praegnans, antis (collateral form praegnas, ātis, Plaut. Truc. 1, 2, 95; 4, 3, 37; M. Aurel. ap. Front. Ep. ad Caes. 4, 6 Mai; Macr. S. 3, 11 fin.; Plin. 17, 14, 24, § 105 et saep.), adj. [prae- and root gna of gnascor (nascor); cf. gigno], with child, pregnant; of animals, big with young (class.; syn.: gravidus, fetus).
I Lit.: gravida est, quae jam gravatur conceptu: praegnans velut occupata in generando, quod conceperit: inciens propinqua partui, quod incitatus sit fetus ejus, Paul. ex Fest. p. 97 Müll.: uxor, Cic. de Or. 1, 40, 183: soror, id. Att. 1, 10, 4: facere aliquam praegnantem, Juv. 6, 404: sus, Varr. R. R. 2, 4: ovis, id. ib. 2, 2: equa, Plin. 10, 63, 83, § 180: perdices, id. 10, 33, 51, § 102.—
II Transf.
A Of plants: praegnas, Plin. 12, 14, 32, § 58: surculi praegnates, hoc est, gemmatione turgentes, id. 17, 14, 24, § 105: oculi arborum praegnates, id. 17, 21, 35, § 155.— Of stones: est autem lapis iste praegnans, intus, cum quatias, alio, velut in utero, sonante, Plin. 10, 3, 4, § 12: Paeanitides gemmae praegnates fieri, id. 37, 10, 66, § 180. —Of other things: nitrariae praegnates, Plin. 31, 10, 46, § 112.—
B In gen., full of , swollen with any thing: praegnas suco herba, Plin. 24, 15, 80, § 130: ostrea multo lacte praegnatia, id. 32, 6, 21, § 59: veneno vipera, id. 11, 37, 62, § 164: cucurbita, full , swollen , large , Col. 10, 379: stamine fusus. Juv. 2, 55.—In the lang. of comedy: plagae, hard , stout , smart blows , Plaut. As. 2, 2, 10.