Lewis & Short

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1. lēnis, e, adj. [cf. lentus], soft, smooth, mild, gentle, easy, calm.

  1. I. Lit.: sensus judicat dulce, amarum: lene, asperum, Cic. Fin. 2, 12, 36; id. N. D. 2, 58, 146: vehemens fricatio spissat, lenis mollit, Plin. 28, 4, 14, § 53: vinum hoc asperum est: aliud lenius, sodes, vide, Ter. Heaut. 3, 1, 48: lenibus venenis uti, Cic. Att. 2, 21, 1: lenissimus ventus, id. ib. 7, 2, 1: motus laterum, moderate, gentle, Quint. 11, 3, 92; 161: leni igni sucus coquitur, Plin. 21, 18, 73, § 122.
    Of the Nile: postea lenis, Plin. 5, 9, 10, § 54: tormentum, Hor. C. 3, 21, 13: volatus, Ov. M. 12, 527: somnus, Hor. C. 3, 1, 21.
    Of heights, gently or gradually rising: clivus, Liv. 6, 24; cf. id. 29, 33.
    Comp.: jugum paulo leniore fastigio ab ea parte quae, etc., Caes. B. C. 2, 24; so fastigium, Plin. 16, 36, 64, § 158.
  2. II. Trop., gentle, moderate, mild, lenient, calm.
    1. A. In gen.: servitutem lenem reddere, Plaut. Capt. 2, 1, 5: Ecce me. Opusne (erit tibi) leni? leniorem dices quam mutumst mare, id. Mil. 3, 1, 70: homo lenis et facilis, Cic. Fam. 5, 2, 9: populus Romanus in hostes lenissimus, id. Rosc. Am. 53, 154: lenissima verba, id. Fam. 5, 15, 1: lenissimum ingenium, id. Brut. 56, 204: lenior sententia, Caes. B. C. 1, 2: lene consilium dare, Hor C. 3, 4, 41.
          1. (β) With inf.: non lenis precibus fata recludere Mercurius, Hor. C. 1, 24, 17.
    2. B. In partic.
      1. 1. Of speech, mild, gentle: oratio placida, submissa, lenis, Cic. de Or. 2, 43, 183: lenis et fluens contextus orationis, Quint. 9, 4, 127: leniores epilogi, id. 6, 1, 50.
      2. 2. In gram.: spiritus, the spiritus lenis, the smooth or soft breathing (opp. the spiritus asper), Prisc. p. 572 P.
        Hence, adv. in two forms.
    1. A. lēne (only poet.), softly, mildly, gently: sectus humum rivo, lene sonantis aquae, Ov. F. 2, 704: clivi lene jacentes, gently rising, Calp. Ecl. 7, 25: lene fluens fons, Nemes. Ecl. 4, 47: lene Notus spirat, Avien. Descript. Orb. 857.
    2. B. lēnĭter (class.), softly, mildly, gently.
      1. 1. Lit.: leniter arridens, Cic. Rep. 6, 12, 12: leniter atterens Caudam, Hor. C. 2, 19, 30: ventus leniter pluvius, Plin. 18, 34, 77, § 337: leniter ire per excubias custodum, Ov. Am. 1, 6, 7: collis leniter acclivis, gradually or gently rising, Caes. B. G. 7, 19; so, editus collis, Liv. 2, 50.
        Comp.: torrens lenius decurrit, Ov. M. 3, 568.
      2. 2. Trop., quietly, calmly, gently, moderately, leniently.
        1. a. In gen.: tentem leniter an minaciter? Plaut. Stich. 1, 2, 20: petere quippiam ab aliquo dictis bonis, id. Am. prol. 25: ferre aliquid, Ov. H. 5, 7: traducere aevum, Hor. Ep. 1, 18, 97: nimis leniter latam suam injuriam ratus, Liv. 29, 9 (al. leviter).
          Sup.: lenissime sentire, Cic. Fam. 5, 2, 9.
        2. b. In partic.
          1. (α) Of speech: multa leniter, multa aspere dicta sunt, Cic. Brut. 44, 164: agit versum Roscius quam leniter, quam remisse, quam non actuose, id. de Or. 3, 26, 102.
            Comp.: qui jamdiu multo dicis remissius et lenius quam solebas, Cic. de Or. 1, 60, 255.
          2. (β) Moderately, i. e. very little, not at all: hoc leniter laudabitis, Plaut. Poen. 5, 3, 40; 3, 3, 9: leniter qui saeviunt sapiunt magis, id. Bacch. 3, 3, 4.
          3. (γ) In a bad sense, remissly, indolently: si cunctetur atque agat lenius, too slowly, Caes. B. C. 1, 1.