Lewis & Short

com-mĭnŭo, ŭi, ūtum, 3, v. a., to make small, either by breaking into many small parts, or by removing parts from the whole (class. in prose and poetry).

  1. I. To separate into small parts, to break or crumble to pieces, to crush, split, etc.: saxo cere comminuit brum, Enn. ap. Serv. ad Verg. A. 1, 412 (Ann. v. 586 Vahl.): fores et postes securibus, Plaut. Bacch. 5, 1, 31: ossa atque artua illo scipione, id. Men. 5, 2, 103: tibi caput, id. Rud. 4, 4, 74: illi statuam … deturbant, affligunt, comminuunt, dissipant, Cic. Pis. 38, 93: scalas, Sall. J. 60, 7: anulum, Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 25, § 56: lapidem, Plin. 2, 103, 106, § 233: vitrea, Stat. S. 1, 6, 73: fabas molis, Ov. Med. Fac. 72: vasa crystallina, Petr. 64.
    Also of medicines: calculos, Plin. 20, 4, 13, § 23.
    Fig.: diem articulatim, i.e. to divide into hours, Plaut. ap. Gell. 3, 3, 5.
  2. II. To lessen, diminish.
    1. A. Lit. (very rare): argenti pondus et auri, * Hor. S. 1, 1, 43: opes civitatis, Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 37, § 98: regni opes, Sall. J. 62, 1.
      1. 2. Transf. to persons: re familiari comminuti sumus, Cic. Att. 4, 3, 6.
    2. B. Trop. (freq.), to weaken, impair, enervate: nullum esse officium tam sanctum atque solenne, quod non avaritia comminuere atque violare soleat, Cic. Quint. 8, 26: ingenia, Quint. 1, 7, 33; cf.: ingenii vires, Ov. P. 3, 3, 34; and, animum, Plin. Ep. 9, 2, 1.
      1. 2. Transf. to persons: Viriathus, quem C. Laelius praetor fregit et comminuit, Cic. Off. 2, 11, 40; so of enemies, Flor. 1, 3, 3; 2, 6, 28: nec te natalis origo Comminuit (i. e. animum tuum), Ov. M. 12, 472: lacrimis comminuēre meis, i.e. vinceris, commoveberis, id. H. 3, 134.