mōlĭor, ītus, 4 (inf. molirier for moliri, Lucr. 5, 934), v. dep. n. and a. [moles].
I Neutr.
A To set one's self or one's powers in motion, to make exertions, exert one's self, to endeavor, struggle, strive, toil , etc. (rare but class.; syn.: conor, nitor): viden ut misere moliuntur? Plaut. Curc. 1, 3, 32: agam per me ipse et moliar, Cic. Fam. 6, 10, 2: nōsti mores mulierum: Dum moliuntur, dum comuntur, annus est, Ter. Heaut. 240: horam amplius jam in demoliendo signo permulti homines moliebantur, Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 43, § 95.—
B To set one's self in motion, endeavor to depart, to depart : molientem hinc Hannibalem, Liv. 28, 44: dum naves moliuntur a terra, id. 37, 11: in quam (insulam) gladiatores navibus molientes, Tac. H. 2, 35.—
II Act.
A To labor upon any thing, exert one's self at or upon, set in motion, work an instrument or engine; to work any thing (cf. ago; class.).
1 Nihil enim agit (vita deorum), ... nulla opera molitur, Cic. N. D. 1, 19, 51: res dura et regni novitas me talia cogant moliri, Verg. A. 1, 564: validam in vites molire bipennem, to work , i. e. wield , id. G. 4, 331: ancoras, to work , i. e. hoist the anchor, weigh anchor , Liv. 28, 17: agricola incurvo terram molitus aratro, i. e. to work, cultivate, till the ground , Verg. G. 1, 494; Col. 1 praef. 17; 11, 2, 19: erro molirier arva, Lucr. 5, 932: fores, to work , i. e. to force, to break open , Tac. A. 1, 39; 2, 82; Liv. 23, 18, 2; 24, 46, 5: Atharrias ad Philotam missus clausum aditum domus moliebatur, Curt. 6, 8, 20: habenas, to guide , Verg. A. 12, 327: fulmina molitur dextrā, hurls , id. G. 1, 329: ignem, id. A. 10, 131: opera, to begin work , Col. 11, 2, 2: aliquid sub divo moliri potest, id. 1, 8, 9.—
2 To set in motion, bestir, rouse, cause to remove, displace (syn.: deicio, deturbo): montes suā sede, displaces , Liv. 9, 3: corpora ex somno moliebantur, aroused , id. 36, 24, 3: onera objecta, id. 25, 36.—
3 To build, make, erect, construct (syn.: condo, fundo, construo): muros, to build , Verg. A. 3, 132: classem, id. ib. 3, 6: arcem, id. ib. 1, 424: atrium, Hor. C. 3, 1, 46: aedem, Flor. 1, 7: locum, prepares , Verg. A. 7, 158: pocula de inimicorum capitibus hominum, to construct, make , Sol. 15.—
B Trop., to endeavor to do; to undertake, attempt, set about any thing (cf.: aggredior, apparo): nec ea, quae agunt, molientes cum labore operoso, performing, doing , Cic. N. D. 2, 23, 59: viam clipei molita per oras, made its way , Verg. A. 10, 477: inde datum molitur iter, id. ib. 6, 477: jamque alio moliris iter, Stat. S. 5, 2, 61: viam et gressus, Claud. Rapt. Pros. 1, 278; 3, 438: animum, to form or acquire for one's self , Ov. A. A. 2, 119: laborem, to undertake , Verg. A. 4, 233: struere et moliri aliquid calamitatis alicui, to try to bring upon , Cic. Clu. 64, 178: fortissimis atque optimis civibus periculum moliri, id. Sest. 1, 1: pestem patriae nefarie, id. Cat. 2, 1, 1: perniciem rei publicae, id. ib. 1, 2, 5: insidias avibus, to lay snares , Verg. G. 1, 271: crimina et accusatorem, to bring about, find out , Tac. A. 12, 22: triumphos, Ov. M. 14, 719: fugam, Verg. A. 2, 109: moram, to cause, make, occasion , id. ib. 1, 414: opem extremam alicui, Val. Fl. 6, 431: dolos apertos, to devise , id. 5, 249: bellum in animo, to design, meditate , Vell. 2, 46: Athenienses urbem ex integro condere moliuntur, Just. 2, 15, 1: mundum efficere moliens deus, attempting , Cic. Univ. 4: fallere, Val. Fl. 3, 491: de occupando regno moliens, striving to usurp the government , Cic. Rep. 2, 35, 60: nuptias, to bring about , Tac. A. 12, 3: apud judices oratione molienda sunt amor, odium, etc., are to be excited, called forth , Cic. de Or. 2, 51, 206: tumorem, Col. 6, 17: vorandi facultatem, Cels. 1, 3: fidem moliri coepit, began to meddle with, disturb , Liv. 6, 11, 8.