dis-trăho, xi, ctum, 3, v. a.
I To pull asunder , tear in pieces , to separate forcibly , divide (freq. and class.).
A Lit.
1 In gen.: corpus quod dirimi distrahive non possit, Cic. N. D. 3, 12; cf. id. Tusc. 1, 29, 71: exanimor, feror, differor, distrahor, diripior, Plaut. Cist. 2, 1, 5; Pentheum diripuisse aiunt Bacchas; nugas ... prae quo pacto ego divorsus distrahor, id. Merc. 2, 4, 1 sq.; cf.: Mettum Fufetium equis ad curriculum ex utraque parte deligatum distraxit, Varr. ap. Non. 287, 22; so of the same: corpus passim, Liv. 1, 28 fin. ; of Hippolytus: turbatis distractus equis, Verg. A. 7, 787: quae (materia) neque perrumpi neque distrahi potest, Caes. B. G. 7, 23 fin. ; cf. vallum (with diripere), Liv. 25, 36: ut aciem ejus distrahi paterentur, i. e. to be separated , broken up , Caes. B. C. 3, 92, 1: Taurus mons mediam distrahens Asiam, Plin. 5, 27, 27, § 97 et saep.—
2 In partic., in mercant. lang., to sell separately , in parcels , to retail = divendere (mostly post-Aug.): dividant, differant, dissipent, distrahant, Lucil. ap. Non. 287, 9: coëmendo quaedam tantum ut pluris postea distraheret, Suet. Vesp. 16: agros, Tac. A. 6, 17; cf. fundum, Dig. 2, 15, 8, § 15: merces, Just. 9, 1, 6: bona venum, Gell. 20, 1, 19 et saep.—
β In gen., to sell : instrumentum, Suet. Cal. 39: levi pretio aetatulam, Ap. Met. 7, 9, 24.—
3 To waste , squander : apsenti hic tua res distrahitur tibi, Plaut. Trin. 3, 1, 16. —
B Trop., to draw in different directions; to divide , distract , perplex : qui haec natura cohaerentia opinione distraxissent, Cic. Off. 3, 3, 11; cf. Quint. 4, 3, 4: distrahitur in deliberando animus, Cic. Off. 1, 3, 9; cf., shortly before: in quo considerando saepe animi in contrarias sententias distrahuntur; cf.: distrahor, tum hoc mihi probabilius, tum illud videtur, id. Ac. 2 ( Luc. ), 43 fin. : cum Tiberium anceps cura distraheret, vine militum ... an, etc., Tac. A. 2, 40; cf. id. ib. 6, 44: obsessos hinc fides, inde egestas inter decus ac flagitium distrahebant, id. H. 4, 60: oratoris industriam in plura studia distrahere nolim, Cic. de Or. 1, 59: sic distrahuntur in contrarias partes impotentium cupiditates, id. Tusc. 5, 20 fin. ; cf. Tac. A. 4, 40: res publica distracta lacerataque, Liv. 2, 57; cf. quae sententia omnem societatem distrahit civitatis, Cic. Off. 3, 6, 28: Caesarem et Pompeium perfidia hominum distractos in pristinam concordiam reducere, Balbus ap. Cic. Att. 8, 15 A.: amorem, Ter. Phorm. 518: concilium Boeotorum, Liv. 42, 47: collegia, Suet. Caes. 42: matrimonium, Dig. 24, 2, 2 et saep.: rem, to frustrate , prevent , Caes. B. C. 1, 33, 3: controversias, i. e. dirimere, to end , adjust , Cic. Caecin. 2, 6; Suet. Caes. 85: voces, i. e. to leave a hiatus (opp. contrahere), Cic. Or. 45, 152: qua ipse fama distraheretur, i. q. differretur (cf. differo, B. 2.), would be assailed , Tac. A. 3, 10.
II To tear away , draw away , part , to separate , remove.
A Lit.: membra divellere ac distrahere, Cic. Sull. 20 fin. : illam a me distrahit necessitas, Ter. Hec. 492; id. Phorm. 202; Cic. Fam. 4, 13, 2.—
B Trop.: sapientiam, temperantiam, fortitudinem copulatas esse docui cum voluptate, ut ab ea nullo modo nec divelli nec distrahi possint, Cic. Fin. 1, 16, 50.—
2 Of persons, to separate in sentiment , to estrange , alienate : aliquem ab aliquo (preceded by: a conjunctione avocare, and: a familiaritate disjungere), id. Phil. 2, 10, 23; so with divellere, id. Planc. 42, 102.
XII —Hence, distractus , a, um, P. a.
A Divided (very rarely): (conjectus animaï) divisior inter se ac distractior, Lucr. 4, 961.—
B Trop., distracted , perplexed : distractissimus tantorum onerum mole, Vell. 2, 114, 1.—Adv. does not occur.