lactĕo, ēre (used almost exclusively in the part. pres.), v. a. [lac].
I To suck milk, to be a suckling : Romulus parvus atque lactens, uberibus lupinis inhians, Cic. Cat. 3, 8, 19; so, lactens Juppiter puer, id. Div. 2, 41, 85: vitulus, Ov. M. 2, 624; 10, 227: lactens hostia, Cic. Leg. 2, 12, 29; also absol. : lactentibus rem divinam facere, Liv. 37, 3.— Poet.: viscera lactentia, i. e. sucking children, sucklings , Ov. F. 6, 137.—Of the spring: tener et lactens (sc. annus), Ov. M. 15, 201. —
II To contain milk or sap, to be milky, sappy, juicy : verno tempore, cum lactent novella virentia, Pall. 3, 26; cf.: nam sata, vere novo, teneris lactentia sucis, Ov. F. 1, 351: frumenta in viridi stipula lactentia turgent, Verg. G. 1, 315: lactuca lactens, Plin. 20, 7, 26, § 67.—Subst.: lactentĭa , ium, n., milk-food, milk-dishes , Cels. 2, 28.