rōdo, si, sum, 3, v. a. [cf. rado], to gnaw (class.).
I Lit.: rutabulum, Novat. ap. Fest. p. 262 Müll. (Com. Rel. p. 226 Rib.): clipeos, etc. (mures), Cic. Div. 2, 27, 59: praetextam, Poët. ap. Quint. 8, 3, 19: dente pollicem, Hor. Epod. 5, 48: vivos ungues, id. S. 1, 10, 71: vitem (caper), Ov. F. 1, 357: saxa capellae, id. M. 13, 691: reliquias (mures), Phaedr. 1, 22, 6: rosus tineis, Stat. S. 4, 9, 10. —
B Transf., to eat away , waste away , corrode , consume : ripas (flumina), Lucr. 5, 256: ferrum (robigo), Ov. P. 1, 1, 71: tophum (calx), Plin. 36, 22, 48, § 166. —
II Trop., to backbite , slander , disparage , etc. (syn. vellico): in conviviis rodunt, Cic. Balb. 26, 57: absentem amicum, Hor. S. 1, 4, 81: libertino patre natum, id. ib. 1, 6, 46: cuncta robiginosis dentibus, Mart. 5, 28, 7; cf.: dentem dente, i. e. to speak ill of each other , id. 13, 2, 6: murmura secum et rabiosa silentia rodunt, i. e. to mutter to one’s self , Pers. 3, 81.