lăcer (lăcĕrus quoted by Prisc. 901 P.), ĕra, ĕrum, adj. [root λακ-, to tear; Gr. λακερός, torn; λάκκος, lake; Lat. lacero, lacus, lacuna, lāma; Irish, loch; Engl. lake], mangled, lacerated, torn to pieces.
I Lit. (not in Cic. or Caes.): homo, Lucr. 3, 403: corpus, Liv. 1, 28; Plin. 2, 63, 63, § 156: corpus verberibus, Just. 21, 4, 7: cui quod membrum lacerum laesumve est, Masur. Sab. ap. Gell. 4, 2, 15: Deiphobum lacerum crudeliter ora, mutilated , Verg. A. 6, 495; so, artus avolsaque membra et funus lacerum tellus habet, id. ib. 9, 491.—Of the hair: nec modus aut pennis, laceris aut crinibus, ignem spargere, Stat. S. 1, 1, 133; Sil. 6, 560; Claud. Rapt. Pros. 3, 177: vestis, Tac. H. 3, 10: tectorum vestigia lacera et semusta, id. A. 15, 40: puppis, Ov. H. 2, 45: insignia, Stat. Th. 10, 8: lacerae unguibus venae, Sen. Phoen. 162.—
B Trop. (postAug. and very rare): sparsas, atque, ut ita dicam, laceras gentilitates colligere atque conectere, families rent and scattered , Plin. Pan. 39, 3.—Poet.: castra, an army that has lost its general , Sil. 15, 9: lacerae domus artus componere, Sen. Thyest. 432.—*
II Transf., act., rending, lacerating (for lacerans): morsus, Ov. M. 8, 880.