Lewis & Short

Parsing inflected forms may not always work as expected. If the following does not give the correct word, try Latin Words or Perseus.

mulcĕo, si, sum (rarely mulctum), 2, v. a. [Sanscr. root marc, take hold of; Gr. μάρπτω, μάρπτις; cf. mulco], to stroke; to touch or move lightly (syn. palpo; poet. and in post-Aug. prose).

  1. I. Lit.: manu mulcens barbam, Ov. F. 1, 259: caput, Quint. 11, 3, 158: vitulum, Ov. A. A. 2, 341: colla, id. M. 10, 118: mulcebant Zephyri flores, rustle through, id. ib. 1, 108: aura mulcet rosas, Prop. 4 (5), 7, 60: virgā mulcere capillos, to touch lightly, Ov. M. 14, 295: aristas, id. F. 5, 161: mulcere alternos (pueros) et corpora fingere linguā, Verg. A. 8, 634: aëra motu, Lucr. 4, 136: aethera pennis, to move, Cic. Arat. 88: mulserat huc navem compulsam fluctibu’ pontus, had wafted hither, Enn. ap. Prisc. p. 870 P. (Ann. v. 257 Vahl.).
    1. B. Transf., to make sweet or pleasant: pocula succis Lyaei, Sil. 7, 169.
  2. II. Trop., to soothe, soften, appease, allay; to caress, flatter, delight, etc. (syn.: blandior. placo, lenio, sedo): mulcentem tigres, of Orpheus, Verg. G. 4, 510: aliquem dictis, id. A. 5, 464: fluctūs, id. ib. 1, 66: iras, id. ib. 7, 755: jure, Vell. 2, 117, 3.
    To alleviate, mitigate: variā vulnera mulcet ope, alleviates the pain of his wounds, Ov. F. 5, 401: dolores nervorum, Plin. 22, 24, 50, § 107: os stomachumque, id. 22, 24, 51, § 110: ebrietatem, id. 21, 20, 81, § 138: lassitudinem, id. 37, 5, 16, § 63: corpora fessa, Ov. M. 11, 625: aliquem laudibus, to flatter, Pac. ap. Paul. ex Fest. s. v. Mulciber, p. 144 Müll. (Trag. Rel. p. 109 Rib.): puellas carmine, to delight, Hor. C. 3, 11, 24: animos admiratione, Quint. 1, 10, 9: aures figmentis verborum novis, to delight, Gell. 20, 9, 1.
    Hence, mulsus, a, um, P. a.
    1. A. Adj., mixed with honey; sweet as honey, honey-sweet (post-Aug.): mulsa (sc. aqua), honey-water, hydromel, Col. 12, 12, 3: acetum, vinegar and honey mixed together, honey-vinegar, Cato, R. R. 157, 6: lac, Plin. 10, 22, 27, § 52: mulsa pira, Col. 5, 10, 18.
      Trop., of words, etc., sweet as honey, honeyed (Plautin.): ut mulsa dicta dicis! Plaut. Rud. 2, 3, 34: loqui, id. Poen. 1, 2, 112.
    2. B. Subst.
      1. 1. mulsa, ae, f., a term of endearment, my sweetheart, my honey (Plautin.): age, mulsa mea, Plaut. Stich. 5, 5, 14; id. Cas. 2, 6, 20.
      2. 2. mulsum, i, n. (sc. vinum), honey-wine, mead, i. e. wine mixed or made with honey (class.): commisce mulsum, Plaut. Pers. 1, 3, 7; id. Bacch. 4, 9, 48: frigidum, Cic. de Or. 2, 70, 282: aceti, for mulsum acetum, honeyvinegar, Ser. Samm. 49, 714.

mulsum, i, n., v. mulceo, P. a. B. 2.