per-cello, cŭli, culsum, 3 (perculsi for perculi, Amm. 17, 8, 4; 25, 8, 13), v. a. [cf.: procella, celer], to beat down, throw down; to overturn, upset (class.; syn.: percutio, deicio).
I Lit.: ventus Cercius plaustrum oneratum percellit, Cato ap. Gell. 2, 22, 29; cf.: vento perculsam ratem, Afran. ap. Fest. p. 273 Müll. (Com. Rel. p. 154 fin. Rib.): magnas quercus, Enn. ap. Macr. S. 6, 2 (Ann. v. 194 Vahl.): abietem, Varr. ap. Non. 152, 11: alii adnutat ... alii percellit pedem, Naev. ap. Isid. Orig. 1, 25 (Com. Rel. p. 17 Rib.): perii! perculit me prope, Plaut. Pers. 5, 2, 28; Ter. Eun. 378: radicibus arborum, Plin. 18, 34, 77, § 334: Mars communis saepe spoliantem jam et exsultantem evertit et perculit ab abjecto, Cic. Mil. 21, 56: eos Martis vis perculit, id. Marc. 6, 17.—Prov.: Perii, plaustrum perculi! I've upset my cart , i. e. I've done for myself , Plaut. Ep. 4, 2, 22.—
B Transf., to strike , smite , hit : fetiali Postumius genu femur perculit, Liv. 9, 10 fin. ; cf. id. 9, 11, 11: aliquem cuspide, Ov. Am. 2, 9, 7; 1, 7, 32.— Poet.: vox repens perculit urbem, struck , reached , Val. Fl. 2, 91.—
II Trop.
A To cast down , overthrow , ruin , destroy : adulescentiam perculisse atque afflixisse, Cic. Cael. 32, 80; id. Cat. 2, 1, 2; id. Leg. 3, 8, 24: rem publicam, Tac. A. 2, 39: aliquem, Suet. Tib. 55.—
B To strike with consternation , to deject , daunt , dispirit , discourage , dishearten : haec te vox non perculit? non perturbavit? Cic. Verr. 2, 3, 57, § 132: timore perculsi membra, Lucr. 5, 1223: civitates atrocibus edictis, Tac. H. 1, 53; Flor. 1, 10, 2: animos (timor), Val. Fl. 4, 651.—
C To urge on , excite , impel : volucres perculsae corda tuā vi, Lucr. 1, 13: aliquem ad turpitudinem, Ap. Mag. p. 281.— Perf. : perculit, in a neutr. signif., for perculsus est, Flor. 3, 10, 8.