adjective #2117

lēnis

neut. lēne

soft, smooth, mild, gentle, easy, calm

soft, smooth, mild, gentle, easy, calm.

gently; gradually rising •••

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.—

gentle, moderate, mild, lenient, calm figuratively

Trop., gentle, moderate, mild, lenient, calm.

In gen.: servitutem lenem reddere, Plaut. Capt. 2, 1, 5: Ecce me. Opusne (erit… ••

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.—

With inf.: non lenis precibus fata recludere Mercurius, Hor. C. 1, 24, 17.— •

With inf.: non lenis precibus fata recludere Mercurius, Hor. C. 1, 24, 17.—

in particular

mild, gentle •

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.—

the spiritus lenis, the smooth; soft breathing

In gram.: spiritus, the spiritus lenis, the smooth or soft breathing (opp. the spiritus asper), Prisc. p. 572 P.— Hence, adv. in two forms.

softly, mildly, gently poetic ••

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.—

softly, mildly, gently

lēnĭter (class.), softly, mildly, gently.

gradually; gently rising ••

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.—

quietly, calmly, gently, moderately, leniently figuratively

Trop., quietly, calmly, gently, moderately, leniently.

In gen.: tentem leniter an minaciter? Plaut. Stich. 1, 2, 20: petere quippiam… ••

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.—

in particular

Of speech: multa leniter, multa aspere dicta sunt, Cic. Brut. 44, 164: agit… •

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.—

Moderately; very little, not at all •

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.—

remissly, indolently •

In a bad sense, remissly, indolently: si cunctetur atque agat lenius, too slowly, Caes. B. C. 1, 1.

Perseus ID: n26222 Key: lenis1