per-vello, velli, 3, v. a., to pull or pluck hard; to pull, iwitch any thing.
I Lit.: nates, Plaut. Pers. 5, 2, 66: aurem, Phaedr. 5, 5, 32; also, prov., aurem, to pull one's ear , i. e. to remind one of a thing, Sen. Ben. 5, 7, 5; Val. Max. 1, 5, 8; Sen. Ep. 94, 55; id. Ben. 4, 36, 1; 5, 7, 6.—
B Transf., to excite , sharpen : stomachum, Hor. S. 2, 8, 9.—
II Trop.
A To twitch , pinch : fortuna pervellere te forsitan potuerit et pungere, etc., Cic. Tusc. 3, 17, 36: si te forte dolor aliquis pervellerit, id. ib. 2, 20, 46.—
2 To revile , disparage : jus civile, Cic. de Or. 1, 62, 265.—
B To arouse , enliven : ad referendam gratiam fides languet: hanc pervellamus, Sen. Ben. 5, 23, 1.