Lewis & Short

prō-fĕro, tŭli, lātum, ferre (inf. pass. parag. proferrier, Lucr. 1, 207; proferis for profers, Firm. Mat. 22, 3), v. a.

  1. I. Lit.
    1. A. To carry or bring out, to bring forth (class.; cf.: prodo, produco, adduco): Al. Vin’ proferri pateram? Am. Proferri volo. Al. Fiat: tu, Thessala, intus pateram proferto foras, Plaut. Am. 2, 2, 137: arma tormentaque ex oppido, Caes. B. C. 2, 22: (nummos) ex arcā, Cic. Rosc. Com. 11, 29.
      1. 2. To extend, stretch, or thrust out: linguam in tussiendo, Plaut. As. 4, 1, 50: manum, id. Ps. 3, 2, 72: digitum, Cic. Caecin. 25, 71.
      2. 3. Se proferre, to raise one’s self, show one’s self, appear (post-Aug.): draco e pulvino se proferens, Suet. Ner. 6.
      3. 4. To offer, proffer: alicui minas viginti argenti, Plaut. As. 3, 3, 60.
        Esp.,
      4. 5. Proferre gradum or pedem, to go on, proceed: gradum proferam, progredi properabo, Plaut. Men. 5, 2, 2: gradum pedum proferre, Enn ap Fest. p. 249: passus, Lucr 4, 874: longe pedem, Quint. 11, 3, 160; cf.: pedem, Hor A. P 135.
      5. 6. As milit. t. t.: signa proferre, to advance the standards, march on, Liv 4, 32, 10; so, proferre inde castra, id. 10, 33, 7: quidquid ab urbe longius proferrent arma, id. 7, 32, 6.
        Also,
      6. 7. Nautical t t.: pedibus profatis in contrarium navigare, to sail close to the wind, Plin. 2, 47, 48; cf.: prolato pede transversos captare notos, Sen. Med. 321.
    2. B. Transf.
      1. 1. To bring forth, produce, cause to grow, of plants (postAug.): caelum laurum patitur, atque etiam nitidissimam profert, Plin. Ep. 5, 6, 4: semen, Plin. 17, 13, 20, § 95 (al. perfert).
      2. 2. Of pronunciation, to utter, pronounce (post-Aug.): extremas syllabas, Quint. 11, 3, 33.
      3. 3. To extend, enlarge (class.): castra, Caes, B. C. 1, 81: et proferre libet fines, Juv. 14, 142: pomoerium, Gell. 13, 14, 2.
      4. 4. To put off, defer, adjourn, etc. (class.): rem aliquot dies, Cat. ap. Gell. 7, 3, 14: auctionis diem laxius proferre, Cic. Att. 13, 14, 1: aliquid in diem posterum, Gell. 1, 23, 5; cf. Liv. 3, 20, 6.
      5. 5. Of a painter, to bring out, to represent distinctly (post-Aug.); venas protulit, Plin. 35, 8, 34, § 56.
  2. II. Trop.
    1. A. With se, to raise, elevate one’s self (post-Aug.): qui se ipsi protulerunt, who have raised themselves from ignorance, Sen. Ep. 52, 3; Plin. Ep. 1, 13, 1.
    2. B. To bring out, make known, produce in public, publish (class.): ejus (orationis) proferendae arbitrium tuum, Cic. Att. 15, 13, 1: artem, to exhibit publicly, Suet. Ner 25
    3. C. To bring forth, produce, invent, discover, make known, reveal (class.): artem, Cic. Ac. 2, 1, 2: palam proferre aliquid, Ter Ad. 3, 2, 41: cum illa indicia communis exitii indagavi, patefeci, protuli, Cic. Mil. 37, 102: aliquid foras, id. Cael. 23, 57: rem in medium, id. Fam. 15, 2, 6: secreta animi, Plin. 14, 22, 28, § 141: Montanum, quia protulerit ingenium, extorrem agi, displayed his genius, Tac. A. 16, 29 fin.
    4. D. To bring forward, quote, cite, mention (class.); libros, Cic. N. D. 1, 40, 113: testes, legatos, id. Balb. 18, 41: auctores, id. de Or 2, 71, 290: nominatim multos, id. Rosc. Am 16, 47; paucos belli duces praestantissimos, id. de Or 1, 2, 7: vinolentiam alicujus, id. Phil. 2, 39, 101: vim, potentiam, factiones, divitias, clientelas, affinitates adversariorum, Auct. Her. 1, 5, 8: aliquid in medium, Cic. Verr 2, 4, 52, § 115; id. Fin. 2, 23, 76; Plaut. Am. 2, 1, 41: memoriter Progeniem suam usque ab avo atque atavo, Ter Phorm. 2, 3, 48: exempla omnium nota, Cic. Div 1, 46, 103.
    5. E. To extend, enlarge: fines officiorum, Cic. Mur. 31, 65: memoriam alicujus, to prolong, Plin. Ep. 5, 12, 2: ut vita ejus debuerit inmortalitate proferri, id. ib. 2, 7, 4; 3, 7, 14.
  3. F. To impel: si paulo longius pietas Caecilium protulisset, Cic. Sull. 23, 64.
    With se: cum se ad clarissimorum civium strages caedesque proferret, Plin. Pan. 48.
  4. G. To lengthen out, prolong (class.): beatam vitam usque ad rogum proferre, Cic. Fin. 3, 22, 76: ut depositi proferret fata parentis, Verg. A. 12, 395.