Lewis & Short

1. cătus, a, um, adj. [root ka-; Sanscr. ça-, to whet, sharpen; cf. cos, cautes, cuneus; Sabine, = acutus, acc. to Varr. L. L. 7, § 46, p. 90 Bip.].

  1. * I. Sharp to the hearing, clear-sounding, shrill (cf. acutus, 2.): jam cata signa fere sonitum dare voce parabant, Enn. ap. Varr. l. l. (Ann. 447 Vahl.).
  2. II. Transf. to intellectual objects, in a good and bad sense.
    1. A. In a good sense, clear-sighted, intelligent, sagacious, wise, opp. stultus (in prose probably never naturalized; hence Cic., in prose, adds ut ita dicam; v. the foll.): catus Aelius Sextus, Enn. ap. Cic. Tusc. 1, 9, 18 (Ann. v. 335 Vahl.); Plaut. Most. 1, 3, 29; id. Ps. 2, 3, 15; Ter. And. 5, 2, 14 Don. and Ruhnk.; Hor. C. 1, 10, 3: prudens et, ut ita dicam, catus, Cic. Leg. 1, 16, 45.
      Constr. with inf.: jaculari, Hor. C. 3, 12, 10.
      With gen.: legum, Aus. Mos. 400.
      Of abstract things: dicta, Enn. Ann. 519 Vahl.: consilium, Plaut. Ep. 2, 2, 75.
    2. B. In a bad sense, sly, crafty, cunning, artful ( = callidus, astutus): cata est et callida, Plaut. Pers. 4, 4, 71; so id. Poen. 5, 2, 147; id. Most. 5, 2, 21; id. Trin. 3, 2, 51; Hor. Ep. 2, 2, 39.
      Adv.: cătē, conform. to II. A.: sapienter, docte et cordate et cate, Plaut. Poen. 1, 1, 3; id. Men. 2, 3, 61; Cic. Arat. 304.
      Comp. and sup. not in use in the adj. or in the adv.