pătĕfăcĭo, fēci, factum, 3 (scanned pătēfēcit, Lucr. 4, 320; and in pass. pătēfīet, id. 6, 1001), v. a. [pateo-facio], to make or lay open, to open, throw open (freq. and class.; syn.: pando, recludo, aperio).
I Lit.: iter, Cic. N. D. 2, 56, 141: patefacere et munire alicui aditum ad aliquid, id. Fam. 13, 78, 2: aures assentatoribus, id. Off. 1, 26, 91: portas, Liv. 2, 15: ordines, aciem, id. 28, 14: sulcum aratro, Ov. M. 3, 104: oculos, Plin. 11, 37, 55, § 150: patefacta triumphis Janua. Prop. 1, 16, 1: iter per Alpes patefieri volebat, Caes. B. G. 3, 1; cf. Inscr. Marin. Fratr. Arv. p. 27.—Poet.: postera lux radiis latum patefecerat orbem, i. e. had exposed to view , made visible , Ov. M. 9, 794.—Esp. (= ἀνοίγειν), to open the way , as a discoverer or pioneer; to be the first to find : vias, Caes. B G 7, 8: tellus in longas est patefacta vias, Tib. 1, 3, 36, cf.: patefactumque nostris legionibus Pontum, Cic. Imp. Pomp. 8, 21: loca, Nep. Hann. 3, 4.—
II Trop., to disclose , expose , detect , bring to light : si hoc celatur, in metu; sin patefit, in probro sum, Ter. Phorm. 825: odium suum in aliquem, Cic. Att. 11, 13, 2: patefacere verum et illustrare, id. Lael. 26, 97: rem, id. Q. Fr. 2, 6, 5: patefacere et proferre aliquid, id. Mil. 37, 103: veritas patefacta, id. Sull. 16, 45; id. Ac. 2 ( Luc. ), 39, 122: Lentulus patefactus indiciis, convicted , id. Cat. 3, 6, 15: qui ea proferenda et patefacienda curavit, id. Fl. 2, 5: se aliquid patefacturam, id. Ac. 2 ( Luc. ), 14, 44.