oscĭto, āre, v. n., and oscĭtor, āri, v. dep. (inf. oscitarier, Turp. ap. Non. 322, 18; or Com. Rel. v. 15 Rib.) [oscieo], to open the mouth wide, to gape.
I Of plants, to open , unclose : oscitat in campis caput a cervice revulsum, of the plant lion's-mouth, Enn. ap. Serv. Verg. A. 10, 396; cf. Col. 10, 260; and: (arborum) folia cotidie ad solem oscitant, turn towards the sun , Plin. 16, 24, 36, § 88.—
II Of living beings, to gape , yawn : ut pandiculans oscitatur, Plaut. Men. 5, 2, 80; * Lucr. 3, 1065: clare ac sonore oscitavit, Gell. 4, 20, 8.— With acc.: quid adhuc oscitamus crapulam hesternam, August. Ver. Rel. 3.—
B Trop., to be listless , drowsy , inactive (cf.: dormio. sterto): cum majores (calamitates) impendere videantur, sedetis et oscitamini, i. e. are listless , idle , negligent , Auct. Her. 4, 36, 48; cf. the foll.
IV —Hence, oscĭtans , antis, P. a., listless , sluggish , lazy , negligent (class.): interea oscitantes opprimi, Ter. And. 181: quae Epicurus oscitans allucinatus est, qs. half asleep , Cic. N. D. 1, 26, 72.—Of abstract things: oscitans et dormitans sapientia, Cic. de Or. 2, 33, 144.—* Adv.: oscĭtanter , carelessly , negligently : quod ille tam solute egisset, tam leniter, tam oscitanter, Cic. Brut. 80, 277.