per-cĭpĭo, cēpi, ceptum, 3 (old form of the pluperf. percepset for percepisset, Poët. ap. Cic. Off. 3, 26, 98; v. Trag. Rel. p. 207 Rib.), v. a. [capio], to take wholly, to seize entirely (cf. occupo).
I Lit.
A To take possession of , to seize , occupy : mihi horror misero membra percipit dictis tuis, Plaut. Am. 5, 1, 66: priusquam percipit (eum) insania, id. Men. 5, 5, 22; id. Stich. 2, 2, 17: neque urbis odium me umquam percipit, Ter. Eun. 972: vitae percipit humanos odium, Lucr. 3, 80; 5, 605.—
B To take to one's self , to assume : varii sensus animantibus insunt, quorum quisque suam proprie rem percipit in se, Lucr. 6, 985: rigorem, Ov. M. 4, 745: colorem, Plin. 21, 5, 13, § 26: sucum thymi, Col. 11, 3, 40.—
C To get , obtain , receive : serere, percipere, condere fructus, to gather , collect , Cic. Sen. 7, 24: praemia, Caes. B. C. 2, 32: fructum ex oleā, Plin. 15, 1, 1, § 3: civitatem ab aliquo, Just. 43, 5, 13: hereditatem, Suet. Tib. 15; Petr. 141.—
II Trop. (so most freq. in class. lang.; syn.: sentio, intellego, comprehendo).
A To perceive , observe : ne, quod hic agimus, erus percipiat fieri, Plaut. Curc. 1, 3, 2: quod neque oculis, neque auribus, neque ullo sensu percipi potest, Cic. Or. 2, 8: crebraeque nunc querelae, nunc minae percipiebantur, were heard , Caes. B. C. 3, 84; Liv. 2, 3, 5: quae dicam, i. e. hear , Cic. Cat. 1, 11, 27: et aures, cum sonum percipere debeant, id. N. D. 2, 56, 141; so, percipe auribus, hear , give ear , Vulg. Psa. 16, 1 et saep.—
B To feel : neque majorem voluptatem ex infinito tempore aetatis percipi posse, quam ex hoc percipiatur, Cic. Fin. 1, 19, 63: voluptatem, id. ib. 1, 11, 37: luctus, id. Fam. 14, 11: dolores, id. ib. 14, 11: gaudia, Ov. P. 2, 1, 60.—
C To learn , know , conceive , comprehend , understand , perceive , etc.: res percepta et cognita, Cic. Ac. 2 ( Luc. ), 14, 44: percipere et comprehendere, id. ib. 2, 8, 26: cognosci et percipi posse, id. Fin. 1, 19, 64: aliquid animo, id. de Or. 1, 28, 127: artificium aliquod, id. ib. 1, 28, 127: virtutem et humanitatem, id. Q. Fr. 1, 1, 10: philosophiam, id. de Or. 1, 51, 219: praecepta artis, id. Off. 1, 18, 60: omnium civium nomina perceperat, knew , id. Sen. 7, 21: nomen Graecum, sed perceptum usu a nostris, known , id. N. D. 2, 36, 91.
IX —Hence, perceptus , a, um, P. a., perceived , observed. —Hence, subst.: percep-ta , ōrum, n., doctrines , principles , rules of an art or science: percepta appello, quae dicuntur Graecis θεωρήματα, Cic. Fat. 6, 11. — Sing. : pro percepto liquere, as proved , certain , Gell. 14, 1, 11.