ē-lŭo, ŭi, ūtum, 3, v. a., to wash out, rinse out; to wash off, wash clean (class.).
I Lit.: vascula, Plaut. Aul. 2, 3, 3: patinas, id. Capt. 4, 2, 66: argentum (the silver vessels, the plate), id. Ps. 1, 2, 29: bacas immundas, Col. 12, 52, 21; 6, 3, 4: os, Cels. 3, 4: maculas vestium, Plin. 20, 8, 28, § 72; cf. Plaut. Poen. 1, 1, 71; Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 46; id. Sest. 29, 63: purpureum colorem omnibus undis, Lucr. 6, 1077; so, colorem, Quint. 1, 1, 5; cf. atramentum, Plin. 35, 6, 25, § 43: aliquid ex aqua, Cels. 7, 21 fin. : corpus, Ov. M. 11, 141: se asinino lacte, Cels. 4, 24 et saep.—
B Transf.
1 To purify : vasa eluto auro, of pure gold (al. elato), Capitol. Pertin. 8.—
2 To clear , to lay bare : Ponticum Phasim et stagna Maeotidis (sc. avibus), Col. 8, 8, 10.—
b In Plautus (like elavo, II.), to strip one's self of , to get rid of , squander one's property, Plaut. Rud. 2, 7, 21 sq.; id. Stich. 5, 2, 21; of money lavished on expensive baths: elutum in balineis, Plaut. Trin. 2, 4, 5.—
II Trop., to dispose of , remove , clear , or wash away , etc.: ut centurionum profusus sanguis eluatur: num elui praedicatio crudelitatis potest? Cic. Phil. 12, 6; cf.: infectum scelus sub gurgite vasto, Verg. A. 6, 742: crimen, Ov. M. 11, 141: vitia, Quint. 2, 3, 2 et saep.: tales amicitiae sunt remissione usus eluendae, i. e. to get rid of , Cic. Lael. 21; cf.: amara curarum (cadus), Hor. C. 4, 12, 20.—
B To cleanse , purify , make pure or clear : mentes maculatas crimine, Sil. 11, 200; cf. Sen. Ep. 59: mentem, Lact. 5, 19, 34.
VIII —Hence, ēlūtus , a, um, P. a., washed out , i. e. watery , insipid; in the comp. : irriguo nihil est elutius horto (= magis fatuum), Hor. S. 2, 4, 16: (spodi) elutior vis est, Plin. 34, 13, 33, § 129.