Lewis & Short

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lūdo, si, sum (inf. ludier, Ter. Ad. 4, 3, 16), 3, v. a. and n. [root lud- for loid-, from Sanscr. krīd, to play; cf. laus and cluere from Sanscr. root cru-], to play.

  1. I. Lit., to play, play at a game of some kind: tesseris, Ter. Ad. 4, 7, 21: aleā ludere, Cic. Phil. 2, 23, 56: pilā et duodecim scriptis, id. de Or. 1, 50, 217; 1, 16, 73; 2, 62, 253: cum pila, id. Tusc. 5, 20, 60: trocho, Hor. C. 3, 24, 56: nucibus, Mart. 14, 1, 12: pilā, Val. Max. 8, 8, 2: positā luditur arcā, with one’s whole cash-box staked, Juv. 1, 90: eburnis quadrigis cotidie in abaco, Suet. Ner. 22: apud quem alea lusum esse dicetur, Dig. 11, 5, 1 praef.: senatus consultum vetuit in pecuniam ludere, to play for money, ib. 11, 5, 2: ego nisi quom lusim nil morer ullum lucrum, Plaut. Rud. 4, 7, 22.
          1. (β) With acc.: aleam, Suet. Aug. 70; id. Claud. 33; id. Ner. 30: par impar, id. Aug. 71; Hor. S. 2, 3, 248: ducatus et imperia, Suet. Ner. 35: Trojam, id. Caes. 39; id. Ner. 7: proelia latronum, Ov. A. A. 3, 357; cf. pass.: sunt aliis scriptae, quibus alea luditur, artes, id. Tr. 2, 471: alea luditur, Juv. 8, 10: aleae ludendae causa, Dig. 11, 5, 1 praef.: alea ludebatur, ib. 11, 5, 1, § 2.
          2. (γ) Absol.: lusimus per omnes dies, Suet. Aug. 71; 94; cf.: ludis circensibus elephantos lusisse, appeared in the public games, Liv. 44, 18, 8.
            In sup.: dimittere lusum, Varr. Sat. Men. 53, 7.
    1. B. To play, sport, frisk, frolic: dum se exornat, nos volo Ludere inter nos, have some fun, Plaut. Stich. 5, 4, 20: ludere armis, Lucr. 2, 631: suppeditant et campus noster et studia venandi honesta exempla ludendi, Cic. Off. 1, 29, 104: ad ludendumne, an ad pugnandum, arma sumturi, id. de Or. 2, 20, 84: in numerum, dance, Verg. E. 6, 28: hic juvenum series teneris immixta puellis ludit, Tib. 1, 3, 64: cumque marinae In sicco ludunt fulicae, Verg. G. 1, 363: in exiguo cymba lacu, Ov. Tr. 2, 330.
  2. II. Trop.
    1. A. To sport, play with any thing, to practise as a pastime, amuse one’s self with any thing: illa ipsa ludens conjeci in communes locos, Cic. Par. prooem.: Prima Syracosio dignata est ludere versu Nostra … Thalia, Verg. E. 6, 1.
      Esp., to play on an instrument of music, to make or compose music or song: ludere quae vellem calamo permisit agresti, Verg. E. 1, 10: talia fumosi luduntur mense Decembri, Ov. Tr. 2, 491: quod tenerae cantent, lusit tua musa, puellae, id. Am. 3, 1, 27: coloni Versibus incomptis ludunt, Verg. G. 2, 386: carmina pastorum, id. ib. 4, 565; Suet. Ner. 3: si quid vacui sub umbra Lusimus tecum, Hor. C. 1, 22, 2.
    2. B. To sport, dally, wanton (cf. "amorous play," Milton, P. L. 9, 1045): scis solere illam aetatem tali ludo ludere, Plaut. Most. 5, 2, 36: affatim edi, bibi, lusi, Liv. Andron. ap. Paul. ex Fest. s. v. affatim, p. 11 Müll.; cf.: lusisti satis, edisti satis, atque bibisti, Hor. Ep. 2, 2, 214; Ov. A. A. 2, 389; Cat. 61, 207; Suet. Tib. 44; Mart. 11, 104, 5.
    3. C. Ludere aliquem or aliquid, to play, mock, imitate, mimic a person or thing (only in mockery; cf.: partes agere, etc.): civem bonum ludit, Cael. ap. Cic. Fam. 8, 9, 1; cf.: ludere opus, to imitate work, make believe work, Hor. S. 2, 3, 252: magistratum fascibus purpurāque, App. M. 11, p. 260 fin.: ludere causas, Calp. Ecl. 1, 45: impia dum Phoebi Caesar mendacia ludit, Poët. ap. Suet. Aug. 70.
    4. D. To trifle with: summa pericula, Mart. 9, 38, 1: viribus imperii, Sen. Brev. Vit. 18, 4.
    5. E. To spend in play or amusement, to sport away: otium, Mart. 3, 67, 9.
      Hence, ludere operam, to throw away one’s labor, to labor in vain, Plaut. Ps. 1, 3, 135.
  3. F. To make sport or game of a person, to ridicule, rally, banter: Domitius in senatu lusit Appium collegam, Cic. Q. Fr. 2, 15 a, 13: satis jocose aliquem ludere, id. ib. 2, 12, 2: omnium irrisione ludi, id. de Or. 1, 12, 50.
    Rarely with ad: caput aselli, ad quod lascivi ludebant ruris alumni, Juv. 11, 98.
  4. G. To delude, deceive: auditis, an me ludit amabilis Insania? Hor. C. 3, 4, 5; Ov. A. A. 3, 332: custodes, Tib. 1, 6, 9; 3, 4, 7.
    Comp.: hoc civili bello, quam multa (haruspicum responsa) luserunt, i. e. gave wanton, deceptive responses, Cic. Div. 2, 24, 53.