Lewis & Short

dī-lābor, lapsus, 3, v. dep. n., to fall asunder, go to pieces, melt away, dissolve (class.).

  1. I. Lit.
    1. A. In gen.: glacies liquefacta et dilapsa, Cic. N. D. 2, 10, 26; cf. nix, Liv. 21, 36, 6: nebula, id. 41, 2, 4: calor, Verg. A. 4, 705: Vulcanus (i. e. ignis), Hor. S. 1, 5, 73: aestus, Tac. A. 14, 32 et saep.
      Of a river, to flow apart, flow away, hoc quasi rostro finditur Fibrenus, et divisus aequaliter … rapideque dilapsus cito in unum confluit, Cic. Leg. 2, 3, 6: amnis presso in solum alveo dilabitur, Curt. 5, 4, 8; cf. Mütz. ad h. 1.
      Poet.: ungula in quinos dilapsa ungues, divided, Ov. M. 1, 742: (Proteus) in aquas tenues dilapsus abibit, melting, Verg. G. 4, 410.
    2. B. In partic.
      1. 1. In the historians, of persons, esp. of soldiers, to move away in different directions, to flee, escape, scatter, disperse: exercitus amisso duce brevi dilabitur, Sall. J. 18, 3; so, absol., id. C. 57, 1; Nep. Eum. 3, 4; Liv. 9, 45; Front. Strat. 2, 1, 18 al.
        With ab: ab signis, Liv. 23, 18; cf. id. 37, 20.
        With ex or e, Liv. 6, 17; 24, 46, 4.
        With in: in oppida, Liv. 8, 29; cf. id. 21, 32; 40, 33; Front. Strat. 3, 8, 3.
        With ad, Suet. Calig. 48; Front. Strat. 3, 6, 3: domum, id. ib. 2, 12 fin.: ab eo, desert, Vulg. 1 Reg. 13, 8.
      2. 2. Pregn., to tumble down, i. e. to fall to pieces, go to decay: monumenta virum dilapsa, Lucr. 5, 312; so of buildings, Liv. 4, 20 Drak.; Tac. A. 4, 43; id. H. 1, 68; 86 fin. al.: navis putris vetustate, Liv. 35, 26: supellex, Col. 12, 3, 5: cadavera tabo, Verg. G. 3, 557; cf.: corpora foeda, Ov. M. 7, 550: fax in cineres, Hor. C. 4, 13, 28 et saep.
  2. II. Trop. (acc. to I. B. 2.), to go to decay, go to ruin, perish, be lost: male parta male dilabuntur, like our light come, light go, Poëta ap. Cic. Phil. 2, 27 (for which, disperire, Plaut. Poen. 4, 2, 22): ne omnia dilabantur, si unum aliquod effugerit, Cic. Tusc. 4, 5, 10: praeclarissime constituta, respublica, id. Off. 2, 23, 80: res familiaris, id. ib. 2, 18, 64: divitiae, vis corporis, etc., Sall. J. 2, 2: res maxumae (opp. crescere), id. ib. 10, 6: omnis invidia, id. ib. 27, 2: tempus, i. e. to slip away, id. ib. 36, 4: vectigalia publica negligentiā, i. e. to fall into confusion, Liv. 33, 46 fin.: curae inter nova gaudia, to vanish, Ov. P. 4, 4, 21 et saep.: sunt alii plures fortasse, sed meā memoriā dilabuntur, vanish, Cic. Phil. 13, 5, 11.
      1. 2. Of time, to glide away, pass: dilapso tempore, Sall. J. 36, 4.