Lewis & Short

neglĕgo (less correctly neglĭgo and neclĕgo), exi, ectum, 3 (perf subj. neglegerit, acc. to the form of the simple verb, Aem. Mac. ap. Diom. 366 P.; and id. ap. Prisc. p. 895 P.; also, acc. to the best MSS., in Sall. J. 40, 1, neglegisset; v. Kritz and Fabri, ad h. l.), v. a. [nec-lego] (qs. not to pick up, i. e.), to not heed, not trouble one’s self about, not attend to, to slight, neglect, be regardless of, indifferent to; constr. with acc. or an object-clause; rarely with de or absol.

  1. I. In gen., opp. to curare (cf. desum): si mandatum neglecturus es, Cic. Rosc. Am. 38, 112: maculam judiciorum, id. Clu. 47, 130: rem familiarem neglegebat, Nep. Them. 1, 2: neglectis urenda filix innascitur agris, Hor. S. 1, 3, 37.
          1. (β) With an object-clause: erus quod imperavit, neglexisti persequi, Plaut. Am. 2, 1, 39: diem edicti obire neglexit, Cic. Phil. 3, 8, 20.
          2. (γ) With de: de Theopompo negleximus, Cic. Phil. 13, 16, 33.
  2. II. In partic., to make light of, not to care for, to slight, despise, disregard, contemn, neglect (syn.: despicio, sperno, contemno, fastidio): qui periculum fortunarum et capitis sui pro meā salute neglexit, Cic. Fam. 14, 4, 2: tantam pecuniam captam, id. Verr. 2, 3, 94, § 218: cum et bellum ita necessarium sit, ut neglegi non possit, id. Imp. Pomp. 16, 49: legem, id. Vatin. 2, 5: minas, id. Quint. 30, 92: imperium alicujus, Caes. B. G. 5, 7: injurias alicujus, to pass over, overlook, id. ib. 1, 36: iram alicujus, Plaut. Merc. 5, 2, 97: deos, Sall. C. 10, 4: se semper credunt neglegi, i. e. contemni, Ter. Ad. 4, 3, 16.
          1. (β) With an objectclause: verba verbis quasi coagmentare neglegat, neglect, disdain, Cic. Or. 23, 77: Theopompum, expulsum a Trebonio, confugere Alexandriam neglexistis, id. Phil. 13, 16, 33: fraudem committere, Hor. C. 1, 28, 31; Tib. 2, 6, 37.
          2. * (γ) With a foll. ne: neglegens, ne quā populus laboret, unconcerned, careless, Hor. C. 3, 8, 25 (securus, non timens, Schol.).
          3. (δ) Absol.: bonus tantummodo segnior fit, ubi negligas, when you neglect him, Sall. J. 31, 28.
            Hence,
    1. A. neg-lĕgens (neglĭg-, neclĕg-), entis, P. a., heedless, careless, unconcerned, indifferent, negligent, neglectful.
      1. 1. In gen.: neclegens dictus est non legens neque dilectum habens, quid facere debeat, omissā ratione officii sui, Paul. ex Fest. p. 162 Müll.: improvidi et neglegentes duces, Cic. Att. 7, 20, 2: quoniam pater tam neglegens ac dissolutus est, id. Verr. 2, 3, 69, § 162: socors alicujus natura neglegensque, id. Brut. 68, 239: in amicis deligendis neglegentes, id. Lael. 17, 62: in aliquem, id. Fam. 13, 1, 5.
        With gen.: legum, officii, rei publicae, sociorum atque amicorum neglegentior, Cic. Verr. 2, 3, 62, § 143: amicorum inimicorumque (= prae stupore haud discernens), Tac. H. 3, 38: lenocinii, Suet. Aug. 79: domus tuae neglegentissimus, Pacat. Pan. Th. 31.
        With circa: circa deos ac religiones neglegentior, Suet. Tib. 69.
        With inf.: post illa obtegere eam neglegens fui, Plaut. Most. 1, 2, 61.
        Of things: alarum neglegens sudor, that proceeds from neglect, Petr. 128: neglegentior amictus, Quint. 11, 3, 147: neglegens sermo, id. 10, 7, 28; cf. stilus, id. 2, 4, 13.
      2. 2. In partic., with respect to one’s fortune, heedless, careless, improvident: in sumptu neglegens, Cic. Fam. 3, 8, 5: adulescentia neglegens luxuriosaque, Liv. 27, 8; Quint. 7, 2, 29.
        Hence, adv.: neglĕgenter (neglĭg-), heedlessly, carelessly, negligently: scribere (opp. diligenter), Cic. Rosc. Com. 2, 7: gerunt et ferarum pelles, proximi ripae neglegenter, ulteriores exquisitius, Tac. G. 17: audientes, Quint. 8, 2, 23: petere pilam, id. 6, 3, 62; 2, 4, 17.
        Comp.: neglegentius asservare aliquid, Cic. Caecin. 26, 73.
        Sup.: neglegentissime amicos habere, Sen. Ep. 63, 7.
    2. B. neglectus, a, um, P. a., neglected, slighted, disregarded, despised: cum ipsi inter nos abjecti neglectique simus, Cic. Fin. 3, 20, 66: castra soluta neglectaque, Liv. 28, 1: religio, Caes. B. G. 6, 17: di, Hor. C. 3, 6, 7: forma viros decet, Ov. A. A. 1, 509.
      Sup.: neglectissima progenies, Stat. Th. 7, 146.
      Hence, * adv.: neglectē, carelessly, negligently: neglectius incedebat, Hier. Ep. 39, n. 1.