nŏcĕo, cŭi, cĭtum, 2 (inf. pres. pass. nocerier, Plaut. Curc. 2, 3, 73; gen. plur. nocentūm, Ov. P. 1, 8, 19; perf. subj. noxit: ne boa noxit, Lucil. ap. Paul. ex Fest. s. v. Fama, p. 360 Müll.; Fronto ad M. Caesarem, 3, 13 Mai.), v. n. (and a.; v. infra ε) [Sanscr. root nac, disappear; Gr. νέκυς; cf.: neco, nex, noxa, pernic-ies],
I to do harm, inflict injury, do hurt to (cf.: obsum, obficio, laedo).—Constr.
α Absol. or with dat.: declinare ea, quae nocitura videantur, Cic. Off. 1, 4, 11: arma alia ad tegendum, alia ad nocendum, id. Caecin. 21, 60: nihil nocet, it does no harm , id. Att. 12, 47, 1: nocere alteri, id. Off. 3, 5, 23: jurejurando accepto, nihil iis nocituros hostes, Caes. B. C. 3, 28: jura te nociturum non esse homini de hac re nemini, Plaut. Mil. 5, 18.—
β With a homogeneous or a general (pronominal) object: OB EAM REM NOXAM NOCVERVNT, have been guilty of a crime , from an old fetial formula, Liv. 9, 10, 9: si uredo aut grando quippiam nocuit, Cic. N. D. 3, 35, 86: quid nocet haec? Juv. 14, 153.—
γ In pass. (very rare), to be harmed, injured : larix ab carie aut a tineā non nocetur, Vitr. 2, 9 med. : noceri eas (ciconias) omnibus quidem locis nefas ducunt, sed, etc., Sol. 40 fin. —
δ Impers. pass. (class.), an injury is done or inflicted : ut ne cui noceatur, Cic. Off. 1, 10, 31: mihi nihil ab istis noceri potest, id. Cat. 3, 12, 37: ut in agris vastandis hostibus noceretur, Caes. B. G. 5, 19: ipsi nihil nocitum iri, id. ib. 5, 36: neque diem decet me morari, neque nocti nocerier, that injury be done to the night , Plaut. Curc. 2, 3, 73.—
ε Act. (late Lat.): nihil illum nocuit, Vulg. Luc. 4, 35; id. Act. 7, 26; 18, 10.
VII —Hence, nŏcens , entis, P. a., that commits a wicked action, bad, wicked, culpable, criminal (cf.: sons, reus): nocens et nefarius, Cic. Off. 2, 14, 51: homines nocentissimi, id. Div. in Caecil. 3, 9: nocentissima victoria, id. Verr. 1, 14, 41: nocentissimi mores, Quint. 2, 15, 32: meritā caede nocentūm (poet. for nocentium; cf. Auct. Her. 4, 35, 45), Ov. P. 1, 8, 19.—
II In gen., hurtful, harmful, pernicious, baneful, injurious : a pestiferis et nocentibus refugere, Cic. N. D. 2, 47, 120: boletus, Juv. 6, 620.— Comp. : edit cicutis allium nocentius, Hor. Epod. 3, 3.—Hence, adv.: nŏcenter , hurtfully, injuriously (not ante-Aug.): nocenter armata, Col. 8, 2, 10: abscessus nocenter adulescit, Cels. 5, 28, 11; Tert. Apol. 14.