dē-frĭco, cui, cātum and ctum (the former Catull. 37, 20; Col. 11, 2, 70; Plin. 28, 12, 50, § 188; the latter in Col. 6, 13, 1; 7, 5, 8; Sen. Ep. 87, 10), 1, v. a., to rub off, rub down; to rub hard, to rub (rare; mostly technical; not in Cic. and Caes.).
- I. Prop.: dentem, Catull. 37, 20; Ov. A. A. 3, 216: radicem, Col. 12, 56, 1: dolia, id. 11, 2, 70: lichenes pumice, Plin. 26, 4, 10, § 21: papulam saliva, Cels. 5, 28, 18; cf. vulnera, Col. 6, 7, 4: corpora pecudum quotidie, id. 6, 30, 1: fauces ceteraque membra, Suet. Dom. 20 et saep.: vas aeneum defricabitur, shall be scoured, Vulg. Lev. 6, 28: defricari, mid., to rub one’s self, as in a bath, Auct. Her. 4, 10, 14.
- II. Trop.: urbem sale multo, to lash well, Hor. S. 1, 10, 4.
Hence, *dēfrĭcātē, adv. (acc. to no. II.), with biting sarcasm: facete et defricate, Naev. ap. Charis. p. 178 P.