Lewis & Short

1. a-spergo (adsp-, Ritschl, Jan; asp-, others; in MSS. sometimes aspar-go, v. Cort. ad Luc. 1, 384, and Wagner ad Verg. G. 3, 419, and infra examples from Lucr. and Hor.; cf. 2. aspergo), ersi, ersum, 3, v. a. [spargo].

  1. I. Aliquid (alicui rei), to scatter, strew something on something; or of liquids, to sprinkle, spatter over (syn.: adfundo, inicio; never in Ovid, but he often uses the simple spargo).
    1. A. Lit.: aequor Ionium glaucis aspargit virus ab undis, Lucr. 1, 719 Lachm.: Ah! adspersisti aquam, Jam rediit animus, you have dashed water on me, have revived me, Plaut. Truc. 2, 4, 15: Euax, adspersisti aquam, id. Bacch. 2, 3, 13: guttam bulbo (with a play upon the names Gutta and Bulbus), Cic. Clu. 26, 71: pigmenta in tabulā, id. Div. 1, 13, 23: corpus ejus adustum adspergunt aliis carnibus, Plin. 8, 38, 57, § 136: liquor adspersus oculis, id. 12, 8, 18, § 34: Bubus glandem tum adspergi convenit, id. 18, 26, 63, § 232: corpus floribus aspersis veneratus est, Suet. Aug. 18: pecori virus aspergere, to infect, poison, Verg. G. 3, 419: aspergens cinerem capiti, Vulg. 2 Reg. 13, 15: huc tu jussos asperge sapores, Verg. G. 4, 62: Non nihil aspersis gaudet Amor lacrimis, Prop. 1, 12, 16: sanguinem aspergere, Vulg. 2 Par. 29, 24: nivem, ib. Eccli. 43, 19.
    2. B. Trop.: cum clarissimo viro non nullam laudatione tuā labeculam aspergas, fasten upon, Cic. Vatin. 17, 41: ne qua ex tuā summā indignitate labes illius dignitati aspersa videatur, id. ib. 6, 15: notam alicui, Dig. 37, 14, 17 fin. (cf.: allinere notam, Cic. Verr. 1, 6, 17).
      So of an inheritance, to bestow, bequeath something to, to set apart for: Aebutio sextulam aspergit, Cic. Caecin. 6, 17.
      Poet.: alas: lacteus extentas aspergit circulus alas, Claud. VI. Cons. Hon. 175.
      In gen., to add to, to join, = adjungere: si illius (sc. Catonis majoris) comitatem et facilitatem tuae gravitati severitatique asperseris, Cic. Mur. 31 fin.: huic generi orationis aspergentur etiam sales, id. Or. 26, 87; id. ad Q. Fr. 2, 10: hos aspersi, ut scires etc., id. Fam. 2, 16 fin.
  2. II. Aliquem or aliquid aliquā re (cf. Ramsh. Gr. p. 362; Zumpt, Gr. § 418), to strew some person or thing with something, to splash over, besprinkle, bespatter, bedew, lit. and trop.
    1. A. Lit.: ah, guttulā Pectus ardens mihi adspersisti (cf. supra, aquam), Plaut. Ep. 4, 1, 28: quas (sedes) nec nubila nimbis Aspergunt, Lucr. 3, 20: ne aram sanguine aspergeret, Cic. N. D. 3, 36, 88; so Vulg. 4 Reg. 9, 33; ib. Apoc. 19, 13: sanguine mensas, Ov. M. 5, 40; and with de: asperget de sanguine ejus (turturis) parietem altaris, Vulg. Lev. 5, 9: vaccam semine, Liv. 41, 13: Vinxit et aspersas altera vitta comas, the sprinkled hair, Prop. 5, 11, 34 (Müller, † acceptas): imbre lutoque Aspersus, Hor. Ep. 1, 11, 12 K. and H.; Claud. B. Gild. 494: aquā, Vulg. Num. 8, 7; ib. 2 Macc. 1, 21: hyssopo, ib. Psa. 50, 9: cinere, ib. Jer. 25, 34: terrā, ib. 2 Macc. 10, 25 al.
    2. B. Trop.: (Mons Idae) primo parvis urbibus aspersus erat, dotted over with, Mel. 1, 18, 2: aures gemitu, to fill, Val. Max. 3, 3, ext. 1: auditiunculā quādam aspersus, i. e. imbutus, instructed, Gell. 13, 19, 5: aspersi corda a conscientiā malā, Vulg. Heb. 10, 22.
      Esp., to spot, stain, sully, defile, asperse: hunc tu vitae splendorem maculis aspergis istis? Cic. Planc. 12, 30; so also absol.: leviter aspersus, id. Fam. 6, 6, 9: istius facti non modo suspitione, sed ne infamiā quidem est aspersus, id. Cael. 10; so Liv. 23, 30: aspergebatur etiam infamiā, quod, etc., Nep. Alcib. 3 fin.; so Suet. Ner. 3: aliquem linguā, Auct. ad Her. 4, 49, 62: e quibus unus amet quāvis aspargere cunctos, i. e. quibusvis dicteriis perstringere, laedere, Hor. S. 1, 4, 87 K. and H.