vello, vulsi, vulsum (perf. velli, Calp. Ecl. 4, 155; Prisc. 10, 6, 36, p. 897 P.; Diom. 1, p. 369 ib.; ante-class. form of sup. volsum; v. Neue, Formenl. 2, p. 576), 3, v. a. [prob. akin to ἕλ-κω].
I Prop.
A Of animals, to pluck or pull , i. e. to deprive of the hair , feathers , etc.: oves, Varr. R. R. 2, 11, 9; Plin. 8, 48, 73, § 190: anseres, id. 10, 22, 27, § 53.—
B Of things.
1 In gen., to pluck , pull , or tear out , away , or up; in simple constr.: plumas anserum, Col. 8, 13, 3: caudae pilos equinae, Hor. Ep. 2, 1, 45: barbam, id. S. 1, 3, 133: tot spicula, Verg. A. 10, 889: comam, Mart. 5, 37, 19: cuneum vellito, statimque surculos in ea foramina immittito, Col. 5, 11, 5; cf. id. Arb. 26, 4: signa, to take up , i. e. march , Verg. A. 11, 19; cf.: ut vellerent signa et Romam proficiscerentur, Liv. 3, 50, 11: mors viscera vulsit, Luc. 6, 546.—With ab and abl.: postes a cardine vellit, Verg. A. 2, 480: albos a stirpe capillos, Prop. 3 (4), 25, 13: asparagum ab radice, Plin. 19, 8, 42, § 149.—With abl. alone: aut castris audebit vellere signa, Verg. G. 4, 108: genae florem primaevo corpore vulsit, Luc. 6, 562: adfixam oculo sagittam, id. 6, 218: vulsis pectore telis, id. 6, 232; cf.: unguibus et raras vellentem dentibus herbas, Ov. M. 8,800.—With de and abl.: hastam ... de cespite vellit, Verg. A. 11, 566: herbas de caespite, Luc. 4, 414.—
2 Esp.
a To pluck , pull , or tear down or away : cum pars vellerent vallum, atque in fossas proruerent, Liv. 9, 14, 9; 10, 2, 5: munimenta, id. 2, 25, 3.—
b To pluck , pull , pick , or gather fruit, etc.: modo nata malā vellere poma manu, Tib. 3, 5, 20.—
c To pull , twitch , etc.: aurem, Verg. E. 6, 4; cf. id. Cop. 38; Calp. Ecl. 4, 155; Amm. 22, 3, 12: vellere coepi Et prensare manu lentissima bracchia, Hor. S. 1, 9, 63: latus digitis, Ov. A. A. 1, 606.—
d To be plucked or pulled , i. e. to have the hair pulled out by the roots : circa corporis curam morosior, ut non solum tonderetur diligenter ac raderetur, sed velleretur etiam, Suet. Caes. 45.—
II Trop., to tear , torment : sed mea secreto velluntur pectora morsu, Stat. S. 5, 2, 3.—Hence, P. a. : vulsus ( volsus ), a, um.
A Lit., shorn , plucked , smooth , beardless , hairless : istum gallum Glabriorem reddes mihi quam volsus ludiust, Plaut. Aul. 2, 9, 6: vulsi levatique et inustas comas acu comentes, Quint. 2, 5, 12: corpus vulsum, id. 5, 9, 14: eadem (corpora) si quis vulsa atque fucata muliebriter comat, id. 8, prooem. 19: nepos, Prop. 4 (5), 8, 23.—
2 Trop., effeminate : mens, Mart. 2, 36, 6.—
B Suffering convulsions , spasmodic , Plin. 21, 19, 74, § 126; 23, 1, 16, § 25.