ex-ĕdo, ēdi, ēsum (exessum, Plaut. Trin. 2, 4, 5), 3 (archaic praes. subj. exedint, Plaut. Ps. 3, 2, 32. Post-class. form of the praes. ind. exedit, for exest, Sen. Q. N. 4, 2, 10; Seren. Sammon. 7), v. a., to eat up, devour, consume (class.).
I Lit.: intestina, Plaut. Ps. 3, 2, 32: frumentum quod curculiones exesse incipiunt, Varr. R. R. 1, 63, 1; Col. 1, 6, 16: serpens, qui jecur ejus exesset, Hyg. Fab. 55.—Proverb.: tute hoc intristi; tibi omne est exedendum, as you have cooked , so you must eat , Ter. Phorm. 318; cf.: tibi quod intristi, exedendum est, Aus. Idyll. Prooem. 5.—
B Transf., in gen., to eat up , consume , destroy : deus id eripiet, vis aliqua conficiet aut exedet, Cic. Div. 2, 16, 37: exesa scabra rubigine pila, Verg. G. 1, 495: flammeus ardor Silvas exederat, Lucr. 5, 1253: molem (undae), Curt. 4, 2: apparebat epigramma exesis posterioribus partibus versiculorum, dimidiatis fere, effaced by time , Cic. Tusc. 5, 23, 66: multa monumenta vetustas exederat, Curt. 3, 4: exesae arboris antrum, rotten , hollow , Verg. G. 4, 44: dens exesus, Cels. 7, 12: exesa vis luminis, consumed , Tac. H. 4, 81: urbem nefandis odiis, to destroy , Verg. A. 5, 785: rem publicam, Tac. A. 2, 27: quid te futurum censes, quem assidue exedent, i. e. devour , consume thy property , Ter. Heaut. 462. —
II Trop., to consume , prey upon , corrode : aegritudo exest animum, Cic. Tusc. 3, 13, 27; cf.: accedunt aegritudines, molestiae, maerores, qui exedunt animos, id. Fin. 1, 18, 59; 1, 16, 51: illi beati, quos nullae aegritudines exedunt, etc., id. Tusc. 5, 6, 16: maestas exedit cura medullas, Cat. 66, 23 et saep.: exspectando exedor miser atque exenteror, Plaut. Ep. 3, 1, 1.