Lewis & Short

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pulso, āvi, ātum (inf. parag. pulsarier, Lucr. 4, 931), 1, v. freq. a. [pello], to push, strike, beat (cf.: tundo, ferio, pello).

  1. I. Lit.: cum pulsetur agiteturque incursione atomorum sempiternā, Cic. N. D. 1, 41, 114: semine in pila pulsato, Plin. 19, 8, 45, § 158: lictores ad pulsandos verberandosque homines exercitatissimi, Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 54, § 142; cf.: pulsari alios et verberari, id. ib. 2, 3, 26, § 66: pulsatus parens, Verg. A. 6, 609: legatos pulsasse dicebantur, Liv. 38, 42; Tac. H. 4, 45: ubi tu pulsas, ego vapulo tantum, Juv. 3, 289: ostium, to knock, Plaut. Bacch. 4, 1, 7: ostia, Hor. S. 1, 1, 10; cf. ostiatim, Quint. 5, 10, 122: fores, Ov. M. 5, 448; so, pulso alone: pulsate, et aperietur vobis, Vulg. Matt. 7, 7: humum ter pede, to stamp upon the ground, Ov. F. 6, 330: gyrum pulsat equis, Prop. 4, 13, 11; cf.: tellurem pede libero, Hor. C. 1, 37, 1: prata choreis, Claud. Laud. Stil. 2, 381.
    Of military engines: ariete muros, Verg. A. 12, 706: ariete turres, Sil. 16, 696: moenia Romae, id. 6, 643: cuspide portas, id. 12, 565: pulsabant turrim ariete, Amm. 20, 11, 21: moenia Leptitana, id. 28, 6, 15.
    Of musical instruments: chordas digitis et pectine eburno, to strike, play upon, Verg. A. 6, 647: chelyn, Val. Fl. 1, 139: pectine nervos, Sil. 5, 463: cymbala, Juv. 9, 62.
    Of things: pulsant arva ligones, Ov. Am. 3, 10, 31; id. M. 11, 529: nervo pulsante sagittae, Verg. G. 4, 313.
    1. B. Transf., to strike against, to strike, touch any thing (poet.): ipse arduus altaque pulsat Sidera, Verg. A. 3, 619; 10, 216; Sil. 9, 450: vasto qui vertice nubila pulsat, Val. Fl. 4, 149.
      Of abstract subjects: ululatus pulsat aures, Claud. B. Get. 625.
  2. II. Trop.
    1. A. In gen., to urge or drive on, to impel, to set in violent motion, to move, agitate, disturb, disquiet: dormientium animos, Cic. Div. 2, 58, 120: multa in unum locum confluunt, quae meum pectus pulsant, Plaut. Ep. 4, 1, 3: quae te vecordia pulsat, Ov. M. 12, 228: corda pavor pulsans, Verg. G, 3, 105; cf.: curru Phoebe medium pulsabat Olympum, id. A. 10, 216: variā meritos formidine pulsant, Val. Fl. 3, 390: urbes rumoribus, to disturb, Petr. p. 679: invidia pulsat pectus, Sen. Agam. 134: aliquem querelis, Stat. Th. 8, 249; cf.: astra querelis, Claud. in Eutr. 2, prooem. § 51: superos vocibus, Sen. Herc. Oet. 1671.
    2. B. In partic.
      1. 1. To attack before a tribunal, i. e. to arraign, accuse: ex contractu ejus obligatus, pro quo pulsabatur, Dig. 11, 1, 11: non imponitur necessitas aliis pulsantibus respondere, ib. 5, 1, 2 med.
      2. 2. Transf., in gen., to accuse, defame: pulsari crimine falso, Claud. B. Gild. 170: injusta Tartara, to accuse, charge, Stat. S. 5, 5, 77: apud principis aures existimationem viri fortis invidiā gravi pulsarent, Amm. 18, 4, 4.
    3. C. To drive away, remove, put out of the way, Dig. 19, 2, 15, § 1: pericula, Claud. VI. Cons. Hon. 465.
    4. D. To injure, insult: pulsatos infecto foedere divos, Verg. A. 12, 286: pulsatae majestatis imperii reus, of treason, Amm. 14, 7, 7.