Lewis & Short

aspĕro (aspro, Sid. Ep. 4, 8; id. Carm. 2, 418), āvi, ātum, 1, v. a. [asper], to make rough, uneven.

  1. I.
    1. A. Lit. (very freq. in the poets and Tac., but not found in Cic.): asserculi asperantur, ne sint advolantibus lubrici, Col. 8, 3, 6: tum enim (apes) propter laborem asperantur ac macescunt, become rough, Varr. R. R. 3, 16, 20: cum torpent apes, nec caloribus asperantur, Pall. 7, 7, 2: (vinum myrtites) limum dysentericae passionis medicabiliter asperare, i. e. excrementa solidiora reddere, id. 3, 31, 2: Et glacialis hiemps aquilonibus asperat undas, throws into commotion, Verg. A. 3, 285; so Luc. 8, 195; Val. Fl. 2, 435: Minervae pectus asperare hydris, Prud. περὶ στεφ. 14, 275.
    2. B. Transf., to furnish with a rough, wounding exterior (cf. 1. asper, I.): sagittas inopiā ferri ossibus asperant, to point, Tac. G. 46.
      Hence, also, to whet, to sharpen: pugionem vetustate obtusum asperari saxo jussit, Tac. A. 15, 54: abruptaque saxa asperat, Luc. 6, 801 (cf. id. 7, 139: nisi cautibus asper Exarsit mucro, and exaspero).
  2. II. Trop., to make fierce, to rouse up, excite, exasperate: indomitos praeceps discordia fratres asperat, Stat. Th. 1, 137: hunc quoque asperavere carmina in saevitiam, Tac. A. 1, 72 fin.; 3, 12: ubi asperatum Vitellium satis patuit iis, qui etc., id. H. 3, 38: ne lenire neve asperare crimina videretur, to make more severe, to aggravate, heighten, id. A. 2, 29: iram victoris, id. H. 2, 48.