Lewis & Short

fĭgūro, āvi, ātum, 1, v. a. [figura], to form, fashion, shape (rare but class.).

  1. I. Lit.: mundum ea forma figuravit, qua una omnes reliquae formae concluduntur, Cic. Univ. 6: aes in habitum statuae, Sen. Ep. 65: medullas in lapidis naturam, Plin. 36, 22, 45, § 161: caseos, id. 16, 38, 72, § 181: barbam peregrina ratione, Petr. 102.
    Absol., Cic. N. D. 1, 39, 110.
  2. II. Trop.
    1. A. In gen.: voces lingua, to pronounce, utter, Lucr. 4, 550; cf. id. 2, 413: os tenerum pueri balbumque poëta figurat, forms, trains, Hor. Ep. 2, 1, 126: dum tempora nostra figurat, represents, Prud. Psych. 66.
    2. B. In partic.
      1. 1. To imagine, fancy, picture: qui in crepidine viderat Marium in sella figuravit, Sen. Contr. 3, 17 med.: quales ad bella excitanda exeunt Furiae, talem nobis iram figuremus, Sen. Ira, 2, 35 med.: inanes species anxio animo, Curt. 7, 1 fin.
      2. 2. In rhet. lang., to adorn with figures: tam translatis verbis quam propriis figuratur oratio, Quint. 9, 1, 9: plurima mutatione figuramus, id. 10, 1, 12.
        Absol.: affectus efficaciter movit, figurabat egregie, Sen. Contr. 3 praef.
        Hence, fĭgū-rātus, a, um, P. a.
    1. A. Lit., formed, fashioned, shaped: boum ipsa terga declarant non esse se ad onus accipiendum figurata, Cic. N. D. 2, 63, 159: (hominis) ita figuratum corpus, id. Fin. 5, 12, 34: signum in modum Liburnae figuratum, Tac. G. 9: venter ei, qui a periculo tutus est, reddit mollia, figurata, well-formed stools, Cels. 2, 3; 2, 8 med.
      Of a word, derived: dicatur a Graeca voce figurata esse, Gai. Inst. 3, 93 fin.
    2. B. Trop., of speech, figurative (not in Cic., but very freq. in Quint.): oratio ἐσχηματισμένη, id est figurata (opp. ἀσχημάτιστος, figuris carens), Quint. 9, 1, 13; cf. id. 8, 3, 59: verba, id. 8, 1, 1; 9, 2, 7: controversiae, id. 9, 2, 65; 88; 9, 1, 14.
      Adv. (acc. to B.), figuratively; in two forms: fĭgūrāto, Tert. adv. Marc. 3, 14 al.: fĭgūrāte, Ascon. ap. Cic. Verr. 2, 6: figuratius, Sid. Ep. 5, 8.