Lewis & Short

contĭcesco (contĭcisco, Plaut. Bacch. 4, 5, 28; id. Mil. 2, 4, 56; Arn. 5 init.), tĭcŭi, 3, v. inch., to become still, to cease speaking or sounding (class. in prose and poetry).

  1. I. Lit.: sed conticiscam: nam audio aperiri foris, Plaut. Bacch. 4, 5, 28; id. Mil. 2, 4, 56: ad quod ille quidem conticescit, sed sermonem suscipit Polus, Quint. 2, 15, 28: ad hos casus, i. e. in such cases, id. 6, 1, 42: conscientiā convictus repente conticuit, Cic. Cat. 3, 5, 10: consedit ille; conticui, id. Har. Resp. 4, 7: conticuere omnes, Verg. A. 2, 1; Ov. M. 6, 293; 10, 430.
    1. B. To keep silence, not to speak (very rare): paulisper alter, alterius conspectu, conticuere, Liv. 30, 30, 2 Weissenb. ad loc.
      Poet. with acc.: tantum nefas conticuit, Val. Fl. 3, 302.
  2. II. Transf., of things: numquam de vobis (hominum) gratissimus sermo conticescet, Cic. Phil. 14, 12, 33: nec ulla umquam aetas de tuis laudibus conticescet, id. Marc. 3, 9: conticuit lyra, * Hor. Ep. 1, 18, 43: tubae, Mart. 7, 80: conticuere undae, Ov. M. 5, 574.
  3. III. Trop., to become still or quiet, come to rest, cease, decline, stop, abate (syn. obmutesco): cum obmutuisset senatus, judicia conticuissent, etc., Cic. Pis. 12, 26: ut tum conticisceret illa lamentatio et gemitus urbis, id. Red. Sen. 7, 17: artes nostrae, id. Mur. 10, 22; cf.: studium, id. Brut. 94, 324: litterae forenses et senatoriae, id. Off. 2, 1, 3: actiones tribuniciae, Liv. 4, 1, 5: tumultus, id. 2, 55, 10; 22, 55, 8: furor, id. 2, 29, 11.