Lewis & Short

mergo, si, sum, 3, v. a. [cf. Sanscr. madsh-, majan, to dip; Zend, masga, marrow; Germ. Mark; Engl. marrow], to dip, dip in, immerse; absol. also to plunge into water, to sink.

  1. I. Lit. (class.): eos (pullos) mergi in aquam jussit, Cic. N. D. 2, 3, 7: aves, quae se in mari mergunt, id. ib. 2, 49, 124: putealibus undis, Ov. Ib. 391: Stygia undā, id. M. 10, 697: prodigia indomitis merge sub aequoribus, Tib. 2, 5, 80: ab hoc (the sword-fish) perfossas naves mergi, Plin. 32, 2, 6, § 15: mersa navis omnes destituit, Curt. 4, 8, 8: mersa carina, Luc. 3, 632: cum coepisset mergi, Vulg. Matt. 14, 30: in immensam altitudinem mergi, ac sine ulla respirandi vice perpeti maria, Sen. Dial. 4, 12, 4: naves, Eutr. 2, 20: partem classis, Vell. 2, 42, 2: pars maxima classis mergitur, Luc. 3, 753 sq.: nec me deus aequore mersit, Verg. A. 6, 348: sub aequora, Ov. M. 13, 948; Luc. 3, 753: ter matutino Tiberi mergetur, bathe, Juv. 6, 523.
    Poet., of overwhelming waters, to engulf, swallow up, overwhelm, etc.: sic te mersuras adjuvet ignis aquas, Ov. Ib. 340: mersa rate, Juv. 14, 302.
    1. B. Transf.
      1. 1. To sink down, sink in, to plunge, thrust, or drive in, to fix in, etc. (poet. and post-Aug. prose): palmitem per jugum mergere, et alligare, to thrust, push, Plin. 17, 22, 35, § 180: aliquem ad Styga, Sen. Thyest. 1007: manum in ora (ursae), to thrust into, Mart. 3, 19, 4: mersisque in corpore rostris Dilacerant (canes) falsi dominum sub imagine cervi, Ov. M. 3, 249: fluvius in Euphratem mergitur, runs or empties into, Plin. 6, 27, 31, § 128: visceribus ferrum. to thrust into, Claud. ap. Eutr. 1, 447.
        Of heavenly bodies, etc.: Bootes, Qui vix sero alto mergitur Oceano, sinks into, Cat. 66, 68.
      2. 2. In partic., to hide, conceal: mersitque suos in cortice vultus, Ov. M. 10, 498: vultum, Sen. Herc. Oet. 1348: diem or lucem, of the setting of the sun, id. Thyest. 771: terra caelum mergens, i. e. occidentalis, because there the sky seems to sink into the sea, Luc. 4, 54.
        Of those on board a vessel: mergere Pelion et templum, i. e. to sail away from until they sink below the horizon: condere, Val. Fl. 2, 6.
  2. II. Trop., to plunge into, sink, overwhelm, cover, bury, immerse, drown: aliquem malis, Verg. A. 6, 512: funere acerbo, to bring to a painful death, id. ib. 11, 28: mergi in voluptates, to plunge into, yield one’s self up to sensual delights, Curt. 10, 3, 9: se in voluptates, Liv. 23, 18: mergit longa atque insignis honorum pagina, Juv. 10, 57.
    Esp. in part. pass.: Alexander mersus secundis rebus, overwhelmed with prosperity, Liv. 9, 18: vino somnoque mersi jacent, dead drunk and buried in sleep, id. 41, 3; Luc. 1, 159; cf.: lumina somno, Val. Fl. 8, 66: cum mergeretur somno, Vulg. Act. 20, 9.
    Esp. of those whose fortune is swallowed up in debts or debauchery: mersus foro, bankrupt, Plaut Ep. 1, 2, 13: aere paterno Ac rebus mersis in ventrem, Juv. 11, 39: censum domini, Plin. 9, 17, 31, § 67: mergentibus sortem usuris, sinking, destroying his capital, Liv. 6, 14: ut mergantur pupilli, be robbed of their fortune, ruined, Dig. 27, 4, 3: mersis fer opem rebus, bring aid to utter distress, Ov. M. 1, 380.
    Of drinking to excess: potatio quae mergit, Sen. Ep. 12.