cor-rumpo (conr-), rāpi, ruptum (rumptum), 3, v. a. (orig., to break to pieces; hence),
- I. To destroy, ruin, waste, bring to naught (class., but less freq. than in the signif. II.].
- A. Lit.: reliquum frumentum flumine atque incendio corruperunt, Caes. B. G. 7, 55: domum et semet igni conrumpunt, Sall. J. 76, 6; cf.: plura igni, id. ib. 92, 3; 92, 8: res familiares, id. ib. 64, 5: ungues dentibus, i. e. to bite, Prop. 2, 4, 3 (13).
- B. Trop.: diem, Plaut. Men. 4, 2, 31: animo male’st: corrupta sum atque absumpta sum, id. Am. 5, 1, 6: se suasque spes, Sall. J. 33, 4: illos dubitando et dies prolatando magnas opportunitates corrumpere, to lose, id. C. 43, 3: consilia, Vell. 2, 57, 3: libertatem, Tac. A. 1, 75: foedera, Sil. 12, 303: omnem prospectum, id. 5, 34 al.
- II. With regard to the physical or moral quality of an object, to corrupt, mar, injure, spoil, adulterate, make worse, etc. (very freq., and class. in prose and poetry).
- A. Lit.: corrumpitur jam cena, Plaut. Ps. 3, 2, 102; so, prandium, Ter. Ad. 4, 2, 49: conclusa aqua facile conrumpitur, Cic. N. D. 2, 7, 20; cf.: aquarum fontes, Sall. J. 55, 8: corrupitque lacus, infecit pabula leto, Verg. G. 3, 481: coria igni ac lapidibus, Caes. B. C. 2, 10: ne plora, oculos corrumpis, Plaut. Merc. 3, 1, 3; cf.: ocellos lacrimis, Ov. Am. 3, 6, 57: artus febribus, id. H. 19 (20), 117; cf.: stomachum (medicamentum), Scrib. Comp. 137: umor ex hordeo aut frumento in quandam similitudinem vini corruptus, fermented, Tac. G. 23 init.: vinum in acorem corrumpitur, Macr. S. 7, 12, 11.
Poet., without the access. idea of impairing: ebur corrumpitur ostro, is stained, Stat. Achill. 1, 308.
- B. Trop. (so most freq.),
- 1. Of personal objects, to corrupt, seduce, entice, mislead: perde rem, Corrumpe erilem filium, Plaut. Most. 1, 1, 20; 1, 1, 27 sq.; cf. id. Bacch. 3, 3, 15: me ex amore hujus esse corrumptum, id. As. 5, 2, 33; Ter. And. 2, 3, 22: mulierem, id. Heaut. 2, 2, 2; cf. feminas, Suet. Caes. 50: (vitiosi principes) non solum obsunt, ipsi quod corrumpuntur, sed etiam quod corrumpunt, Cic. Leg. 3, 14, 32: quos (milites) soluto imperio, licentia atque lascivia corruperat, Sall. J. 39, 5; cf. id. C. 53, 5 et saep.
- b. In partic., to gain to one’s self by gifts, etc.; to bribe, buy over, etc.
- (α) With abl.: aliquem pecuniā, Cic. Off. 2, 15, 53; Sall. J. 34, 1: auro, id. ib. 32, 3: pretio, Cic’. Caecin. 25, 72: turpi largitione, id. Planc. 15, 37: donis, Sall. J. 97, 2: muneribus, Hor. S. 1, 9, 57 et saep.
- (β) Without abl.: ne alios corrumpas, cum me non potueris, Nep. Epam. 4, 3; id. Lys. 3, 2 bis; Sall. J. 29, 2; Hor. S. 2, 2, 9 et saep.
- 2. Of things as objects, to corrupt, adulterate, falsify, spoil, mar, etc.: litteras publicas, Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 38, § 93: tabulas publicas, id. ib. 2, 2, 42, § 104; id. Rosc. Am. 44, 128: mores civitatis (opp. corrigere), id. Leg. 3, 14, 32; Quint. 1, 2, 4: disciplinam, Tac. H. 3, 49: fides, quam nec cupiditas corrumpat, nec gratia avertat, Quint. 12, 1, 24: totidem generibus corrumpitur oratio, quot ornatur, id. 8, 3, 58: nomen eorum paulatim Libyes corrupere, Sall. J. 18, 10; cf. Ov. F. 5, 195: multo dolore corrupta voluptas, imbittered, Hor. S. 1, 2, 39: gratiam, to forfeit, Phaedr. 4, 24, 18: (littera) continuata cum insequente in naturam ejus corrumpitur, Quint. 8, 3, 45; cf.: oris plurima vitia in peregrinum sonum corrupti, id. 1, 1, 13: quamvis sciam non corrumpi in deterius quae aliquando etiam a malis … fiunt, Plin. Ep. 5, 3, 6: ineluctabilis fatorum vis consilia corrumpit, Vell. 2, 57, 3.
- * b. In partic. (acc. to II. B. b.), to bribe: nutricis fidem, Ov. M. 6, 461.
Hence, cor-ruptus (conr-, cŏrup-), a, um, P. a., spoiled, marred, corrupted, bad.
- A. Lit.: caelum, Lucr. 6, 1135 Munro ad loc.; cf.: tractus caeli, Verg. A. 3, 138: aqua corruptior jam salsiorque, Auct. B. Alex. 6 fin.: iter factum corruptius imbri, Hor. S. 1, 5, 95 al.
- B. Trop.
- 1. Of the forms of words, mutilated, corrupted (opp. integer), Quint. 1, 5, 68.
- 2. Bad, corrupt: quis corruptor juventutis, quis corruptus, qui? etc., Cic. Cat. 2, 4, 7: homines conruptissimi, Sall. H. 1, 48, 7 Dietsch.
Subst.: corrupta, ōrum, n., the spoiled parts (of the body), Cels. praef. § 43.
Adv.: corruptē, corruptly, perversely, incorrectly (very rare): judicare neque depravate neque corrupte, * Cic. Fin. 1, 21, 71: pronuntiare verba, in a mutilated manner, Gell. 13, 30, 9.
Comp.: explicare, Sen. Contr. 2, 9: intimi libertorum servorumque corruptius quam in privatā domo habiti, Tac. H. 1, 22; cf. 2, 12 Halm.