prŏcax, ācis, adj. [proco], bold, shameless, impudent, insolent, forward, pert, wanton (class.; syn.: petulans, protervus).
- A. Of persons: leno procax, rapax, trahax, Plaut. Pers. 3, 3, 6: procaciores estis vos, id. Truc. 1, 2, 52: non solum meretrix, sed etiam procax, Cic. Cael. 20, 49: procax in lacessendo, id. Fam. 7, 13, 2: procax ore, Tac. H. 2, 23: ingenio, id. A. 14, 15: lingua, id. ib. 1, 16: moribus, id. H. 3, 62.
With gen.: procax otii, i. e. in otio, Tac. A. 13, 46.
- B. Of things: procaces manus, Plin. 22, 6, 7, § 17: Fescennina locutio, Cat. 61, 126: sermo, Sall. C. 25, 5: libertas, Phaedr. 1, 2, 2: nequitiae procaciores, Mart. 5, 2, 3: aliquem procacibus scriptis diffamare, Tac. A. 1, 72: procacissima lixarum ingenia, id. H. 2, 87: mulier meretrix et procax, Vulg. Ezech. 16, 30.
Of the vine: maritas populos complexae, atque per ramos earum procacibus brachiis scandentes, with wanton arms, i. e. entwining tendrils, Plin. 14, 1, 3, § 10.
Poet.: Auster, i. e. stormy, Verg. A. 1, 536.
Hence, adv.: prŏcācĭter, boldly, impudently, wantonly (not in Cic. or Cæs.): finem procaciter orto sermoni imponere, Curt. 8, 1, 32: procacius stipendium flagitare quam ex modestiā militari. Liv. 28, 24; Tac. A. 5, 4: procacissime patris tui memoriam illudunt, Curt. 8, 1, 34: vultum obfirmare, Vulg. Prov. 21, 29.