Lewis & Short

per-tento, āvi, ātum, 1, v. a., to feel all over; hence,

  1. I. To prove, try, test any thing.
    1. A. Lit. (very rare): cum utrumque pugionem pertentasset, Tac. H. 2, 49: alta bipenni latera, Petr. poët. 89, v. 24.
    2. B. Trop. (rare but class.): aliquem, Ter. And. 3, 4, 9: animum cohortis, Tac. H. 1, 29: rem, to consider or weigh well, Cic. Q. Fr. 1, 4, 5: omnia pertento, omnia experior, Plin. Ep. 1, 20, 15: nobilium adulescentium animos, Liv. 2, 3, 6.
  2. II. To pervade, invade; to seize, affect (poet. and in postAug. prose): dum prima lues … Pertentat sensus, Verg. A. 7, 354: pertentant gaudia pectus, id. ib. 1, 502: tremor pertentet Corpora, id. G. 3, 250: vinolentiā ac fatigatione pertentatus, App. M. 1, p. 107, 10.