pulso, āvi, ātum (inf. parag. pulsarier, Lucr. 4, 931), 1, v. freq. a. [pello], to push, strike, beat (cf.: tundo, ferio, pello).
I Lit.: cum pulsetur agiteturque incursione atomorum sempiternā, Cic. N. D. 1, 41, 114: semine in pila pulsato, Plin. 19, 8, 45, § 158: lictores ad pulsandos verberandosque homines exercitatissimi, Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 54, § 142; cf.: pulsari alios et verberari, id. ib. 2, 3, 26, § 66: pulsatus parens, Verg. A. 6, 609: legatos pulsasse dicebantur, Liv. 38, 42; Tac. H. 4, 45: ubi tu pulsas, ego vapulo tantum, Juv. 3, 289: ostium, to knock , Plaut. Bacch. 4, 1, 7: ostia, Hor. S. 1, 1, 10; cf. ostiatim, Quint. 5, 10, 122: fores, Ov. M. 5, 448; so, pulso alone: pulsate, et aperietur vobis, Vulg. Matt. 7, 7: humum ter pede, to stamp upon the ground , Ov. F. 6, 330: gyrum pulsat equis, Prop. 4, 13, 11; cf.: tellurem pede libero, Hor. C. 1, 37, 1: prata choreis, Claud. Laud. Stil. 2, 381.—Of military engines: ariete muros, Verg. A. 12, 706: ariete turres, Sil. 16, 696: moenia Romae, id. 6, 643: cuspide portas, id. 12, 565: pulsabant turrim ariete, Amm. 20, 11, 21: moenia Leptitana, id. 28, 6, 15.—Of musical instruments: chordas digitis et pectine eburno, to strike , play upon , Verg. A. 6, 647: chelyn, Val. Fl. 1, 139: pectine nervos, Sil. 5, 463: cymbala, Juv. 9, 62.—Of things: pulsant arva ligones, Ov. Am. 3, 10, 31; id. M. 11, 529: nervo pulsante sagittae, Verg. G. 4, 313.—
B Transf., to strike against , to strike , touch any thing (poet.): ipse arduus altaque pulsat Sidera, Verg. A. 3, 619; 10, 216; Sil. 9, 450: vasto qui vertice nubila pulsat, Val. Fl. 4, 149.—Of abstract subjects: ululatus pulsat aures, Claud. B. Get. 625.—
II Trop.
A In gen., to urge or drive on , to impel , to set in violent motion , to move , agitate , disturb , disquiet : dormientium animos, Cic. Div. 2, 58, 120: multa in unum locum confluunt, quae meum pectus pulsant, Plaut. Ep. 4, 1, 3: quae te vecordia pulsat, Ov. M. 12, 228: corda pavor pulsans, Verg. G. 3, 105; cf.: curru Phoebe medium pulsabat Olympum, id. A. 10, 216: variā meritos formidine pulsant, Val. Fl. 3, 390: urbes rumoribus, to disturb , Petr. p. 679: invidia pulsat pectus, Sen. Agam. 134: aliquem querelis, Stat. Th. 8, 249; cf.: astra querelis, Claud. in Eutr. 2, prooem. § 51: superos vocibus, Sen. Herc. Oet. 1671.—
B In partic.
1 To attack before a tribunal, i. e. to arraign , accuse : ex contractu ejus obligatus, pro quo pulsabatur, Dig. 11, 1, 11: non imponitur necessitas aliis pulsantibus respondere, ib. 5, 1, 2 med. —
2 Transf., in gen., to accuse , defame : pulsari crimine falso, Claud. B. Gild. 170: injusta Tartara, to accuse , charge , Stat. S. 5, 5, 77: apud principis aures existimationem viri fortis invidiā gravi pulsarent, Amm. 18, 4, 4.—
C To drive away , remove , put out of the way , Dig. 19, 2, 15, § 1: pericula, Claud. VI. Cons. Hon. 465.—
D To injure , insult : pulsatos infecto foedere divos, Verg. A. 12, 286: pulsatae majestatis imperii reus, of treason , Amm. 14, 7, 7.