per-tracto (pertrecto), āvi, ātum, 1, v. a., to touch, feel, handle any thing (class.).
I Lit.: papillam, Plaut. As. 1, 3, 71: mullos, Cic. Par. 5, 2, 38: bestias manibus, Auct. B. Afr. 72: arma, Plin. 25, 6, 30, § 66: caput dormienti, Just. 1, 9, 17: corpus hominis, Ap. Flor. p. 362.—
II Trop., to busy or occupy one's self with any thing, to handle , treat , to investigate , study any thing: mentem omni cogitatione pertractans, Cic. Fin. 2, 35, 118: sensus mentesque hominum, id. de Or. 1, 51, 222: narrationem, id. Inv. 2, 14, 45: ad totam philosophiam pertractandam se dare, id. N. D. 1, 4, 9: pertractare ea quae rem continent, id. Tusc. 4, 10, 23: primum quae scripsi mecum ipse pertracto, Plin. Ep. 7, 17, 7: pertractare visu vulnera, to explore , scan , Sil. 10, 452: mente, Vulg. Nahum. 1, 11.—Hence, * per-tractātē , adv., in a well-considered manner , elaborately , systematically : nam pertractate facta est (fabula), i. e. with a moral in view , Plaut. Capt. prol. 55.