lăbĕfacto, āvi, ātum, 1, v. freq. a. [labefacio], to cause to totter, to shake, to overthrow (syn.: quatio, concutio).
I Lit.: signum vectibus, Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 43, § 49: horrea bellicis machinis, Suet. Ner. 38: aedium fundamenta, Cod. Th. 10, 19, 14: phalangii morsus genua labefactat, Plin. 29, 4, 27, § 86.—
B Transf., in gen., to injure, weaken, ruin, destroy : sensus, Lucr. 1, 694: onus gravidi ventris, to procure an abortion , Ov. Am. 2, 13, 1: colla boum, to hurt, gall , Col. 2, 2, 22.—
II Trop., to shake, throw down, overthrow, destroy, ruin, weaken (a favorite expression of Cic.): animam, Lucr. 6, 798: aliquem, Cic. Fam. 12, 25, 2; id. Dom. 12, 27; id. Div. in Caecil. 14, 44: alicujus consulatum, id. Mil. 13, 34: alicujus dignitatem, id. Rab. Post. 16, 44: invidiā verbi orationem, id. Fin. 1, 13, 43: Aristoteles primus species labefactavit, quas mirifice Plato erat amplexatus, id. Ac. 1, 9, 33: conjurationem, id. Cat. 4, 10, 22: causam ad judicem, id. Rosc. Com. 4, 13: fidem, Liv. 24, 20: opinionem, Cic. Clu. 2, 6; so, labefactare alone, to shake in purpose, move, cause to yield : me video ab ea astute labefactarier, Ter. Eun. 509: labefacto paulatim (sc. eum), Plaut. Merc. 2, 3, 68: non illam rarae labefactes munere vestis, corrupt , Cat. 69, 3, cf.: castimoniam viduae, Cod. Th. 9, 25, 1: rem publicam, Cic. Fin. 1, 13, 43: maximas res publicas ab adulescentibus labefactatas ... reperietis, id. Sen. 6, 20; cf.: Carthaginem et Corinthum, id. Rep. 2, 4, 7: labefactarat vehementer aratores superior annus, id. Verr. 2, 3, 18, § 47: amicitiam aut justitiam labefactare atque pervertere, id. Fin. 3, 21, 70: leges ac jura, id. Caecin. 25, 70: alicujus fidem pretio, id. Clu. 68, 194: provinciarum fidem, Tac. A. 13, 21: (praecepta) labefactari aliqua parte, Quint. 2, 13, 14.