Lewis & Short

sulco, āvi, ātum, 1, v. a. [sulcus], to furrow, cut furrows through, to plough (mostly poet. and in post-Aug. prose; not in Cic. or Cæs.).

  1. I. Lit., in agriculture: agros, Tib. 2, 3, 85: (rura) sulcata Camilli Vomere, Luc. 1, 168: vomere humum, Ov. Tr. 3, 10, 68: campos vomere, Sil. 9, 191.
    Absol.: recto plenoque sulcare, Col. 2, 2, 25.
  2. II. Transf.
          1. (α) Ingen., to furrow, plough; poet., to sail over, traverse, pass through, etc.: sulcant fossas, quo pluvia aqua delabatur, Varr. R. R. 1, 29, 2: (anguis) harenam Sulcat, Ov. M. 15, 726: iter caudā, Luc. 9, 721: longā sulcant vada salsa carinā, Verg. A. 5, 158: rate undas, Ov. P. 2, 10, 33; id. M. 4, 707: maria arbore, Plin. 12, 1, 2, § 5: regna volatu, Luc. 9, 668: sulcavitque cutem rugis, furrowed her skin with wrinkles, Ov. M. 3, 276: gressus, App. M. 5, p. 167, 22: sulcatis lateribus, i. e. by lashes, Amm. 14, 9, 5.
          2. (β) To elaborate, to work out (cf. exaro), Ven. Fort. Vita Mart.