Lewis & Short

prāvus, a, um, adj. [cf. Sanscr. prahva, crooked], crooked, not straight, distorted, misshapen, deformed (opp. rectus; class.).

  1. I. Lit.: prava, cubantia, prona, supina atque absona tecta, Lucr. 4, 517: si quae in membris prava, aut debilitata aut imminuta sunt, Cic. Fin. 5, 17, 46: talus, Hor. S. 1, 3, 48.
    Absol.: in pravum, into crookedness (post-Aug.): elapsi in pravum artus, Tac. H. 4, 81: quae in pravum induruerunt, Quint. 1, 3, 12.
  2. II. Trop., perverse, irregular, improper, wrong, vicious, bad (syn.: improbus, malus, nequam).
    1. A. Of living beings: pravus factus est, Plaut. Bacch. 3, 3, 8: impulsores, Tac. H. 4, 68: pravissimus homo, Vell. 2, 80, 3: quae belua ruptis, Cum semel effugit, reddit se prava catenis? i. e. stulta, incauta, Hor. S. 2, 7, 71.
          1. (β) With gen. (poet.): pravus fidei, faithless, Sil. 3, 253: pravus togae, id. 8, 260: audendi pravus, id. 12, 464.
    2. B. Of things: nihil pravum, perversum, Cic. Rosc. Com. 10, 30: affectio, id. Tusc. 4, 13, 29: dociles imitandis Turpibus et pravis omnes sumus, Juv. 14, 40: a rectis in vitia, a vitiis in prava, a pravis in praecipitia pervenitur, Vell. 2, 10, 1: ad honesta, seu prava juxta levis, Tac. A. 11, 33: aemulatio, id. H. 4, 48: spes, id. A. 3, 56.
      Comp.: quo pravius nihil esse possit, Cic. Tusc. 3, 33, 80.
      Sup.: pravissima consuetudinis regula, Cic. Brut. 74, 258.
      Absol.: in pravum, in perversity: frangas citius, quam corrigas, quae in pravum induruerunt, Quint. 1, 3, 12.
      Hence, adv.: prāvē, crookedly; trop., improperly, wrongly, amiss, ill, badly (opp. recte; class.): hoc mihi videtur factum prave, Ter. Hec. 4, 4, 24: prave (facta), opp. recte facta, Cic. Ac. 1, 10, 37: ille porro male, prave, nequiter, turpiter cenabat, id. Fin. 2, 8, 25: prave sectus unguis, Hor. Ep. 1, 1, 104: sive ego prave, Seu recte hoc volui, id. S. 2, 3, 87: prave facti versus, id. Ep. 2, 1, 266: pudens prave, id. A. P. 88: prave aliquid intellegere, Plin. 17, 9, 8, § 57: prave detorta verba, Tac. A. 6, 5: facundus, id. ib. 1, 53: prave et perperam appellare, Gell. 4, 9, 4.
      Sup.: pravissume, Sall. Or. Lepidi adv. Sull.