Lewis & Short

per-fundo, fūdi, fūsum, 3, v. a., to pour over, to wet, moisten, bedew, besprinkle (class.; syn.: umecto, aspergo, imbuo).

  1. I. Lit.: aquā ferventi Philodamus perfunditur, Cic. Verr. 2, 1, 26, § 67: fluviis pecus, Verg. G. 3, 445: greges flumine, id. ib. 2, 147: perfusus liquidis odoribus, Hor. C. 1, 5, 2: postquam perfusus est, had bathed, Auct. Her. 4, 10, 14: panis perfusus aquā frigidā, Suet. Aug. 77: pisces olivo, Hor. S. 2, 4, 50: aliquem lacrimis, Ov. H. 11, 115; so, poet.: Aurorae lacrimis perfusus, living far in the East, Sil. 3, 332: perfundi nardo, Hor. Epod. 13, 9: boves hic perfunduntur, bathe themselves, Varr. R. R. 1, 13, 3; Plin. 18, 7, 14, § 72.
    1. B. Transf.
      1. 1. To pour into any thing (post-Aug.): sextarios musti in vas, Col. 12, 24, 3.
      2. 2. To cause to flow out, i. e. to knock out an eye (post-class.): ut oculus puero perfunderetur, Dig. 9, 2, 5, § 3 dub. (al. perfodere or effundere).
      3. 3. Of perspiration or of streams, to pour or flow over, to drench, bathe (poet. and in post-Aug. prose): ossaque et artus Perfundit toto proruptus corpore sudor, Verg. A. 7, 459: tot amnium fontiumque ubertas totam Italiam perfundens, Plin. 3, 5, 6, § 41: Venafrano (oleo) piscem perfundere, Juv. 5, 86.
      4. 4. Of garments, to steep, dye (poet.): ostro Perfusae vestes, steeped in purple, Verg. A. 5, 112.
      5. 5. To scatter or sprinkle over, to besprinkle, bestrew (poet.): canitiem immundo perfusam pulvere turpans, Verg. A. 12, 611: sanguine currum, Verg. A. 11, 88: penates sanguine, Ov. M. 5, 155: Lethaeo perfusa papavera somno, Verg. G. 1, 78: scena perfusa croco, Lucr. 2, 416.
      6. 6. To cover (poet. and in post-Aug. prose): omne genus perfusa coloribus, Lucr. 2, 821: auro tecta, Sen. Ep. 115, 9: pedes amictu, Mart. 7, 33, 3.
      7. 7. Of the sun’s beams or fire, to flood or fill (poet. and in post-Aug. prose): sol perfundens omnia luce, Lucr. 2, 148; cf. Luc. 7, 215: cubiculum plurimo sole perfunditur, Plin. Ep. 5, 6, 24: campos lumine (facis), Sil. 10, 558.
  2. II. Trop.
    1. A. To imbue, inspire, fill with any thing (class.): ad perfundendum animum tamquam illiquefactae voluptates, Cic. Tusc. 4, 9, 20: sensus jucunditate quādam perfunditur, id. Fin. 2, 3, 6: sensus dulcedine omni quasi perfusi, id. ib. 2, 34, 114: di immortales, qui me horror perfudit! id. Att. 8, 6, 3: laetitiā, id. Fin. 5, 24, 70: gaudio, Liv. 30, 16: timore, id. 2, 63.
      1. 2. In partic., to fill with the apprehension of any thing, i. e. to disturb, disquiet, alarm: nos judicio perfundere, Cic. Rosc. Am. 29, 80: litora bello rapido, Sil. 15, 301; cf.: (Mars) perfusus pectora tempestate belli, Stat. Th. 3, 228.
    2. B. To imbue slightly, make superficially acquainted with any thing (the fig. being borrowed from dyeing; post-Aug.): perseveret perbibere liberalia studia, non illa, quibus perfundi satis est, sed haec, quibus tingendus est animus, Sen. Ep. 36, 3; cf.: acceperit: si illā (notitiā) se non perfuderit, sed infecerit, id. ib. 110, 8.