Lewis & Short

mĭnŭo, ŭi, ūtum, 3, v. a. and n. [Sanscr. mi, lessen, change; Gr. μινύω, μινύθω; cf.: μείων = minor; Germ. minder, vermindern]. Act., to make smaller, to lessen, diminish; lit. and trop.

  1. A. Lit. (rare and mostly poet.): ramaliaque arida tecto Detulit, et minuit, broke in pieces, Ov. M. 8, 645: ligna, to chop into small pieces, id. F. 2, 647: portarum objectus, to dash in pieces, Stat. Th. 10, 526: dentes in limine, id. ib. 10, 47: sanguinem, to let blood, Veg. Vet. 1, 16, 2; in the same signif., simply minuere, id. ib. 1, 22, 1.
  2. B. Trop., to lessen, diminish, lower, reduce, weaken, abate, restrict (very freq. and class.): imperium matris, Plaut. As. 3, 1, 6: sumptus civitatum, Cic. Fam. 3, 8, 2: (rem familiarem), Hor. S. 2, 3, 177: gradum, Quint. 2, 3, 7: gloriam alicujus, Cic. Fl. 12, 28: molestias vitae, id. Fin. 1, 16, 51: cupiditates, id. ib.: invidiam, id. Agr. 1, 5, 14: opem, Caes. B. G. 5, 33: auctoritatem, id. B. C. 3, 43: minuuntur corporis artus, grow less, diminish in size, Ov. M. 7, 317: minuuntur corpora siccis, Plin. 11, 54, 118, § 283: consul alter proelio uno et vulnere suo minutus, discouraged, Liv. 21, 52, 2 (al. deminutus): suspicionem profectionis, Cic. Att. 10, 16, 4: controversias, to settle, put an end to, Caes. B. G. 5, 26: minuenda est haec opinio, to be refuted, Cic. Off. 1, 22, 72: magistratum, censuram, to restrict the power of, to limit, Liv. 4, 24: majestatem populi Romani per vim, to violate, offend against, Cic. Phil. 1, 9, 21: matris imperium, Plaut. As. 3, 1, 6: religionem, Nep. Ages. 4, 8: nec tu ea causa minueris Haec quae facis, ne is mutet suam sententiam, Ter. And. 2, 3, 19: consilium, to alter, change, id. Hec. 4, 3, 10: condemnationem, to commute, Gai. Inst. 3, 224; 4, 57.
  • II. Neutr., to diminish, grow less: minuente aestu, at the ebbing of the tide, Caes. B. G. 3, 12, 1: minuente lunā, waning, Pall. 3, 24; Sedul. 1, 243; cf.: crescentis minuentisque sideris species, Plin. 37, 10, 67, § 181.
    Hence, mĭnūtus, a, um, P. a. (diminished; hence), little, small, minute (class.).
    1. A. Lit.: pueri minuti (opp. majores), Varr. ap. Non. 141, 18: id omnes magni minutique, Plaut. Cist. 2, 1, 45.
      Of things: litterae, Plaut. Bacch. 4, 9, 68: minuta ac brevia folia, Plin. 12, 24, 53, § 111: ossa, Lucr. 1, 835: opuscula, Cic. Ac. 2, 38, 120: itinera, Suet. Aug. 82: aere minuto qualiacumque somnia vendere, Juv. 6, 546: facies minutae, miniature portraits, id. 14, 291.
      Comp.: minutior ac mage pollens, Lucr. 4, 318.
      Sup.: minutissimis ictibus excarnificatus, Suet. Vit. 17: res, little things, trifles, Cic. Clu. 64, 180: res minutissimae et contemptibiles, Aug. Conf. 10, 35, 4: aves, Col. 8, 5, 10.
    2. B. Trop., petty, paltry, insignificant.
      1. 1. Of persons: alii minuti et angusti, Cic. Fin. 1, 18, 61: philosophi, id. Div. 1, 30, 62: imperatores, id. Brut. 73, 256: plebes, Phaedr. 4, 6, 13.
      2. 2. Of things: canto carmina versibus minutis, Poët. ap. Plin. Ep. 4, 27, 4: genus orationis, Cic. de Or. 2, 38, 159: minuti est animi voluptas ultio, Juv. 13, 189.
        Hence, subst.: mĭnūtum, i, n., the smallest piece of money, a mite, farthing: novissimum reddere, Vulg. Luc. 12, 59; cf.: aes minutum, id. ib. 21, 2.
        Plur.
          1. (α) The little (opp. longa), Calp. Ecl. 5, 7.
          2. (β) Minutes, points, very small parts, Amm. 20, 3, 2; Gram. Vet. p. 374, 11.
          3. (γ) Comp.: illa minutiora, those less important matters, Aur. Vict. Epit. 48, 18.
            Hence, adv., in two forms.
      1. 1. mĭnūtē, into small or fine pieces, finely, minutely (class.).
    1. A. Lit.: sal minute tritus, Col. 6, 17, 7: minutissime commolere, id. 12, 28, 1: historia minutissime scripta, in an extremely small hand, Sen. Ep. 95, 2.
    2. B. Trop.
          1. (α) In a petty or paltry manner: res minutius tractare, Cic. Fin. 4, 3, 7.
          2. (β) Minutely, closely, accurately: minutius et scrupulosius scrutantur omnia, Quint. 5, 14, 28.
      1. 2. mĭnūtim, into small pieces, finely, minutely (ante-class. and post-Aug.): concidere, Cato, R. R. 123: scoria minutim fracta, Plin. 34, 18, 51, § 171; Gell. 17, 8, 2.
    3. B. With short steps, trippingly: equus ambulans, Veg. Vet. 1, 56, 39: deambulare, id. ib. 2, 53, 3.