hisco, ĕre, v. inch. n. and a. [hio; whence also hiasco].
I Neutr. , to open , gape , yawn.
A In gen.: tellus, ait, hisce, Ov. M. 1, 546; cf.: magnae nunc hiscite terrae, Poët. ap. Quint. 9, 2, 26: rima hiscit, Plin. 17, 14, 24, § 108: st, tace, aedes hiscunt, Plaut. Ps. 4, 1, 42.—
B In partic., to open the mouth , to mutter (so most freq. and class.): respondebisne ad haec? aut omnino hiscere audebis? * Cic. Phil. 2, 43, 111: adversus dictatoriam vim, Liv. 6, 16, 3: adversus praepotentis viros, id. 45, 26, 7; 9, 4, 7; 10, 19, 7: cum non hisceret, ego intercessi, Gell. 15, 9, 10: quoties sinit hiscere fluctus, Nominat Alcyonem, Ov. M. 11, 566: raris turbatus vocibus hisco, speak , Verg. A. 3, 314: dicere jussus Philotas non hiscere audebat, Curt. 1, 9, 32: si quid tentaveris umquam hiscere, Juv. 5, 127: loquantur, hiscant, Lact. 5, 19, 14.—
II Act. , to speak , relate any thing (poet.): hem vereor, plus quam fas est captivum hiscere, Att. ap. Non. 120, 30: quicquam, Ov. M. 13, 231: tantum operis nervis hiscere posse meis, Prop. 3, 3 (4, 2), 4 (for which: carmen hiare lyra, id. 2, 31 (3, 29), 6).