Latin Words or Perseus.

mōbĭlis, e, adj. [for movibilis, from moveo], easy to be moved, movable; loose, not firm (class.).

  1. I. Lit.: sum pernix pedibus manibus mobilis, Plaut. Mil. 3, 1, 36: mobiles turres, Curt. 8, 11, 32: oculi, Cic. N. D. 2, 57, 142: supercilia, Plin. 11, 37, 51, § 138: penna, Ov. A. A. 2, 62: mobilissimus ardor, Cic. N. D. 2, 11, 30: mobiles res and mobilia bona, in law, movable things, movables, chattels (opp. to lands, houses, fixtures), as cattle, money, clothes, etc., Dig. 6, 1, 1: remedium ad dentium mobiles firmandos, loose, Plin. 21, 31, 105, § 180.
  2. II. Trop.
    1. A. Pliable, pliant, flexible; excitable; nimble, quick, active, agile, rapid, swift, fleet: dum mobilis aetas, Verg. G. 3, 165: populus mobilior ad cupiditatem agri, Liv. 6, 6: volat ambiguis mobilis alis hora, Sen. Hippol. 1141; cf. id. Oedip. 992: mobile et expeditum agmen, Curt. 4, 14, 16: venti, the fleet winds, Ov. H. 5, 110; cf.: puncto mobilis horae, Hor. Ep. 2, 2, 172: transitus, Vell. 1, 17, 7: ingenium, versatility of talent, Vitr. 5, 7.
    2. B. In a bad sense, changeable, inconstant, fickle: nec in te animo fui mobili, sed ita stabili, ut, etc., Cic. Fam. 5, 2, 10: Galli sunt in consiliis capiendis mobiles. Caes. B. G. 4, 5; cf. under the adv. 2: gens ad omnem auram spei mobilis atque infida, Liv. 29, 3: ingenium, Sall. J. 46, 3; 66, 2: favor, Sen. Vit. Beat. 1, 5: mobiles et fluxae res humanae, Sall. J. 104, 3: mobilis et varia est ferme natura malorum, Juv. 13, 237.
      Hence,
    1. A. Subst.: mōbĭ-lĭa, ium, n., movable goods, chattels: mobilia quidem et moventia, quae modo in jus adferri adducive possent, Gai. Inst. 4, 16.
    2. B. Adv.: mōbĭlĭter, with rapid motion, rapidly, quickly.
      1. 1. Lit. (rare but class.): mobiliter quae feruntur, Lucr. 4, 745 cor mobiliter palpitare, Cic. N. D. 2, 9, 24.
        Comp.: reverti mobilius, Lucr. 5, 635.
      2. * 2. Trop.: omnes fere Gallos ad bellum mobiliter celeriterque excitari, hastily, Caes. B. G. 3, 10, 3.