ab-rumpo, ūpi, uptum, 3, v. a., to break off something violently, to rend, tear, sever (poet.; seldom used before the Aug. per., only once in Cic., but afterw. by Verg., Ov., and the histt. often).
I Lit.: vincla abrupit equus (transl. of the Homeric δεσμὸν ἀπορρήξας, Il. 6, 507), Enn. ap. Macr. S. 6, 3 (Ann. v. 509 Vahl.); so, nec Lethaea valet Theseus abrumpere caro vincula Pirithoo, * Hor. C. 4, 7, 27; cf. Verg. A. 9, 118: abrupti nubibus ignes, torn from , Lucr. 2, 214; cf. with the fig. reversed, in Verg. : ingeminant abruptis nubibus ignes, A. 3, 199: abrupto sidere, i. e. hidden by clouds , id. ib. 12, 451: plebs velut abrupta a cetero populo, broken off , torn from , Liv. 3, 19, 9.—
II Trop.: (legio Martia) se prima latrocinio Antonii abrupit, first freed itself , Cic. Phil. 14, 12: abrumpere vitam, to break the thread of life , Verg. A. 8, 579; 9, 497; so later, abrumpere fata, Sen. Herc. Oet. 893, or, medios annos, Luc. 6, 610: abrumpere vitam a civitate, to leave it , in order to live elsewhere , Tac. A. 16, 28 fin. : fas, to destroy , violate , Verg. A. 3, 55: medium sermonem, to break off , interrupt , id. ib. 4, 388; cf. abruptus: omnibus inter victoriam mortemve abruptis, since all means of escape , except victory or death , were taken from us , Liv. 21, 44, 8.
III —Hence, abruptus , a, um, P. a., broken off from , separated , esp. of places, inaccessible , or difficult of access.
A Lit., of places, precipitous , steep (syn.: praeceps, abscissus): locus in pedum mille altitudinem abruptus, Liv. 21, 36: (Roma) munita abruptis montibus, Plin. 3, 5, 9, § 67; Tac. A. 2, 23: petra undique abscissa et abrupta, Curt. 7, 11.—Also absol. : abruptum , i, n., a steep ascent or descent; cf. praeceps: vastos sorbet in abruptum fluctus, she swallows down her gulf , Verg. A. 3, 422.—
B Trop., broken , disconnected , abrupt : Sallustiana brevitas et abruptum sermonis genus, Quint. 4, 2, 45: contumacia, stubborn , Tac. A. 4, 20.— Comp. , Plin. 11, 37, 51, § 138; Tert. adv. Marc. 1, 1.— Sup. , Plin. Ep. 9, 39, 5.— Absol. : per abrupta, by rough , dangerous ways , Tac. Agr. 42 fin. (cf. supra: abrupta contumacia).—Adv.: abruptē .
1 Lit., in broken manner , here and there : palantes flammarum ardores, Amm. 17, 7, 8.—
2 Trop., of conduct, hastily , inconsiderately , Just. 2, 15, 4; of discourse, abruptly , Quint. 3, 8, 6; 4, 1, 79; also, simply , Macr. Somn. Scip. 1, 19.— Comp. , Amm. 20, 11.