horresco, horrŭi, 3, v. inch. n. and a. [horreo], to rise on end, stand erect, to bristle up, grow rough.
I Lit. (mostly poet.; cf. horreo): rettulit ille gradus horrueruntque comae, Ov. F. 2, 502: tum segetes altae campique natantes Lenibus horrescunt flabris, Verg. G. 3, 199: bracchia coeperunt nigris horrescere villis, Ov. M. 2, 478; cf.: setis horrescere coepi, id. ib. 14, 279: horrescit telis exercitus asper utrimque, Enn. ap. Macr. S. 6, 4 (Ann. v. 385 Vahl.); cf.: arma rigent, horrescunt tela, id. ib. (Trag. v. 177 ib.): mollis horrescit coma, Sen. Agam. 711: horrescit mare, becomes ruffled , rough , Varr. ap. Non. 423, 7: ut ille qui navigat, cum subito mare coepit horrescere, Cic. Fragm. ib. 4 (Rep. 1, 40 Mos.).—
II Transf.
A To fall a shaking , trembling : (puella) Horruit, ut steriles, agitat quas ventus, aristae, Ov. A. A. 1, 553.—
2 In partic., to begin to shake , shudder , or tremble for fear, to become frightened , terrified (class.).
α Absol. : horresco misera, mentio quoties fit partionis, Plaut. Truc. 1, 2, 93; cf. id. As. 4, 1, 4; Ter. Ad. 631: quin etiam ferae, sibi injecto terrore mortis, horrescunt, Cic. Fin. 5, 11, 31: horresco referens, Verg. A. 2, 204: horrescit visu subito, id. ib. 6, 710; 12, 453. —
β With acc.: dum procellas Cautus horrescis, Hor. C. 2, 10, 3: morsus futuros, Verg. A. 3, 394: nullos visus, Val. Fl. 6, 453: mortem, Stat. Th. 3, 70.—
γ With inf.: horrescit animus omnia recensere, Amm. 29, 3, 9.—
B To grow fearful , terrible , dreadful (very rare): in terra quoque ut horrescant (fulmina), Lucr. 6, 261: subitis horrescit turbida nimbis Tempestas, Sil. 1, 134.