mŏlestus, a, um, adj. [moles],
I troublesome, irksome, grievous, annoying (class.; cf. importunus): abscede hinc, molestus ne sis! Plaut. As. 2, 4, 63: provincia, Cic. Mur. 8, 18: operosus ac molestus labor, id. N. D. 2, 23, 39: alicui odiosum et molestum esse, id. Sen. 14, 47: tu autem, nisi molestum est, paulisper exsurge, if it will not incommode you , id. Clu. 60, 168: nihil erit his laboriosius molestiusque provinciae? id. Leg. 3, 8, 19: arrogantia ingenii atque eloquentiae est multo molestissima, id. Div. in Caecil. 11, 36: tunica, a dress of pitch , in which a malefactor was burned (tunicam alimentis ignium et illitam et intextam, Sen. Ep. 14, 5), Juv. 8, 235; Mart. 10, 25, 5.—
B In partic., of speech, labored, affected : simplex in agendo veritas non molesta, Cic. Brut. 30, 116: verba, Ov. A. A. 1, 464: pronuntiatio gesticulationibus, Quint. 11, 3, 183: dialectos, Suet. Tib. 56.—
II Transf.
A That is done with difficulty, difficult (post-class.): molesta separatio, Dig. 9, 2, 27, § 14.—*
B Dangerous, injurious : otium, Catulle, tibi molestum est, Cat. 51, 12.—Hence, adv.: mŏlestē .
1 With trouble or difficulty (class.): moleste fero, I take it ill, it vexes, annoys me , Cic. Att. 13, 22, 4: molestissime fero, quod, etc., id. Fam. 3, 6, 5: molestius ferre, id. Q. Fr. 1, 1, 1, § 2: fero, I lament , Sen. Ep. 67, 13.—
2 In a troublesome or offensive manner; of speech, in a labored manner, affectedly : mimice ac moleste, Cat. 42, 8: scribere, August. ap. Suet. Aug. 86: moleste uti distinctionibus, Quint. 11, 3, 181.