ob-rēpo, psi, ptum, 3, v. n., to creep up to any thing, approach stealthily (class.).
I Lit.: et possim mediā quamvis obrepere nocte, Tib. 1, 9 (8), 59; Flor. 4, 10, 2: qui Gallos in obsidione Capitolii obrepentes per ardua depulerat, Gell. 17, 21, 24.—With dat.: feles quam levibus vestigiis obrepunt avibus! Plin. 10, 73, 94, § 202.—
II Transf.
A In gen., to steal upon, come suddenly upon one; to take by surprise, to surprise .
α With dat.: qui enim citius adulescentiae senectus, quam pueritiae adulescentia obrepit? Cic. Sen. 2, 4: mihi decessionis dies λεληθότως obrepebat, id. Att. 6, 5, 3; cf. in the foll. under ε: cui obrepsit oblivio, Sen. Ben. 3, 2, 1: vitia nobis sub virtutum nomine obrepunt, id. Ep. 45, 7.—
β With acc. (ante-class., and in Sall.): tacitum te obrepet fames, Plaut. Poen. prol. 14: si tanta torpedo animos obrepsit, Sall. H. 1, 49, 19.—
γ With ad : Plancium non obrepsisse ad honorem, to creep up to, to come at by stealth , Cic. Planc. 7, 17: obrepsisti ad honores errore hominum, id. Pis. 1, 1. —
δ With in and acc.: imagines obrepunt in animos dormientium extrinse cus, Cic. Div. 2, 67, 139; Ambros. Off. Minist. 3, 6, 41.—
ε Absol. : obrepsit dies, Cic. Att. 6, 3, 1: obrepit non intellecta senectus, Juv. 9, 129.—
B In partic., to surprise, deceive, cheat : numquam tu, credo, me imprudentem obrepseris, Plaut. Trin. 1, 2, 23; 4, 2, 132; Flor. 4, 10; Gell. 6, 12, 4.— Impers. pass. : si obreptum praetori sit de libertate, Dig. 40, 5, 26, § 8; 26, 7, 55, § 4.