Lewis & Short

bello, āvi, ātum, āre, 1, v. n. [bellum].

  1. I. Prop., to wage or carry on war, to war, to fight in war (class.; cf.: milito, proelior).
    1. A. Absol.: fuit proprium populi Romani longe a domo bellare, Cic. Imp. Pomp. 12, 32; 13, 36; id. Mur. 14, 32: homines bellandi cupidi, Caes. B. G. 1, 2; Nep. Ham. 3, 1; id. Hann. 2, 1: Romana arma primum Claudio principo in Mauretaniā bellavere, Plin. 5, 1, 1, § 11: verens, ne bellare perseveraret, Nep. Them. 5, 1: neque prius bellare destitit, quam, etc., id. Epam. 8, 5; Auct. B. Afr. 61: populus jam octingesimum bellans annum, Liv. 9, 18, 9; 40, 47, 3; 42, 59, 10: bellante prior, jacentem Lenis in hostem, Hor. C. S. 51: ad bellandum profecti, Tac. H. 2, 40.
    2. B. With prepp.
      1. 1. With cum: cum Poenis, Cic. Verr 2, 4, 33, § 72: cum diis, id. Sen. 2, 5: cum Ennio, id. Arch. 11, 27; Nep. Hann. 1, 3; id. Timol. 2, 3; Liv. 6, 42, 4; 9, 41, 4; Curt. 8, 12, 12.
      2. 2. With adversum or adversus: adversum patrem tuum, Nep. Them. 9, 2: adversus Gentium, Liv. 44, 30, 1.
      3. 3. With contra: has contra, Val. Fl. 6, 373.
      4. 4. With de: de eo olim, Tac. A. 12, 60.
      5. 5. With pro: pro Samnitibus adversus Romanos, Liv. 9, 42, 9.
      6. 6. With inter se, Curt. 9, 4, 15.
    3. C. With dat. (poet.; cf. Gr. πολεμεῖν τινι): magno parenti, Stat. Th. 8, 506; cf. Sil. 9, 503.
    4. D. Impers. pass.: quod in Italiā bellabatur, Liv. 29, 26, 4; 43, 4, 5: bellatum cum Gallis eo anno, Liv. 6, 42, 5.
    5. E. With acc. (cf. Gr. πόλεμον πολεμεῖν): hoc bellum a consulibus bellatum quidam auctores sunt, conducted by, Liv. 8, 39, 16 (8, 40, 1).
  2. II. Transf., poet., in gen., to fight, contend: quem quoniam prohibent anni bellare, loquendo Pugnat, Ov. M. 5, 101.
    Esp., with abl. of weapon, etc. (rare): ense, Sil. 3, 235: manu, id. 8, 498: nec caestu bellare minor, Stat. Th. 6, 829; Claud. Ep. 1, 30; cf. bellor