Lewis & Short

vello, vulsi, vulsum (perf. velli, Calp. Ecl. 4, 155; Prisc. 10, 6, 36, p. 897 P.; Diom. 1, p. 369 ib.; ante-class. form of sup. volsum; v. Neue, Formenl. 2, p. 576), 3, v. a. [prob. akin to ἕλ-κω].

  1. I. Prop.
    1. A. Of animals, to pluck or pull, i. e. to deprive of the hair, feathers, etc.: oves, Varr. R. R. 2, 11, 9; Plin. 8, 48, 73, § 190: anseres, id. 10, 22, 27, § 53.
    2. B. Of things.
      1. 1. In gen., to pluck, pull, or tear out, away, or up; in simple constr.: plumas anserum, Col. 8, 13, 3: caudae pilos equinae, Hor. Ep. 2, 1, 45: barbam, id. S. 1, 3, 133: tot spicula, Verg. A. 10, 889: comam, Mart. 5, 37, 19: cuneum vellito, statimque surculos in ea foramina immittito, Col. 5, 11, 5; cf. id. Arb. 26, 4: signa, to take up, i. e. march, Verg. A. 11, 19; cf.: ut vellerent signa et Romam proficiscerentur, Liv. 3, 50, 11: mors viscera vulsit, Luc. 6, 546.
        With ab and abl.: postes a cardine vellit, Verg. A. 2, 480: albos a stirpe capillos, Prop. 3 (4), 25, 13: asparagum ab radice, Plin. 19, 8, 42, § 149.
        With abl. alone: aut castris audebit vellere signa, Verg. G. 4, 108: genae florem primaevo corpore vulsit, Luc. 6, 562: adfixam oculo sagittam, id. 6, 218: vulsis pectore telis, id. 6, 232; cf.: unguibus et raras vellentem dentibus herbas, Ov. M. 8,800.
        With de and abl.: hastam … de cespite vellit, Verg. A. 11, 566: herbas de caespite, Luc. 4, 414.
      2. 2. Esp.
        1. a. To pluck, pull, or tear down or away: cum pars vellerent vallum, atque in fossas proruerent, Liv. 9, 14, 9; 10, 2, 5: munimenta, id. 2, 25, 3.
        2. b. To pluck, pull, pick, or gather fruit, etc.: modo nata malā vellere poma manu, Tib. 3, 5, 20.
        3. c. To pull, twitch, etc.: aurem, Verg. E. 6, 4; cf. id. Cop. 38; Calp. Ecl. 4, 155; Amm. 22, 3, 12: vellere coepi Et prensare manu lentissima bracchia, Hor. S. 1, 9, 63: latus digitis, Ov. A. A. 1, 606.
        4. d. To be plucked or pulled, i. e. to have the hair pulled out by the roots: circa corporis curam morosior, ut non solum tonderetur diligenter ac raderetur, sed velleretur etiam, Suet. Caes. 45.
  2. II. Trop., to tear, torment: sed mea secreto velluntur pectora morsu, Stat. S. 5, 2, 3.
    Hence, P. a.: vulsus (volsus), a, um.
    1. A. Lit., shorn, plucked, smooth, beardless, hairless: istum gallum Glabriorem reddes mihi quam volsus ludiust, Plaut. Aul. 2, 9, 6: vulsi levatique et inustas comas acu comentes, Quint. 2, 5, 12: corpus vulsum, id. 5, 9, 14: eadem (corpora) si quis vulsa atque fucata muliebriter comat, id. 8, prooem. 19: nepos, Prop. 4 (5), 8, 23.
      1. 2. Trop., effeminate: mens, Mart. 2, 36, 6.
    2. B. Suffering convulsions, spasmodic, Plin. 21, 19, 74, § 126; 23, 1, 16, § 25.