Lewis & Short

tĕnax, ācis, adj. [teneo], holding fast, griping, tenacious.

  1. I. Lit.
    1. A. In gen. (mostly poet. and in post-Aug. prose): prensatque tenaci forcipe ferrum, Verg. A. 12, 404; 8, 453; cf.: dente tenaci Ancora fundabat naves, id. ib. 6, 3: vinclum, id. G. 4, 412; Ov. M. 11, 252: complexus, id. ib. 4, 377: lappa, id. P. 2, 1, 14: hedera arborem implicat, Cat. 61, 34: loca limosa tenacia gravi caeno, Tac. A. 1, 63: amplexus, App. M. 9, p. 219, 17: maltha, quae est res omnium tenacissima, Plin. 36, 24, 58, § 181.
      With gen.: herba asperitate etiam vestium tenaci, Plin. 27, 5, 15, § 32.
      Comp.: cutis tenacior capilli, Plin. 22, 22, 39, § 82.
        1. b. Subst.: tĕnāces, ĭum, m., things that hold fast. i. e. bands, stalks, or pedicles of fruit, etc., Pall. Febr. 18, 1; 25, 9; id. Mart. 10, 4 and 9; id. Sept. 17.
    2. B. In partic., holding fast to wealth, power, etc., griping, sparing, niggardly, stingy, tenacious (class.; syn. parcus): filius familias patre parco ac tenaci, Cic. Cael. 15, 36: He. Tenaxne pater ejus est? Phi. Immo edepol pertinax, Plaut. Capt. 2, 2, 39: parcus, truculentus, tenax, Ter. Ad. 5, 4, 12: eosdem restrictos et tenaces fuisse, Cic. Planc. 22, 54: non tenax in largitate, Spart. Car. 5.
      With gen.: genus Quaesiti tenax, Ov. M. 7, 657.
      Comp.: milites tenaciores eorum (armorum) in proelio, Suet. Caes. 67.
    3. C. Transf., of things, that holds or sticks fast: jacere in tenaci gramine, that clings together, i. e. matted, Hor. Epod. 2, 24.
      Sup.: glaebis tenacissimum solum, Plin. Ep. 5, 6, 10: cerae, sticky, viscid, Verg. G. 4, 161: turpe referre pedem nec passu stare tenaci, Ov. P. 2, 6, 21.
      Comp.: pondere tenacior navis, Liv. 28, 30, 11: panicula glutino tenacior, Plin. 16, 36, 64, § 158.
  2. II. Trop.
    1. A. Holding fast, retentive, firm, steadfast, persistent, tenacious (mostly poet. and in post-Aug. prose); usually joined with gen.: memoria tenacissima, Quint. 1, 1, 19: naturā tenacissimi sumus eorum, quae rudibus annis percepimus, id. 1, 1, 5: pertinacem ultra modum esse tenacem propositi, id. 11, 1, 90; so, propositi, Hor. C. 3, 3, 1; Ov. M. 10, 405: tenacem esse sui juris debet, Col. 1, 7, 2: disciplinae tenacissimus, Plin. Ep. 10, 85 (17): justitiae, Juv. 8, 25: ficti pravique (Fama), Verg. A. 4, 188: veri, Pers. 5, 48: amicitiarum, Vell. 2, 29, 3: exempli sui, id. 2, 84, 3 Ruhnk.: animi, Manil. 4, 165: longa tenaxque fides, Ov. Am. 2, 6, 14.
    2. B. In a bad sense, stubborn, obstinate: equus contra sua vincla tenax, Ov. Am. 3, 4, 13; so, equus, Liv. 39, 25, 13; and in a lusus verbb.: si esses equos, esses indomabilis … nimis tenax es, Plaut. Cas. 4, 3, 13: cum video, quam sint mea fata tenacia, frangor, Ov. P. 1, 2, 63: ira Caesaris, id. ib. 1, 9, 28: morbi, Suet. Claud. 2.
      Adv.: tĕnācĭter, closely, firmly, strongly, tightly, tenaciously.
        1. a. Lit.: pressisse tenaciter ungues, Ov. H. 9, 21: vincire, Macr. Somn. Scip. 1, 6.
          Comp.: apprehendere, Val. Max. 7, 5, 2; Macr. S. 7, 3: habitare, Aug. Ep. 6.
        2. b. Trop., persistently, firmly: urgere, Ov. H. 3, 43.
          Comp., Sol. 52, § 44; Amm. 25, 4, 4.
          Sup., App. M. 5, p. 167, 22.