fulcĭo, fulsi, fultum, 4 (late form perf. FVLCIVIT, Inscr. ap. Mur. 466, 3.—Part. perf.: fulcītus, Cael. Aur. Tard. 2, 1, 46), v. a. [etym. dub.; cf.: falx, flecto; Corss. refers it to root dhar-; v. firmus, Ausspr. 1, 476], to prop up, to keep upright by props, to stay, support (class.; syn.: sustento, sustineo, munio).
I Lit.: qui fulcire putatur porticum Stoicorum, Cic. Ac. 2 ( Luc. ), 24, 75: aliquid trabibus, Plin. 36, 13, 19, § 89: Atlas, caelum qui vertice fulcit, Verg. A. 4, 247: vitis nisi fulta est, fertur ad terram, Cic. de Sen. 15, 52: ruentes ceras, Plin. 11, 10, 10, § 23: illum Balbutit Scaurum pravis fultum male talis, supported , Hor. S. 1, 3, 48; cf. id. ib. 1, 2, 88: quod non Taenariis domus est mihi fulta columnis, Prop. 3 (4), 1, 49: longis Numidarum fulta columnis cenatio, Juv. 7, 182; 3, 193: si mutuatus pecuniam aedificia ruentia fulserit, Gai. Inst. 4, 73: me prior fultusque toro meliore, Juv. 3, 82: et pulvino fultus, supported by , resting on the pillow , Lucil. ap. Serv. Verg. E. 6, 53: ille (juvencus) latus niveum molli fultus byacintho, Verg. E. 6, 53; cf. effultus; so absol. : colloco, fulcio, Plaut. Cas. 5, 2, 10: caput nivei fultum Pallantis, propped up , bolstered , Verg. A. 11, 39.— Impers. : sat sic fultumst mihi, Plaut. Stich. 1, 2, 37.—Poet.: tu (potes) pedibus teneris positas fulcire pruinas? i. e. to tread the fallen snow , Prop. 1, 8, 7: stant fulti pulvere crines, supported , stiffened , Stat. Th. 3, 326.—
B Transf., to make strong or fast , to fasten , secure , support , strengthen (poet. and in post-Aug. prose): fultosque emuniit obice postes, fastened , guarded , Verg. A. 8, 227; cf.: appositā janua fulta serā, Ov. A. A. 2, 244: et dura janua fulta sera, Tib. 1, 2, 6: omnia debet cibus integrare novando Et fulcire cibus, cibus omnia sustentare, to support , strengthen , Lucr. 2, 1147: stomachum cibo, Sen. Ep. 68 med. : venas cadentes vino, id. ib. 95; cf. Col. 6, 24, 4.—
II Trop.
A To support , sustain , uphold : veterem amicum suum labentem excepit, fulsit et sustinuit re, fortuna, fide, Cic. Rab. Post. 16, 43; cf.: labantem et prope cadentem rem publicam fulcire, id. Phil. 2, 21, 51: domum pluribus adminiculis ante fundatam fulcit ac sustinet, Plin. Ep. 4, 21, 3; cf.: ingenia rudia nullisque artium bonarum adminiculis fulta, Gell. 6, 2, 8: hoc consilio et quasi senatu fultus et munitus, Cic. Rep. 2, 9: aliquem litteris, id. Att. 5, 21, 14: magnis subsidiis fulta res publica est, id. Fam. 12, 5, 1: imperium gloria fultum et benevolentiā sociorum, id. Off. 3, 22, 88: his fultus societatibus atque amicitiis, Liv. 42, 12, 8; 3, 60, 9; Plin. Ep. 9, 13, 11; cf.: quia nullis recentibus subsidiis fulta prima acies fuit, Liv. 9, 32, 9: quo praesidio cum fulta res Romana esset, id. 7, 12, 8: causa Gaditanorum gravissimis et plurimis rebus est fulta, Cic. Balb. 15, 35: serie fulcite genus, i. e. to keep up , preserve , Prop. 4 (5), 11, 69.—*
B Poet., to besiege , oppress : (Pacuvii) Antiopa aerumnis cor luctificabile fulta, Pers. 1, 78 (perh. a word of Pacuv.).