dē-formis, e (abl. plur.: deformīs dentibus, Apul. Met. 10, p. 249, 9), adj. [forma; cf. 2. deformo].
- I. Departing, either physically or (more freq.) morally, from the right shape, quality, etc.; misshapen, deformed, unsightly, ugly, odious, disgusting; disgraceful, base (for syn. cf.: taeter, foedus, turpis—freq. and class.): longus an brevis, formosus an deformis, Cic. Inv. 1, 24, 35: deformem esse natum, id. Cael. 3, 6; cf.: calvitio quoque deformis, Suet. Dom. 18; and, deformissima femina (opp. pulcherrima), Gell. 5, 11, 11: opus non deforme, Caes. B. G. 7, 23, 5: nec ulla deformior species est civitatis quam, etc., Cic. Rep. 1, 34; cf. patria, id. Fam. 4, 9, 3: solum patriae belli malis, Liv. 5, 49; cf. Suet. Vesp. 8: agmen (sc. inerme), Liv. 9, 6: turba, id. 41, 3; cf. Suet. Aug. 35: spectaculum, Liv. 1, 26, 10; 31, 24; cf. aspectus (opp. species honesta), Cic. Off. 1, 35, 126: motus statusve, id. Fin. 5, 12, 35 et saep.: oratio non tam honorifica audientibus quam sibi deformis, Liv. 45, 44; cf. Quint. 9, 4, 15: blanditiae, id. 8, 3, 65: convicia, id. 6, 4, 10: libido, id. 8, 6, 40: haesitatio, id. 11, 2, 48: obsequium, servile, Tac. A. 4, 20: aegrimonia, Hor. Epod. 13, 18 et saep.: deforme et servile est caedi discentes, Quint. 1, 3, 14; so with a subject-clause, id. 9, 4, 72 (opp. foedissimum); id. 11, 3, 81 and 125; Tac. Or. 36 fin. al.; and in the comp., Plin. Ep. 1, 23, 2; id. ib. 8, 24 fin.; Val. Max. 3, 2, 6.
N. plur. as subst.: deformia meditari, shameful deeds, Tac. A. 14, 15.
* Poet. with gen.: deformis leti, Sil. 1, 166.
Adv. (post-Aug.): dēformĭ-ter.
- a. Misshapenly: formati, Apul. M. 8, p. 214, 4.
- b. Inelegantly; disgracefully: sonat junctura, Quint. 8, 3, 45: dicet multa, id. 11, 1, 82: vivo, Suet. Ner. 49.
Comp.: deformius errasse, Sulpic. Sev. Dial. 1, 6, 6.
- * II. Shapeless: animae, Ov. M. 2, 554.