flăgello, āvi, ātum, 1, v. a. [flagellum], to whip, scourge, lash (poet. and in postAug. prose).
I Lit.: quaestorem suum in conjuratione nominatum flagellavit, Suet. Calig. 26: aliquem manu sua, id. ib. 55; id. Claud. 38: canes extremis polypi crinibus, Plin. 9, 30, 48, § 92: terga caudā (leo), id. 8, 16, 19, § 49; cf.: arborem caudā (serpens), Ov. M. 3, 94: messem perticis, to thresh out , Plin. 18, 30, 72, § 298: serpentes sese interimunt flagellando, id. 25, 8, 55, § 101.— Absol. : in tergum flagellat, Quint. 11, 3, 118.—
II Transf.: flagellent colla comae, beat , dangle against his face , Mart. 4, 42, 7: sertaque mixta comis sparsa cervice flagellat, i. e. shakes , Stat. Th. 10, 169; cf. id. ib. 3, 36: flagellatus aër, Plin. 2, 45, 45, § 116: si puteal multa cautus vibice flagellas, i. e. practise outrageous usury , Pers. 4, 49: cujus laxas arca flagellat opes, presses down , i. e. encloses , Mart. 2, 30, 4; 5, 13, 6; cf.: prout aliquis praevalens manceps annonam flagellet, keeps back commodities , i.e. maintains them at too high a price , Plin. 33, 13, 57, § 164.