Lewis & Short

2. līmo, āvi, ātum (arch. limassis, for limaveris, Caecil. Com. 140), 1, v. a. [lima], to file.

  1. I. Lit.: gemmis scalpendis atque limandis, Plin. 36, 7, 10, § 54.
    1. B. Transf.
      1. 1. To file off: plumbum limatum, lead-filings, Plin. 34, 18, 50, § 168: limata scobs, id. ib.: cornum limatum lima lignaria, Scrib. 141: acumen ossis, Cels. 8, 10, 7.
      2. 2. To rub, whet: cornu ad saxa limato, Plin. 8, 20, 29, § 71; hence, limare caput cum aliquo, to kiss, Plaut. Merc. 3, 1, 40; id. Poen. 1, 2, 82.
  2. II. Trop.
    1. A. In gen., to file, polish, finish: quaedam institui, quae limantur a me politius, Cic. Ac. 1, 1, 2: stilus hoc maxime ornat ac limat, id. de Or. 3, 49, 190: ut ars aliquid limare non possit, id. ib. 1, 25, 115: vir nostrorum hominum urbanitate limatus, id. N. D. 2, 29, 74.
    2. B. In partic.
      1. 1. To investigate accurately, to clear of every thing superfluous: veritas ipsa limatur in disputatione, Cic. Off. 2, 10, 35: subtiliter mendacium, Phaedr. 3, 10, 49.
      2. 2. Cum se ipse consulto ad minutarum causarum genera limaverit, has prepared one’s self thoroughly for, Cic. Opt. Gen. Or. 3, 9.
      3. 3. To file off, take away from, diminish: tantum alteri affinxit, de altero limavit, Cic. de Or. 3, 9, 36: de tua prolixa beneficaque natura limavit aliquid posterior annus, id. Fam. 3, 8, 8: commoda alicujus, Hor. Ep. 1, 14, 38: multum inde decoquent anni, multum ratio limabit, Quint. 2, 4, 7.
        Hence, līmātus, a, um, P. a., polished, refined, elegant, fine, accurate: vir oratione maxime limatus, Cic. de Or. 1, 39, 180: jure madens, varioque togae limatus in usu, Mart. 7, 51, 5: pressum limatumque genus dicendi, Quint. 2, 8, 4; 11, 1, 3: Attici, id. 12, 10, 17.
        Comp.: limatius dicendi genus, Cic. Brut. 24, 93: comis et urbanus fuerit limatior idem, Hor. S. 1, 10, 65: limatius ingenium, Plin. Ep. 1, 20, 21.
        Hence, adv.: līmātē, finely, elegantly, accurately; comp.: limatius scriptum, Cic. Fin. 5, 5, 12: limatius quaerere, Amm. 15, 13, 2.