ex-cūdo, di, sum, 3, v. a., to strike, beat or hammer out.
I Lit.: silici scintillam, Verg. A. 1, 174: ignem, Plin. 16, 40, 77, § 208.—
II Transf., to hatch out : pullos ex ovis, Cic. N. D. 2, 52, 129; cf. Varr. R. R. 3, 9, 2; 10; 13: anseres aliena ova non excudunt, i. e. do not hatch them , id. ib. 3, 10, 3; § 4; 3, 9, 2; Col. 8, 14, 7.—
B To forge , mould : excudent alii spirantia mollius aera, Verg. A. 6, 848.—
C In gen., to prepare , make any thing: ceras, Verg. G. 4, 57.—
D Trop., of a writing, to compose : excudam aliquid Ἡρακλείδειον, Cic. Att. 15, 27, 2; Plin. Ep. 1, 3, 4; Tac. Or. 9.