cŏ-ercĕo, cui, cĭtum, 2, v. a. [arceo],
I to enclose something on all sides or wholly , to hold together , to surround , encompass : qui (mundus) omnia complexu suo coërcet et continet, Cic. N. D. 2, 22, 58; cf. id. ib. 2, 40, 101; Ov. M. 1, 31: quā circum Galli lorica coërcet, where the Gallic coat of mail encloses , Lucr. 6, 954; cf. of a band holding the hair together, Ov. M. 1, 477; 2, 413; Hor. C. 2, 19, 19; 1, 10, 18: est animus vitaï claustra coërcens, holding together the bands of life , Lucr. 3, 396.—
B Esp. with the access. idea of hindering free motion by surrounding; to restrain , confine , shut in , hold in confinement , repress (freq. and class.): (amnis) nullis coërcitus ripis, Liv. 21, 31, 11; cf. Ov. M. 1, 342: (aqua) jubetur ab arbitro coërceri, to be kept in , repressed , Cic. Top. 9, 39 (cf., just before, the more usual arcere, v. arceo, II.); Dig. 43, 22, 1, §§ 6 and 8; 47, 11, 10: impetum aquarum, Curt. 8, 13, 9.—Of pruning plants: vitem serpentem multiplici lapsu et erratico, ferro amputans coërcet ars agricolarum, Cic. Sen. 15, 52; so of the vine, Col. 3, 21, 7; 4, 1, 5; Quint. 9, 4, 5; cf. id. 8, 3, 10.—Hence, sacrum (lucum), to trim , clip , Cato R. R. 139: quibus (operibus) intra muros coërcetur hostis, Liv. 5, 5, 2: (mortuos) noviens Styx interfusa coërcet, Verg. A. 6, 439; cf.: Tantalum atque Tantali Genus coërcet (Orcus), Hor. C. 2, 18, 38: carcere coërcere animalia, Plin. 10, 50, 72, § 141: Hypermnestra ... gravibus coërcita vinclis, Ov. H. 14, 3; cf.: eos morte, exsilio, vinclis, damno coërcent, Cic. Off. 3, 5, 23: aliquem custodiā, Dig. 41, 1, 3, § 2: Galliae Alpibus coërcitae, Plin. 12, 1, 2, § 5: miles coërcitus in tot receptis ex potestate hostium urbibus, Liv. 36, 24, 7.—Poet.: Messapus primas acies, postrema coërcent Tyrrhidae juvenes, hold together , i. e. command , lead on , Verg. A. 9, 27.—
II Trop.,
A Of discourse, to keep within limits , control , confine , restrain , limit (syn.: contineo, cohibeo): ut (nos) quasi extra ripas diffluentes coërceret, Cic. Brut. 91, 316; cf. id. Fin. 2, 1, 3; Quint. 12, 1, 20; 9, 2, 76; 10, 4, 1; and, the figure taken from bridling or curbing horses (cf.: frenisque coërcuit ora, Ov. M. 5, 643; and: spumantiaque ora coërcet, id. ib. 6, 226): exsultantia, Quint. 10, 4, 1; cf. id. 10, 3, 10: Augustus addiderat consilium coercendi intra terminos imperii, Tac. A. 1, 11.—Of words bound by measure: numeris verba coërcere, Ov. P. 4, 8, 73.—But most freq.,
B Morally, to hold some fault , some passion , etc., or the erring or passionate person in check , to curb , restrain , tame , correct , etc. (syn.: contineo, cohibeo, refreno, reprimo, domo): cupiditates, Cic. de Or. 1, 43, 194; Quint. 12, 2, 28: temeritatem, Cic. Tusc. 2, 21, 47: improbitatem, id. Verr. 2, 3, 89, § 208: rabiem gentis, Liv. 41, 27, 4: faenus, id. 32, 27, 3: procacitatem hominis manibus, Nep. Timo l. 5, 2: suppliciis delicta, Hor. S. 1, 3, 79 al.: aliquid poenae aut infamiae metu, Cic. Fin. 2, 22, 73: omnibus modis socios atque cives, Sall. C. 29 fin. : genus hominum neque beneficio, neque metu coërcitum, id. J. 91, 7: duabus coërcitis gentibus, Liv. 31, 43, 4; 39, 32, 11; Caes. B. C. 1, 67: verberibus potius quam verbis, Varr. R. R. 1, 17, 5; so Cic. Cat. 1, 1, 3; id. Off. 3, 5, 23; v. A. supra: pueros fuste, Hor. S. 1, 3, 134; Tac. G. 25: incensum ac flagrantem animum, id. Agr. 4: licentiam, id. H. 1, 35.—Poet.: carmen, quod non Multa dies et multa litura coërcuit, corrected , finished , Hor. A. P. 293.