prŏ-fundus, a, um, adj., deep, profound, vast (class.; syn. altus).
I Lit.: mare profundum et immensum, Cic. Planc. 6, 15; Curt. 9, 4, 18: per inane profundum, Lucr. 1, 1108: pontus, Verg. A. 5, 614: Acheron, Lucr. 3, 978: Danubius, Hor. C. 4, 15, 21: fornax, Ov. M. 2, 229: valles, Stat. Th. 10, 95: terrae foramen, Just. 24, 6, 9: atque hiavit humus multa, vasta, et profunda, Sall. H. 4, 37 Dietsch: vulnera, Eum. Pan. Constant. 14.— Sup. : profundissimus libidinum gurges, Cic. Sest. 43, 93.—
2 Subst.: prŏfundum , i, n., depth.
a In gen.: esse in profundo (aquae), Cic. Fin. 3, 14, 48, 4, 23, 64: maris, Suet. Tib. 40; Ov. Hal. 84: immensa ac profunda camporum, Just. 41, 1, 11.—
b In partic.
α The depths of the sea , the deep , the sea (class.): ex profundo molem ad caelum erigit, Att. ap. Cic. N. D. 2, 35, 89: jecissem ipse me potius in profundum, ut ceteros conservarem, quam, etc., Cic. Sest. 20, 45: profundo Vela dabit, Verg. A. 12, 263: vastum, Val. Fl. 8, 314; Sil. 4, 246: summum, Ov. M. 2, 267: indomitum, id. Tr. 1, 11, 39: pater ipse profundi, i.e. Neptune , Val. Fl. 2, 606: genitor profundi, Ov. M. 11, 202: Pamphylium, Col. 8, 16, 9: profundi imperium, Juv. 13, 49; Hor. C. 4, 4, 65; Ov. H. 18, 89; id. M. 5, 439; 11, 197.—
β In comic. lang., an abyss , meaning the stomach , in a lusus verbb. with fundus, Plaut. Capt. 1, 2, 79.—
B Transf.
1 Thick , dense (poet. and in post - class. prose): Erebi nox, Verg. A. 4, 26: silvae, Lucr. 5, 41; Curt. 7, 7, 4: ursi villis profundioribus, Sol. 26.—
2 Like altus, high (poet.): caelum profundum, Verg. G. 4, 222: caelum, id. E. 4, 51; id. A. 1, 58; Val. Fl. 7, 478: altitudo, Liv. 38, 23; Tac. A. 2, 61.—
b Subst.: prŏfundum , i, n., height : altum caeli, Manil. 5, 719.—
3 In a great quantity , copious , unlimited , without stint (poet.): merum, Stat. Th. 5, 262.—
4 Of the underworld , infernal (poet.): Manes, Verg. G. 1, 243: Chaos, Val. Fl. 7, 401: Juppiter, i. e. Pluto, Stat. Th. 1, 615: Juno, = Proserpina, Claud. Rapt. Pros. 1, 2.—
II Trop.
A Deep , bottomless , profound , boundless , immoderate (class.): profundae libidines, Cic. Pis. 21, 48: avaritia, Sall. J. 81, 1: cupido imperii et divitiarum, id. H. 4, 61, 5: vitia animi, Plin. 30, 2, 5, § 14: cupiditas confundendi omnia, Vell. 2, 125, 2: securitas, Gell. 1, 15, 2: otium, Nazar. Pan. Constant. 35: profundissimā pace florere (=summā), Mamert. Pan. Maxim. 14: caedes, Stat. Th. 10, 831: tempestas, id. Achill. 1, 45: gula, Suet. Vit. 13: venter, Curt. 10, 2, 26: immensusque ruit profundo Pindarus ore, i.e. with inexhaustible copiousness of expression , Hor. C. 4, 2, 7: scientia, Macr. S. 3, 2, 7: cum me somnus profundus in imum barathrum demergit, Ap. Met. 2, 25, 14; in profundam ruinam cupidinis se praecipitare, id. ib. 8, 2, 21.—
B Deep , obscure , unknown (post-Aug.): in profundo esse, to be unknown , Dig. 32, 15.—
C Subst.: prŏfundum , i, n., a depth , abyss (class.): in profundo veritatem penitus abstrudere, Cic. Ac. 2 ( Luc. ), 10, 32: Democritus (dixit) in profundo veritatem esse demersam, id. ib. 1, 12, 44: in profundum ultimarum miseriarum abjectus, Val. Max. 2, 10, 6: immergere aliquem miserabiliter profundo cladium, id. 2, 6, 9, ext. 7: in profundum injuriarum et turpitudinis decidere, id. 2, 9, 1, ext. 2; cf.: de profundis clamavi ad te, Vulg. Psa. 129, 1.—Hence, adv.: prŏfundē , deeply (post-Aug.): in bibendo profundius nares mergere, Plin. 8, 42, 66, § 165; Vulg. Osee, 9, 9.