lĕvis, e, adj. [for leg-vis; Sanscr. laghu-s, little; cf. O. H. Germ. ring-i; Germ. gering; Gr. ἐλαχύς], light in weight, not heavy (opp. gravis).
I Lit.: leviora corpora (opp. graviora), Lucr. 2, 227: aether, id. 5, 459: aura, id. 3, 196: levior quam pluma, Plaut. Men. 3, 2, 23: stipulae, Verg. G. 1, 289: armatura, light armor : levis armaturae Numidae, the light-armed Numidians , Caes. B. G. 2, 10; also, by metonymy, lightarmed troops; v. armatura, and cf.: sed haec fuerit nobis tamquam levis armaturae prima orationis excursio, Cic. Div. 2, 10 fin. ; so, miles, a light-armed soldier , Liv. 8, 8; cf. of clothing: nudi, aut sagulo leves, Tac. G. 6: flebis in solo levis angiportu, Hor. C. 1, 25, 10.—Of the earth upon the dead: terraque securae sit super ossa levis, Tib. 2, 4, 50; esp. freq. on tombstones: sit tibi terra levis (abbreviated, S. T. T. L.): per leves populos, the shades, bodiless persons , Ov. M. 10, 14: virgaque levem coerces aurea turbam, Hor. C. 1, 10, 18.—Poet. with inf.: fessis leviora tolli Pergama Grais, a lighter burden , i. e. easier to be destroyed , Hor. C. 2, 4, 11.—
B Transf.
1 Light of digestion, easy to digest (mostly poet. and post-Aug.): quae in aqua degunt, leviorem cibum praestant. Inter domesticas quadrupedes levissima suilla est, gravissima bubula, lightest of digestion , Cels. 1, 18: leves malvae, Hor. C. 1, 31, 16 (cf.: gravi Malvae salubres corpori, id. Epod. 2, 57).—
2 Light in motion, swift, quick, fleet, nimble, rapid (syn.: agilis, alacer, pernix): ipsa (diva) levi fecit volitantem flamine currum (i. e. Argo), a quick, favorable wind , Cat. 64, 9; cf.: leves venti, Ov. M. 15, 346: flatus, Sil. 15, 162: currus, light, swift , Ov. M. 2, 150: levi deducens pollice filum, light, nimble , id. ib. 4, 36; so, pollex, id. ib. 6, 22: saltus, id. ib. 7, 767; 3, 599: peltam pro parma fecit, ut ad motus concursusque essent leviores, Nep. Iphicr. 1: Messapus levis cursu, Verg. A. 12, 489: leves Parthi, id. G. 4, 314: equus, Val. Fl. 1, 389: Nympharumque leves cum Satyris chori, Hor. C. 1, 1, 31: quaere modos leviore plectro, nimbler, gayer , id. ib. 2, 1, 40: et levis erecta consurgit ad oscula plantā, Juv. 6, 507.—With inf. (poet.): omnes ire leves, Sil. 16, 488: exsultare levis, id. 10, 605: levior discurrere, id. 4, 549: nullo levis terrore moveri, Claud. IV. Cons. Hon. 514: hora, fleeting , Ov. M. 15, 181: terra, light, thin soil , Verg. G. 2, 92: et ubi montana (loca) quod leviora et ideo salubriora, Varr. R. R. 1, 6, 3; so (opp graviora), id. ib.—
3 Slight, trifling, small (mostly poet.): ignis, Ov. M. 3, 488: tactus, a slight, gentle touch , id. ib. 4, 180: strepitus, id. ib. 7, 840: stridor, id. ib. 4, 413.
II Trop.
