dē-linquo, līqui, lictum, 3 (perf. delinquerunt, Liv. 1, 32 codd.), v. n. and a., to fail, be wanting.
I Lit., to fail, be lacking , for the usual deficere (cf. 1. deliquium, = defectus—very rare): delinquere frumentum, Cael. ap. Serv. Verg. A. 4, 390: delinquat aut superet aliquid tibi, Tubero ib.—
II Trop. (class.), to fail, be wanting in one's duty; to commit a fault, to do wrong, transgress, offend; and, delinquere aliquid, to commit, do something wrong.
α Absol. : QVOD POPVLVS HERMVNDVLVS HOMINESQVE POPVLI HERMVNDVLI ADVERSVS POPVLVM ROMANVM BELLVM FECERE DELIQVERVNTQVE, etc., an old formula used in declaring war, Gell. 16, 4; cf. id. ap. Liv. 1, 32: an quia non delinquunt viri? Ter. Hec. 663: ut condemnaretur filius aut nepos, si pater aut avus deliquisset? Cic. N. D. 3, 38: mercede delinquere (opp. gratis recte facere), Sall. Hist. Fragm. 3, 61, 5 Dietsch: in vita, Cic. Tusc. 2, 4 fin. ; cf.: in bello miles, id. Clu. 46; and: hac quoque in re, id. Inv. 2, 10, 33: in ancilla, Ov. M. 2, 8, 9: deliquere homines adulescentuli per ambitionem, Sall. C. 52, 26: paulum deliquit amicus, Hor. S. 1, 3, 84: multo jam ut praestet laxitate delinquere, Plin. 17, 12, 19, § 94.—Of errors in language, Quint. 1, 5, 49.—
β With acc. respect. : dum caveatur praeter aequum ne quid delinquat, Plaut. Bacch. 3, 3, 14; so, quid, id. Men. 5, 2, 30; id. Ps. 4, 7, 129; Cic. Agr. 2, 36 fin. ; Sall. C. 51, 12: quae, id. J. 28, 4: quid erga aliquem, Plaut. Ep. 3, 3, 9: quid ego tibi deliqui? id. Am. 2, 2, 185.—With object. acc. : flagitia, Tac. A. 12, 54 fin. ; cf.: multo majora deliquit, Vulg. 2 Par. 33, 23.— Pass. : adulterium quod pubertate delinquitur, Dig. 48, 5, 38; cf. delictum.— Pass. impers. : ut nihil a me adhuc delictum putem, Cic. Att. 9, 10 fin. ; Gell. 5, 4, 2.