Lewis & Short

con-vello, velli (convulsi, Sen. Q. N. 2, 6, 4), vulsum (volsum), 3, v. a.

  1. I. To draw violently hither and thither something that is firm or quiet (esp. a tree, house, and the like); hence, to tear up, wrest from its position, to tear loose or away, to separate from, pull or pluck up (freq. and class.).
    1. A. Lit.
      1. 1. In gen.
          1. (α) Without designation of place from which, etc.: cum praecides caveto ne librum convellas, Cato, R. R. 40, 2: saxa turris hostium, quibus fundamenta continebantur, Caes. B. C. 2, 11; cf. Hirt. B. G. 8, 26 fin.; and, fundamenta, Lucr. 4, 506: cum gradus Castoris convellisti ac removisti, Cic. Dom. 21, 54: aesculum, Verg. G. 2, 294: convellere repagula, effringere valvas, Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 43, § 94: limina tectorum, Verg. A. 2, 507; Luc. 3, 528: artus, Lucr. 3, 344; so of the rack: omnia (membra) laniata, omnes partes convulsae sunt, Sen. Contr. 2, 13, 5: convolsis laceratisque membris, id. ib. § 6; cf. armos, to wrench, dislocate, Col. 6, 16, 1: teneros fetus, i. e. to produce abortion, Ov. Am. 2, 14, 5.
          2. (β) With designation of place from or out of which, etc.: simulacrum Cereris e sacrario convellendum auferendumque curavit, Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 72, § 187; cf. id. ib. § 186: me ex nostris hortulis, id. Leg. 1, 21, 55: viridem silvam ab humo, Verg. A. 3, 24: funem ab terrā, id. G. 1, 457: (turrim) convellimus altis sedibus, id. A. 2, 464: robora suā terrā, Ov. M. 7, 204: Roma prope convulsa sedibus suis, Cic. Pis. 22, 52: domus convulsa sedibus suis, Plin. Ep. 9, 19, 8: aspera undique nisu, Val. Fl. 5, 159.
          3. (γ) Absol.: haeserunt radice pedes. Convellere pugnat, Ov. M. 9, 351.
      2. 2. Milit. t. t.: signa, to pluck up the standards from the ground, to decamp (rare), Cic. Div. 1, 35, 77; Liv. 22, 3, 12; cf. vexilla, Tac. A. 1, 20.
        1. b. Medic. t. t.: convulsus (-volsus), a, um, suffering from wrenching of a limb, Plin. 25, 8, 54, § 98; cf. id. 20, 5, 18, § 36; 20, 17, 69, § 178; or from convulsions, spasmodic, convulsive: latus, Suet. Tib. 72: fauces, Quint. 11, 3, 20.
    2. B. Trop., to cause to totter, to shake, to destroy, overthrow, bring to naught (syn.: labefacto, commoveo, commuto, infirmo; esp. freq. in Cic.): est boni consulis, cum cuncta auxilia rei publicae labefactari convellique videat, ferre opëm patriae, Cic. Rab. Perd. 1, 3; so with labefactare: cogitationem, id. Fam. 5, 13, 2 Manut.; cf. id. Clu. 2, 6: rei publicae statum, id. Pis. 2, 4: ea quae non possint commoveri, id. de Or. 2, 51, 205: haec si tenemus, quae mihi quidem non videntur posse convelli, id. Div. 1, 51, 117: judicia, stipulationes, etc. (with infirmare), id. Caecin. 18, 51: convellere et commutare instituta omnium, id. Verr. 2, 3, 6, § 15: acta Dolabellae, id. Phil. 2, 33, 83: rem publicam judicio aliquo, id. Brut. 30, 115: gratiam Caesaris, Hirt. B. G. 8, 50: vires aegri, Cels. 3, 4, 14; cf. id. ib. § 11: fidem legionum promissis, Tac. H. 4, 30 fin.: caede Messalinae convulsa principis domus, id. A. 12, 1; cf. id. ib. 12, 65; 4, 40: Tiberius vi dominationis convulsus ( = abalienatus ab honestate) et mutatus, id. ib. 6, 48: fata, Ov. H. 16, 41: secutae sunt duae (epistulae), quae me convellerunt de pristino statu, jam tamen labantem, Cic. Att. 8, 15, 2.
  2. II. To tear or rend to pieces, to cleave, dismember, shatter, break (perh. first in the poets of the Aug. per.).
    1. A. Lit.: dapes avido dente, Ov. M. 11, 123: glaebam vomere, * Cat. 64, 40: dehiscit Convolsum remis rostrisque tridentibus aequor, Verg. A. 5, 143; 8, 690: loca vi quondam et vastā convolsa ruinā, id. ib. 3, 414: septem (naves) convolsae undis Euroque supersunt, shattered, id. ib. 1, 383; cf. Luc. 3, 528: convulsi laniatique centuriones, Tac. A. 1, 32: domum, id. ib. 6, 40.
    2. B. Trop.
      1. 1. Of words, to mutilate, mispronounce: magno cursu verba convellere, Sen. Ep. 40, 2.
      2. 2. To afflict, torture: verbis convellere pectus, Ov. H. 17, 111.