at-tĕro (adt-, Dietsch), trīvi, trītum, 3, v. a. (perf. inf. atteruisse, Tib. 1, 4, 48; cf. Vell. Long. p. 2234 P.), to rub one thing against another; hence, in gen., to rub away, wear out or diminish by rubbing, to waste, wear away, weaken, impair, exhaust.
I Lit. (most freq. after the Aug. per.; in Cic. only once as P. a.; v. infra): insons Cerberus leniter atterens caudam, rubbing against or upon (sc. Herculi), * Hor. C. 2, 19, 30: asinus spinetis se scabendi causā atterens, Plin. 10, 74, 95, § 204: aures, * Plaut. Pers. 4, 9, 11 (cf. antestor): bucula surgentes atterat herbas, tramples upon , Verg. G. 4, 12: opere insuetas atteruisse manus, Tib. 1, 4, 48; so Prop. 5, 3, 24, and Plin. 2, 63, 63, § 158; so, dentes usu atteruntur, id. 7, 16, 15, § 70: attrivit sedentis pedem, Vulg. Num. 22, 25: vestem, Dig. 23, 3, 10; Col. 11, 2, 16; Cels. praef.: vestimenta, Vulg. Deut. 29, 5; ib. Isa. 51, 6.—Poet., of sand worn by the water flowing over it: attritas versabat rivus harenas, Ov. M. 2, 456.—
II Trop., to destroy , waste , weaken , impair : postquam utrimque legiones item classes saepe fusae fugataeque et alteri alteros aliquantum adtriverant, Sall. J. 79, 4: magna pars (exercitūs) temeritate ducum adtrita est, id. ib. 85, 46: Italiae opes bello, id. ib. 5, 4; so Tac. H. 1, 10; 1, 89; 2, 56; Curt. 4, 6 fin. ; cf. Sil. 2, 392 Drak.: nec publicanus atterit (Germanos), exhausts , drains , Tac. G. 29: famam atque pudorem, Sall. C. 16, 2: et vincere inglorium et atteri sordidum arbitrabatur, and to suffer injury in his dignity , Tac. Agr. 9 Rupert.: eo tempore, quo praecipue alenda ingenia atque indulgentiā quādam enutrienda sunt, asperiorum tractatu rerum atteruntur, are enfeebled , Quint. 8, prooem. 4: filii ejus atterentur egestate, Vulg. Job, 20, 10: Nec res atteritur longo sufflamine litis, Juv. 16, 50.— Hence, attrītus , a, um, P. a., rubbed off , worn off or away , wasted.
A Lit.
1 In gen.: ut rictum ejus (simulacri) ac mentum paulo sit attritius, * Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 43: ansa, Verg. E. 6, 17: vomer, worn bright , id. G. 1, 46; cf. Juv. 8, 16 Rupert.: caelaturae, Plin. 33, 12, 55, § 157; Petr. 109, 9.—
2 In medicine, attritae partes or subst. attrita, ōrum, n. (sc. membra), bruised , excoriated parts of the body : medetur et attritis partibus sive oleo etc., Plin. 24, 7, 28, § 43: attritis medetur cinis muris silvatici etc., id. 30, 8, 22, § 70.—
B Trop.: attrita frons, a shameless , impudent face (lit. a smooth face , to which shame no longer clings; cf. perfrico), Juv. 13, 242 Rupert.; so, domus Israël attritā fronte, Vulg. Ezech. 3, 7.— Sup. and adv. not used.