con-terrĕo, ŭi, ĭtum, 2,
I v. a., to terrify greatly, to frighten (not freq. before the Aug. per.; esp. freq. in Livy); constr. with abl. or absol.
α With abl.: pectora vulgi metu, * Lucr. 2, 623: loquacitatem nostram vultu ipso aspectuque, * Cic. de Or. 1, 49, 214; cf. Verg. A. 3, 597: cervum subito vocibus venantum, Phaedr. 1, 12, 7: atrox ingenium eo facto (opp. accendere), Liv. 3, 11, 9; cf.: animos eā re (opp. irritare), id. 40, 39, 2: eos seditioso clamore, id. 2, 39, 9: periculo, id. 2, 12, 12: atrocitate poenae, Suet. Dom. 11.—
β Without abl.: qui praeter Nioben unam conterruit omnes, Ov. M. 6, 287: insolitos ejus tumultus equos, Liv. 10, 28, 9: major solito apparatus praecipue conterruit Campanos, ne ab obsidione Capuae bellum ejus anni Romani inciperent, id. 24, 12, 1; Suet. Ner. 6; 49 al.