prō -trăho, xi, ctum, 3 (sync. form protraxtis for protraxistis, Sil. 16, 84.—Inf. protraxe for protraxisse, Lucr. 5, 1159), v. a., to draw or drag forth, to bring forth or out, pull out, to draw to a place (class.; cf.: promo, profero).
I Lit., Cels. 7, 12, 1: aliquem e tentorio, Tac. H. 4, 27: me istam capillo protracturum in viam, Plaut. Merc. 4, 4, 58: aliquem hinc in convivium, Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 10, § 24: Calchanta in medios, Verg. A. 2, 123: aliquem in medium manibus suis, Suet. Ner. 53: ad operas mercenarias statim protrahi, Cic. Phil. 1, 9, 22: pedibusque informe cadaver (Caci) Protrahitur, Verg. A. 8, 265: multa siti protracta corpora, Lucr. 6, 1264: e tentorio, Tac. H. 4, 27.—
II Trop.
A In gen., to drag forth , to draw or bring anywhere: aliquid in lucem, Lucr. 4, 1189: ad gestum pueros, id. 5, 1031: quidquid paulatim protrahit aetas In medium, id. 5, 1387 dub. (v. Lachm. II. p. 346): indicem ad indicium, Liv. 33, 28: nudi in medium protrahebantur, id. 28, 29. —
B In partic.
1 To bring to light , discover , disclose , reveal , expose , betray : auctorem nefandi facinoris, Liv. 45, 5: inimicum, id. 44, 26: facinus per indicium, id. 27, 3: publicanorum fraudes, Vell. 2, 92, 2: nec meus indicio latitantes versus amicus Protraheret, Ov. Tr. 3, 4, 71.—
2 To lengthen out any thing as to time, to prolong , protract , defer (post-Aug.; syn.: produco, propago): protrahere ac differre stipendia militum, Suet. Ner. 32: convivia in primam lucem, id. Caes. 52; cf.: epulas a medio die ad mediam noctem, id. Ner. 27: in serum dimicatione protractā, id. Aug. 17: sermones, Vulg. Act. 20, 7.— Pass. in mid. force: quid diutius protrahor? why dwell longer on this? Vop. Tac. 6.— Absol. : quinque horas protraxit, i. e. he lingered for five hours , Suet. Ner. 33 fin. —
3 To weary , detain too long: ne diutius te protraham, Vulg. Act. 24, 4.—
4 To extend , increase (post-class.): utrum hoc usque ad Graecum sermonem tantum protrahimus, an verum et ad alium ... dubitari potest, Dig. 45, 1, 1 fin. : insolentiam, Val. Max. 1, 5, 8 (al. pertraheret).—
5 To bring or reduce to : ad paupertatem protractus, Plaut. Trin. 1, 2, 72.