ē-mollĭo, ii, ītum, 4, v. a., to make soft, to soften (perh. not ante-Aug.).
I Lit.: humor arcus fundasque et jaculorum amenta emollierat, Liv. 37, 41; Cels. 8, 4: ova macerata, Plin. 10, 60, 80, § 167; 18, 7, 17, § 77; 20, 2, 6, § 11 al.—
B Transf.: colores, to soften , make more delicate , Plin. 35, 17, 57, § 198.—
II Trop.
A In a good sense, to make mild or gentle , to mollify : mores, Ov. P. 2, 9, 48: severa praecepta, Aur. Vict. Epit. 48.—
B In a bad sense, to enervate , render effeminate : exercitum (Capua), Liv. 27, 3; cf. id. 38, 49; Tac. H. 3, 2; id. Agr. 11: emollit gentes clementia caeli, Luc. 8, 565: auctoritatem principis, to weaken , Aur. Vict. Epit. 1.