Lewis & Short

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pūbesco, bŭi, 3, v. inch. n. [id.], to reach the age of puberty, become pubescent.

  1. I. Lit. (class.; syn. adulesco): molli pubescere veste, to put on the down of puberty, Lucr. 5, 672: flore novo, Sil. 3, 79: Herculem, cum primum pubesceret, etc., Cic. Off. 1, 32, 118: flos juvenum pubescentium ad militiam, Liv. 8, 8: puer vix pubescente juventā, Sil. 16, 678: et nunc aequali tecum pubesceret aevo, Verg. A. 3, 491: pubescere bello, Sil. 4, 429: dehinc pubescens (Tiberius), Suet. Tib. 6: pubescunt dulces malae, Val. Fl. 7, 340: pubescente mala, Sil. 5, 414: et nati modo pubescentia ora, Stat. S. 3, 3, 11: pubescentibus annis, Petr. 119.
  2. II. Transf.
    1. A. To be covered or clothed, to clothe itself with any thing (poet.): vites laetificae pampinis pubescere, Enn. ap. Cic. Tusc. 1, 28, 69 (Trag. v. 193 Vahl.); so Plin. 14, 2, 4, § 24: virgulta fetu, Claud. Rapt. Pros. 2, 79: prataque pubescunt variorum flore colorum, Ov. Tr. 3, 12, 7.
    2. B. To grow up, ripen (class.): omnia, quae terra gignit, maturata pubescunt, Cic. N. D. 1, 2, 4; cf. id. ib. 2, 19, 50; Col. 4, 28, 1.
    3. C. Trop., to grow, improve, ripen, flourish, be renewed; of wine, Macr. S. 7, 7.
      Of the phœnix renewing its youth, Claud. Phoen. 51.
      Of the full beams of the rising sun, Claud. Rapt. Pros. 2, 49.
      Of war: subcrescentis rabiem belli, antequam pubescat validus, opprimere, Amm. 21, 13, 14.
      Of the spring: pubescente vere, Amm. 27, 5, 2; 30, 5, 1.
      Of belief: pubescente jam fide gestorum, Amm. 31, 4, 4.