crŭento, āvi, ātum, 1, v. a. [cruentus], to make bloody, to spot with blood (class.).
I Lit.: vigiles, Enn. ap. Macr. S. 1, 4: manus suorum sanguine, Nep. Epam. 10, 3; cf. Liv. 23, 9, 4, and Tac. H. 1, 58 fin. : cornipedem ferratā calce, Sil. 17, 541: gladium, Cic. Inv. 2, 4, 14; cf. tela, Ov. M. 8, 424: ōs, id. ib. 4, 104: dextras, id. ib. 11, 23: cruentati redeunt, id. ib. 3, 572: ut sequenti die Luna se in Aquario cruentaret, would appear to be stained with blood , Suet. Dom. 16.—
B Trop.: haec te lacerat, haec cruentat oratio, wounds , Cic. Phil. 2, 34, 86 (v. the figure in its connection).—
II Transf. *
A To spot, stain, pollute : vestem, Lucr. 4, 1033.—
B To dye red, to tinge with red (post-Aug.): conchylio vestis cruentatur, Sen. Contr 2, 15 fin. ; so Stat. S. 1, 5, 38.