dē-stringo, inxi, ictum, 3, v. a.
I To strip off .
A Lit. (class.), of the leaves of plants: avenam, Cato R. R. 37, 5: oleam, Col. 11, 2, 83: bacam myrti, id. 12, 38, 7: frondem, Quint. 12, 6, 2: ramos, Luc. 4, 317 al.—Of rubbing the body in the bath, Plin. Ep. 3, 5, 14; Plin. 34, 8, 19, § 55; 62; Mart. 14, 51; hence also of scouring out the intestines: interanea, Plin. 32, 9, 31, § 96. Esp. freq. of the sword; to unsheathe, draw : gladium, Cic. Off. 3, 31, 112; Caes. B. G. 1, 25, 2; id. B. C. 1, 46; Liv. 27, 13 al.: ensem, Hor. Od. 3, 1, 17; Ov. F. 2, 99; 207 et saep.; hence also securim, Liv. 8, 7.—
B Trop. (very rare): non laturi homines destringi aliquid et abradi bonis, should be taken from , Plin. Pan. 37, 2.—
II To touch gently, to graze, skim, skirt (perh. only in the poets).
A Lit.: aequora alis, Ov. M. 4, 562: pectus arundine, id. ib. 10, 526: pectora summa sagittā, id. H. 16, 275; for which, corpus harundo, id. M. 8, 382; cf.: Cygnum cuspis, id. ib. 12, 101; and even vulnus, to cause a slight wound , Grat. Cyn. 364.—
B Trop., to criticise, censure, satirize : quemquam mordaci carmine, Ov. Tr. 2, 563: alios gravi contumelia, Phaedr. 1, 29, 2.
VII —Hence, dē-strictus , a, um, P. a., severe, rigid, censorious : quam destrictam egerunt censuram, Val. Max. 2, 9, 6.— Comp. : ut quis destrictior accusator, velut sacrosanctus erat, Tac. A. 4, 36 fin.