nĭtĕo, ēre (gen. plur nitentūm, Verg. Cir. 523), v. n. [etym. dub.; cf. nix], to shine, look bright, glitter, glisten (cf., luceo, fulgeo splendeo).
I Lit.: placatumque nitet diffuso lumine caelum, Lucr. 1, 9: luna potest solis radiis percussa nitere, id. 5, 705: qui nitent unguentis, fulgent purpurā, Cic. Cat. 2, 3, 5: diversi niteant cum mille colores, Ov. M. 6, 65: vere nitent terrae, id. F. 4, 126: aera nitent usu, id. Am. 1, 8, 51; so, ebur, Tib. 1, 4, 64; Hor. Ep. 1, 10, 19; Mart. 9, 58, 6; 8, 6, 10 et saep.—
B Transf.
1 Of animals, to be sleek, in good condition : at hau pol nitent (oves), Plaut. Bacch. 5, 2, 6: unde sic quaeso nites? Phaedr. 3, 7, 4; Plin. 18, 5, 6, § 27; cf.: hic nitet ungula mulae, Juv. 7, 181.—
2 Of persons, to shine, to look bright or beautiful : miseri quibus Intentata nites! ( = pulchra et amabilis videris), Hor. C. 1, 5, 12: ore nitet, Mart. 10, 89, 3: nitet ante alias regina comesque Pelides, Stat. Ach. 2, 148: murice tincta Veste nites, Mart. 5, 23, 6.—
3 Of fields, plants, etc., to look flourishing, thriving, to thrive , etc.: camposque nitentes Desuper ostentat, Verg. A. 6, 677: ubi tellus nitet, Petr. 99; cf. Plin. 17, 4, 3, § 26.—
4 Of a house: tibi hoc praecipio ut niteant aedes, be in complete order , Plaut. Ps. 1, 2, 281.—
5 Of wealth, etc., to flourish, abound : vectigal in pace niteat, Cic. Agr. 1, 7, 21: res ubi magna nitet domino sene, Hor. S. 2, 5, 12. —
II Trop., to shine, be brilliant, look or be beautiful : ver vide; ut tota floret, ut olet, ut nitide nitet, Plaut. Truc. 2, 4, 3: illorum, vides, quam niteat oratio, Cic. Fin. 4, 3, 5; so, ubi plura nitent in carmine, Hor. A. P. 351: omnia nobilibus oppidis ni tent, Plin. 3, 5, 7, § 49.
IX —Hence, nĭtens , entis, P. a., shining, glittering, glistening, brilliant, bright .
A Lit.: capilli malobathro, Hor. C. 2, 7, 7: mensae, id. S. 2, 2, 4: oculi, Verg. A. 1, 228: astra, Ov. F. 5, 543: Lucifer, Tib. 1, 3, 93: nitentes solis equi, Val. Fl. 5, 413: arma nitentia ante rem, deformia inter sanguinem, etc., Liv. 9, 40, 5.—
2 Transf.
a Of animals, sleek, fat : nitens taurus, Verg. A. 3, 20.—
b Of persons, shining, bright, beautiful : uxor ore floridulo nitens, Cat. 61, 189: desiderio meo nitenti, my darling bright , id. 2, 5.— Comp. : nitentior femina, Ov. M. 12, 405 (Merkel, decentior).—
c Of plants, blooming : nitentia culta, Verg. G. 1, 153: arbor laeta et nitens, Gell. 12, 1, 16.— Comp. : Tyrio nitentior ostro flos oritur, Ov. M. 10, 211.—
B Trop.
1 Illustrious : recenti gloriā nitens, Liv. 3, 12: non patre nitens linguāve, Sil. 6, 19. —
2 Of speech, brilliant, elegant : oratio, Cic. Brut. 67, 238.—
3 Of the mind, bright, clear : macte, oro, nitenti Ingenio, Stat. S. 1, 5, 63.