2. pulsus, ūs, m. [pello], a pushing, beating, striking, stamping; a push, blow (class.).
- I. Lit.: pulsu externo agitari, Cic. Tusc. 1, 23, 54: remorum, the stroke of the oars, rowing, id. de Or. 1, 33, 153; Caes. B. G. 3, 13: pulsus seni, i. e. a galley of six banks, Sil. 14, 487; cf. Liv. 22, 19; 27, 37: pedum, the trampling of feet, Verg. A. 12, 445; 7, 722: palmarum, Laber ap. Non. p. 151, 28: lyrae, a striking, playing, Ov. F. 5, 667: terrae, an earthquake, Amm. 23, 1, 7.
Esp.: pulsus venarum, the beating of the pulse, the pulse, Plin. 29, 1, 5, § 6; Val. Max. 5, 7, 1 ext.: sentire pulsus venarum, Quint. 7, 10, 10: pulsum venarum attingere, Tac. A. 6, 50; so, arteriarum, Plin. 11, 37, 89, § 219; and so pulsus alone (sc. venarum), the pulse: pulsus densior, celer, fluctuans, Cael. Aur. Acut. 2, 14, 92: debilis, densus, formicalis, id. Tard. 2, 14, 198: febricitans, id. Acut. 2, 10, 63 et saep.
- II. Trop., impulse, influence: sive externus et adventicius pulsus animus dormientium commovet, sive, etc., Cic. Div. 2, 61, 126: nulla enim species cogitari potest nisi pulsu imaginum, id. ib. 2, 67, 137: animus quatitur et afficitur motibus pulsibusque, Gell. 9, 13, 1.