rōro, āvi, ātum, 1, v. n. and a. [ros], to let fall, drop, or distil dew (syn. stillo).
I Lit.
a Neutr. : (Aurora) toto rorat in orbe, Ov. M. 13, 622: cum rorare Tithonia conjux Coeperit, id. F. 3, 403: rorate, caeli, Vulg. Isa. 45, 8. — More usually impers. , dew falls , it drizzles , it sprinkles : ante rorat quam pluit, Varr. L. L. 7, § 58; Col. 11, 2, 45; 76; Plin. 17, 10, 14, § 74; Suet. Aug. 92. —
b Act. : tellus rorata mane pruinā, moistened , besprinkled , Ov. F. 3, 357.—
II Transf., to drop , trickle , drip , distil.
a Neutr. : lacrimis spargunt rorantibus ora genasque, with trickling , flowing , Lucr. 2, 977 (cf. infra, b.): rorant pennaeque sinusque, drip or shed moisture , Ov. M. 1, 267: comae, id. ib. 5, 488: ora dei madidā barbā, id. ib. 1, 339; cf. id. ib. 3, 683; 177; 14, 786: sanguine vepres, Verg. A. 8, 645; 11, 8: lacte capellae, id. Cul. 76: ora, Luc. 2, 123: hostili cruore arma, Quint. Decl. 4, 8.—
b Act. , to bedew , to moisten , wet : circumstant, lacrimis rorantes ora genasque, Lucr. 3, 469: saxa cruore, Sil. 10, 263. — And with the liquid as an object: quam caelum intrare parantem Roratis lustravit aquis Iris, with sprinkled waters , Ov. M. 4, 479; id. F. 4, 728: si roraverit quantulum cumque imbrem, Plin. 17, 10, 14, § 74.— Absol. : pocula rorantia, which yielded the wine drop by drop (a transl. of the Gr. ἐπιψεκάζειν), * Cic. Sen. 14, 46: rorans juvenis, the youth pouring out , the young cup-bearer , i. e. Ganymedes , as a constellation (Aquarius), Manil. 5, 482.— *
B Trop., to drop , distil , etc.: si minutis illis suis et rorantibus responsionibus satisfaciet consulenti, Macr. S. 7, 9.