lentus, a, um, adj. [cf. lenis], pliant, flexible, tough, tenacious, sticky, viscous (syn.: flexilis, tardus, serus).
I Lit.: viburna, Verg. E. 1, 26: vitis, id. ib. 3, 38: genistae, id. G. 2, 12: rami, id. ib. 4, 558: flagellum, Phaedr. 3, 6, 6: verbera, i. e. produced with the limber whip , Verg. G. 3, 208: argentum, id. A. 7, 634; Cat. 61, 106; Tib. 4, 1, 171: lentior salicis virgis, Ov. M. 13, 800: gluten visco et pice lentius, tougher, more tenacious , Verg. G. 4, 41: ita istaec nimis lenta vincla sunt escaria, adhesive, tenacious , Plaut. Men. 1, 1, 18; cf.: lentis adhaerens brachiis, Her. Epod. 15, 6: quoniam mas (aron) esset in coquendo lentior, Plin. 24, 16, 92, § 143.—
B Transf., slow, sluggish, immovable : tellus lenta gelu, Prop. 4 (5), 3, 39: amnis, Plin. 36, 26, 65, § 190: in lento luctantur marmore tonsae, sluggish, motionless , Verg. A. 7, 28: lento pilo, Tib. 4, 1, 90: asinus, Phaedr. 1, 15, 7: uteri pondera lenta, immovable, heavy , Prop. 4 (5), 1, 96 (100): herba durior et in coquendo lentior, slower, longer , Plin. 24, 16, 92, § 143: venenum, Tac. A. 6, 32: remedia, Curt. 3, 5, 13; Suet. Tib. 73: miserum populum Romanum, qui sub tam lentis maxillis erit, id. ib. 21: lentaque fori pugnamus harena, Juv. 7, 47: funus matris, slow in coming , id. 6, 565.—
II Trop.
A Lasting or continuing long : militiae, Tib. 1, 3, 82: amor, id. 1, 4, 81: spes, Ov. H. 2, 9: tranquillitatis lentissimae taedium, Sen. Ep. 70: lentus abesto, remain long away , Ov. R. Am. 243: vivacitas adeo lenta, persistent , Plin. 8, 27, 41, § 100.—
B Slow, lingering, lazy : lentus in dicendo, drawling , Cic. Brut. 48: mortis genus, Suet. Caes. 87: si lentus pigrā muniret castra dolabra, Juv. 8, 248: ira deorum, id. 13, 100.—
β With gen.: lentus coepti, Sil. 3, 176.—
γ With inf.: nec Idalia lenta incaluisse sagitta, Sil. 5, 19.—
2 Of bad payers, slow, backward : infitiatores, Cic. Cat. 2, 10: negotium, tedious , id. Att. 1, 12; 1, 13 fin. —
C Of character, easy, calm, indifferent, unconcerned, phlegmatic, sluggish, obstinate : ut multa verba feci, ut lenta materies fuit, Plaut. Mil. 4, 5, 4: genus ridiculi patientis ac lenti, Cic. de Or. 2, 69: nimium patiens et lentus existimor, id. ib. 2, 75: Hannibalem lenti spectamus, Liv. 22, 14: lentus in suo dolore, Tac. A. 3, 70: tu, Tityre, lentus in umbra, at ease , Verg. E. 1, 4: lentissima pectora, insensible, cold (to love), Ov. H. 15, 169.—*
D (Pliant, hence) Ready, willing , Lucil. ap. Non. 22, 32, and 338, 13.—Hence, adv.: lentē , slowly, without haste, leisurely .
1 Lit.: lente ac paulatim proceditur, Caes. B. C. 1, 80: currere, Ov. Am. 1, 13, 40: corpora lente augescunt, cito exstinguuntur, Tac. Agr. 3: Nilus evagari incipit, lente primo, deinde vehementius, Plin. 18, 18, 47, § 167. — Comp. : ipse cum reliquis copiis lentius subsequitur, Caes. B. C. 2, 40.— Sup. : asinus lentissime mandit, Col. 2, 15.—*
b Transf., pliantly, readily : arida ligna lentius serrae cedunt, Plin. 16, 43, 83, § 227. —
2 Trop.
a Calmly, dispassionately, indifferently : aliquid lente ferre, Cic. de Or. 2, 45, 190; cf. id. Fragm. ap. Non. 338, 9: agere, Liv. 1, 10: respondere, to answer cooly, phlegmatically , Cic. de Or. 2, 71, 287. — Comp. : sed haec videri possunt odiosiora, cum lentius disputantur, Cic. Par. 1, 2, 10: quid lentius, celerius dicendum, Quint. 1, 8, 1.—
b In a good sense, calmly, considerately, attentively : nisi eum (librum) lente ac fastidiose probavissem, Cic. Att. 2, 1, 1.