Lewis & Short

pĕrīcŭlum (contr. pĕrīclum, very freq. in the poets, e. g. Plaut. Bacch. 4, 7, 29; Ter. And. 2, 2, 13; 5, 1, 2; 5, 2, 26 al.; Lucr. 1, 580; 2, 5 et saep.; Verg. A. 2, 709; 751; 3, 711 et saep.; Juv. 6, 94), i, n. [root, Sanscr. par, pi-par-mi, to conduct, guide; Gr. περάω, to pierce; πόρος. a way through, passage; Lat. porta, portus, ex-perior, per-itus; cf. Germ. fahren, Gefahr], a trial, experiment, attempt, proof, essay (class.; cf. disorimen).

  1. I. Lit.: fac periculum in litteris, Ter. Eun. 3, 2, 23: miser est homo qui amat … Scio qui periclum feci, Plaut. As. 3, 3, 27: priusquam periclum faceret, Caes. B. G. 4, 21: ex aliis, Ter. Heaut. 1, 2, 36: alicujus fidei periculum facere, to make trial of, to try, Cic. Verr. 1, 12, 34: quā in re tute tui periculum fecisti, id. Div. in Caecil. 8, 27: legionum, Auct. B. Afr. 79.
  2. II. Transf.
    1. A. Concr., an attempt in writing, an essay: faciunt imperite, qui in isto periculo non ut a poëtā, sed ut a teste, veritatem exigent (speaking of a poem in honor of Marius), Cic. Leg. 1, 1, 4; Aus. Idyll. 10, 215.
    2. B. Risk, hazard, danger, peril (which acompanies an attempt; the common signif. of the word): meo periclo rem gero, Plaut. Bacch. 4, 4, 100: tuo ego istaec dicam illi periculo, id. ib. 4, 2, 17: periculum facere, to run a risk, id. ib. 1, 1, 63: si ei subito sit allatum periculum discrimenque patriae, Cic. Off. 1, 43, 154: salus sociorum summum in periculum ac discrimen vocatur, id. Imp. Pomp. 5, 12: discriminum et periculorum comites, id. N. D. 2, 66, 166: obire pericula ac labores, Liv. 1, 54: periculum adire capitis, to run the risk of one’s life, Cic. Rosc. Am. 38, 110: in periculo animarum suarum, Vulg. 1 Par. 11, 19: subire pro amico, Cic. Part. 19, 66: suscipere, to take upon one’s self, id. Mur. 36, 76: ingredi, id. ib. 2, 4: conflare alicui, to cause, occasion, id. Sull. 4, 13: intendere in aliquem, id. Rosc. Am. 3, 7: intendere alicui, id. Att. 2, 19, 1: mortis alicui inicere, id. Caecin. 29, 83: facessere innocenti, id. Div. in Caecil. 14, 45: facere alicui, Sall. C. 33, 1; cf.: ego nihil facio tibi periculi, Plaut. Cas. 4, 3, 7: creare alicui, Cic. Att. 22, 2: comparare alicui, id. Fl. 38, 96: moliri optimis civibus, id. Sest. 1, 1: amici depellere, id. Clu. 6, 8: subterfugere, id. Fam. 15, 1, 4: adducta est res in maximum periculum et extremum paene discrimen, id. Phil. 7, 1, 1: se in periculum capitis atque in vitae discrimen inferre, id. Balb. 10, 25: arcessere aliquem in summum capitis periculum, id. Rab. Perd. 9, 26: includere in periculum, id. Clu. 55, 155: in periculum se committere, to get into danger, id. Inv. 2, 8, 37: eripere ex periculo, id. Clu. 26, 70: extrahere ex periculo, to release from danger, id. Sest. 4, 11: rem publicam a periculo prohibere, id. Imp. Pomp. 7, 19: liberare periculis, id. de Or. 1, 8, 32: res in periculo vertitur, the affair becomes perilous, Plaut. Merc. 1, 2, 12: esse in periculo, Cic. Fam. 4, 15, 2: in periculo versari, id. Rab. Post. 9, 23: a securi negat ei periculum esse, that danger threatens him, id. Verr. 2, 5, 44, § 116: periculum est, ne, there is danger that, id. Tusc. 5, 40, 118; so id. Verr. 1, 11, 32: periculo meo, tuo, suo, at my, your, his risk: meo periculo, id. Sest. 52, 111: crede audacter meo periculo, Plaut. Poen. 4, 2, 51: meo periculo rem gero, id. Bacch. 4, 4, 100; id. As. 2, 4, 51: des ei nummos fide et periculo meo, Dig. 46, 1, 24: navem sumptu periculoque suo armatam mittere, Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 20, § 50; id. Fl. 17, 41: rem periculi sui facere, to do a thing at one’s own risk, Dig. 23, 5, 16: bono periculo, safely, without danger (post-class.), App. Mag. p. 320, 16.
      1. 2. In partic.
        1. a. A trial, action, suit at law (class.): meus labor in privatorum periculis caste integreque versatus, Cic. Imp. Pomp. 1, 2: aliquem in periculis defendere, Nep. Phoc. 2, 3.
        2. b. A writ of judgment, a sentence: unum ab iis petivit, ut in periculo suo inscriberent, etc., Nep. Ep. 8: pericula magistratuum, Cic. Verr. 2, 3, 79, § 183.
        3. c. A sickness, attack of sickness (post-Aug.): in acutis vero periculis nullis dandum est vinum, Plin. 23, 1, 24, § 48.
        4. d. Ruin, destruction (postclass.): tremefactae nutant usque ad periculum civitates, Arn. 1, 4.