(adjective) : dēbĭlis (old shortened form
* Debil, v. Ritschl, Opusc. Phil. 2, 331), e, de-habilis; cf. Dig. 49, 16, 4, § 12: lit. unmanageable, wanting in flexibility or activity; hence, lame, disabled, crippled, infirm, debilitated, feeble, frail, weak, etc. For syn. cf.: imbecillus, infirmus, invalidus (freq. and class.).
* Lit.
* Of personal subjects: debiles fieri,Cato R. R. 157, 10: si gladium imbecillo seni aut debili dederis,Cic. Sest. 10, 24; cf. id. Phil. 8, 10, 31; Phaedr. 4, 2, 10: confectus senectute, mancus et membris omnibus captus ac debilis,Cic. Rab. Perd. 7, 21; cf.: debilis manu, pede, coxa, Maecen. ap. Sen. Ep. 101, 11; ille humero, hic lumbis, hic coxa debilis, * Juv. 10, 227: plurimis stipendiis debilis miles,Plin. 7, 28, 29, § 104: integris debiles implicabantur,Curt. 4, 16, 11: amissis remis atque ordine debilis uno Sergestus,Verg. A. 5, 271: claudi ac debiles equi,Liv. 21, 40.
* Trop., disabled, weak, in mind, character, authority, etc.
* Of personal subjects: eos qui restitissent infirmos sine illo (sc. Catilina) ac debiles fore putabam,Cic. Cat. 3, 2: qui hac parte animi (sc. memoria) tam debilis esset, ut, etc.,id. Brut. 61, 219: ingenio debilior,Tac. H. 4, 62; cf.: sine animo anima est debilis, Att. ap. Non. 426, 48 (v. 296 Ribbeck).
* Of inanimate subjects: duo corpora esse reipublicae, unum debile, infirmo capite: alterum firmum sine capite,Cic. Mur. 25, 51: manca ac debilis praetura,id. Mil. 9, 25; id. Tusc. 2, 5, 13: manus, sine quibus trunca esset actio ac debilis,Quint. 11, 3, 85: inscitia, * Pers. 5, 99.—Comp. v.supra.—Sup. appears not to occur.—* Adv., dēbĭlĭter, infirmly, lamely, feebly: lacrimis lingua debiliter stupet, Pac. ap. Non. 98, 18 (v. 355 Ribbeck).

s. TLL