pungo, pŭpŭgi, punctum, 3 (old fut. perf. pepugero, Att. ap. Gell. 7, 9, 10; perf. punxi, acc. to Diom. p. 369 P.: pupungi, in pungit, punxit, pupungit, Not. Tir. p. 131; scanned pŭpūgi, Prud. στεφ. 9, 59), v. a. [root pug-, to thrust, strike, whence also pugil, pugnus; Gr. πύξ, etc.], to prick, puncture (class.).
I Lit.: aliquem, Cic. Sest. 10, 24: acu comatoriā mihi malas pungebat, Petr. 21: vulnus quod acu punctum videretur, Cic. Mil. 24, 65.—
B Transf. *
1 To pierce into , penetrate , enter : corpus, Lucr. 2, 460 (v. the passage in connection).—
2 To affect sensibly , to sting , bite : ut pungat colubram: cum pupugerit, etc., Varr. ap. Prisc. p. 894 P.: pungunt sensum, Lucr. 4, 625: aliquem manu, to pinch , Petr. 87 fin. : nitrum adulteratum pungit, has a pungent taste , Plin. 31, 10, 46, § 114.—
3 To press , hasten : futura pungunt, nec se superari sinunt, Pub. Syr. v. 177 Rib.—
II Trop., to prick , sting , vex , grieve , trouble , disturb , afflict , mortify , annoy , etc.: scrupulus aliquem stimulat ac pungit, Cic. Rosc. Am. 2, 6: epistula illa ita me pupugit, ut somnum mihi ademerit, id. Att. 2, 16, 1: jamdudum meum ille pectus pungit aculeus, Plaut. Trin. 4, 2, 158: pungit me, quod scribis, etc., Cic. Fam. 7, 15, 1: si paupertas momordit, si ignominia pupugit, id. Tusc. 3, 34, 82: quos tamen pungit aliquid, id. ib. 5, 35, 102: odi ego, quos numquam pungunt suspiria somnos, Prop. 3, 8 (4, 7), 27.
VII —Hence, punctus , a, um, P. a., pricked in , like a point; hence, of time: puncto tempore (cf.: puncto temporis; v. infra), in an instant , in a moment (only in Lucr.), Lucr. 2, 263; 456; 1006; 4, 216; 6, 230.—Hence, subst. in two forms.
I punctum , i, n., that which is pricked or pricked in , a point , small hole , puncture.
A Lit. (very rare), Mart. 11, 45, 6.—
B Transf.
1 A point , small spot (as if made by pricking): ova punctis distincta, Plin. 10, 52, 74, § 144: gemma sanguineis punctis, id. 37, 8, 34, § 113: puncta quae terebrantur acu, Mart. 11, 46, 2: ferream frontem convulnerandam praebeant punctis, i. e. with the marks of slavery , Plin. Pan. 35.—
b In partic.
α A point made in writing, Aus. Epigr. 35, 1; 145, 5; as a punctuation mark, Diom. p. 432 P.—
β A mathematical point. Cic. Ac. 2 ( Luc. ), 36, 116.—
γ A point or spot on dice: quadringenis in punctum sestertiis aleam lusit, Suet. Ner. 30; Aus. Prof. 1, 29.—
δ A point or dot as the sign of a vote , made in a waxen tablet, before the introduction of separate ballots; hence, transf., a vote , suffrage , ballot , Cic. Planc. 22, 53; id. Mur. 34, 72; id. Tusc. 2, 26, 62.—Hence, poet., applause , approbation : omne tulit punctum qui miscuit utile dulci, Hor. A. P. 343: discedo Alcaeus puncto illius, id. Ep. 2, 2, 99; Aus. Grat. Act. ad Grat. 5.—
ε A point on the bar of a steelyard , indicating the weight: diluis helleborum, certo compescere puncto nescius examen, Pers. 5, 100.—
2 A small part of any thing divided or measured off, e.g.,
a A small weight , Pers. 5, 100.—
b A small liquid measure , Front. Aquaed. 25.—
c A small portion of time , an instant , a moment (cf. momentum): puncto temporis eodem, in the same moment , Cic. Sest. 24, 53; cf.: ne punctum quidem temporis, id. Phil. 8, 7, 20; Ter. Phorm. 185: nullo puncto temporis intermisso, id. N. D. 1, 20, 52; Caes. B. C. 2, 14.—In plur.: omnibus minimis temporum punctis, Cic. N. D. 1, 24, 67: animi discessus a corpore fit ad punctum temporis, id. Tusc. 1, 34, 82: temporis puncto omnes Uticam relinquunt, Caes. B. C. 2, 25 fin. ; Plin. Pan. 56: horae, Hor. Ep. 2, 2, 172: diei, Lucr. 4, 201.—Rarely absol. : punctum est quod vivimus et adhuc puncto minus, Sen. Ep. 49, 14, 3: puncto brevissimo dilapsa domus, Ap. Met. 9, 39, 1; cf.: quod momentum, quod immo temporis punctum, aut beneficio sterile aut vacuum laude, Plin. Pan. 56, 2; Vulg. Isa. 54, 7.—
d In space, a point : ipsa terra ita mihi parva visa est, ut me imperii nostri, quo quasi punctum ejus attingimus, poeniteret, Cic. Rep. 6, 16, 16.—
e In discourse, a small portion , brief clause , short section , Cic. Par. prooem. § 2; id. de Or. 2, 41, 177; Aus. Idyll. 12 prooem.—
II puncta , ae, f. (very rare), a prick , puncture , Veg. Mil. 1, 12.