A Without weight , i. e. of no consequence; hence, in gen., light, trifling, unimportant, inconsiderable, trivial, slight, little, petty, easy (class.): nunquam erit alienis gravis qui suis se concinnat levem, Plaut. Trin. 3, 2, 58: grave est nomen imperii atque id etiam in levi persona pertimescitur, Cic. Agr. 2, 17, 45: leve et infirmum, id. Rosc. Com. 2, 6: quae mihi ad spem obtinendae veritatis gravissima sunt; ad motum animi ... leviora, id. Deiot. 2, 5: quod alia quaedam inania et levia conquiras, id. Planc. 26, 63: auditio, a light, unfounded report , Caes. B. G. 7, 42: cui res et pecunia levissima et existimatio sanctissima fuit semper, something very insignificant , Cic. Rosc. Com. 5, 15: dolor, id. Fin. 1, 12, 40: proelium, Caes. B. G. 7, 36: periculum, id. B. C. 3, 26: in aliquem merita, id. ib. 2, 32, 10: leviore de causa, id. B. G. 7, 4 fin. : praecordia levibus flagrantia causis, Juv. 13, 182: effutire leves indigna tragoedia versus, Hor. A. P. 231.—As subst.: in levi habitum, was made little of, was regarded as a trifle , Tac. H. 2, 21; id. A. 3, 54: levia sed nimium queror, Sen. Herc. Fur. 63: quid leviora loquor? Petr. poët. 134, 12: non est leve tot puerorum observare manus, no easy matter , Juv. 7, 240: quidquid levius putaris, easier , id. 10, 344.—
β With gen. (poet.): opum levior, Sil. 2, 102.—
B In disposition or character.
1 Light, light-minded, capricious, fickle, inconstant, unreliable, false : homo levior quam pluma, Plaut. Men. 3, 2, 23: ne me leviorem erga te putes, id. Trin. 5, 2, 34: tu levior cortice, Hor. C. 3, 9, 22: vitium levium hominum atque fallacium, Cic. Lael. 25, 91: quidam saepe in parva pecunia perspiciuntur quam sint leves, id. ib. 17, 63: leves ac nummarii judices, id. Clu. 28, 75: sit precor illa levis, Tib. 1, 6, 56: levi brachio aliquid agere, Cic. Att. 4, 16, 6: quid levius aut turpius, Caes. B. G. 5, 28 fin. : auctor, Liv. 5, 15: leves amicitiae, Cic. Lael. 26, 100: spes, vain, empty , Hor. Ep. 1, 5, 8: leviores mores, Ulp. Fragm. 6, 12.—
2 Mild, gentle, pleasant (rare): quos qui leviore nomine appellant, percussores vocant, Cic. Rosc. Am. 33, 93; and: levior reprehensio, id. Ac. 2 ( Luc. ), 32, 102: tandem eo, quod levissimum videbatur, decursum est, the gentlest, mildest , Liv. 5, 23 fin. : nec leves somnos timor aut cupido Sordidus aufert, Hor. C. 2, 16, 15; id. Epod. 2, 28: exsilium, mild, tolerable , Suet. Aug. 51.—Hence, adv.: lĕ-vĭter , lightly, not heavily .
1 Lit. (rare): armati, light-armed , Curt. 4, 13.—Of the blow of a weapon: levius casura pila sperabat, Caes. B. C. 3, 92, 2.—
2 Trop.
a Slightly, a little, not much, somewhat : leviter densae nubes, Lucr. 6, 248: inflexum bacillum, Cic. Div. 1, 17, 30: genae leviter eminentes (al. leniter), id. N. D. 2, 57, 143: qui (medici) leviter aegrotantes leniter curant, gravioribus autem morbis, etc., id. Off. 1, 24, 83: saucius, id. Inv. 2, 51, 154: non leviter lucra liguriens, id. Verr. 2, 3, 76, § 177: agnoscere aliquid, id. Fin. 2, 11, 33: eruditus, id. de Or. 3, 6, 24.— Comp. : quanto constantior idem In vitiis, tanto levius miser, so much less , Hor. S. 2, 7, 18: dolere, Ov. P. 1, 9, 30.— Sup. : ut levissime dicam, to express it in the mildest manner , Cic. Cat. 3, 7 fin. —
b Easily, lightly, without difficulty, with equanimity : id eo levius ferendum est, quod, etc., Cic. Fam. 4, 3, 2; cf.: sed levissime feram, si, etc., id. Prov. Cons. 20, 47; Liv. 29, 9.— Comp. : levius torquetis Arachne, more dexterously , Juv. 2, 56.