(verb) : nĭtĕo, ēre (
* Gen. plur nitentūm, Verg. Cir. 523), etym. dub.; cf. nix, to shine, look bright, glitter, glisten (cf., luceo, fulgeo splendeo).
* Lit.: placatumque nitet diffuso lumine caelum,Lucr. 1, 9: luna potest solis radiis percussa nitere,id. 5, 705: qui nitent unguentis, fulgent purpurā,Cic. Cat. 2, 3, 5: diversi niteant cum mille colores,Ov. M. 6, 65: vere nitent terrae,id. F. 4, 126: aera nitent usu,id. Am. 1, 8, 51; so, ebur,Tib. 1, 4, 64; Hor. Ep. 1, 10, 19; Mart. 9, 58, 6; 8, 6, 10 et saep.
* Transf.
* Trop., to shine, be brilliant, look or be beautiful: ver vide; ut tota floret, ut olet, ut nitide nitet,Plaut. Truc. 2, 4, 3: illorum, vides, quam niteat oratio,Cic. Fin. 4, 3, 5; so, ubi plura nitent in carmine,Hor. A. P. 351: omnia nobilibus oppidis ni tent,Plin. 3, 5, 7, § 49.—Hence, nĭtens, entis, P. a., shining, glittering, glistening, brilliant, bright.
* Of persons, to shine, to look bright or beautiful: miseri quibus Intentata nites! ( = pulchra et amabilis videris),Hor. C. 1, 5, 12: ore nitet,Mart. 10, 89, 3: nitet ante alias regina comesque Pelides,Stat. Achill. 2, 148: murice tincta Veste nites,Mart. 5, 23, 6.
* Of fields, plants, etc., to look flourishing, thriving, to thrive, etc.: camposque nitentes Desuper ostentat,Verg. A. 6, 677: ubi tellus nitet,Petr. 99; cf. Plin. 17, 4, 3, § 26.
* Of a house: tibi hoc praecipio ut niteant aedes,be in complete order,Plaut. Ps. 1, 2, 281.
* Of wealth, etc., to flourish, abound: vectigal in pace niteat,Cic. Agr. 1, 7, 21: res ubi magna nitet domino sene,Hor. S. 2, 5, 12.
* Lit.: capilli malobathro,Hor. C. 2, 7, 7: mensae,id. S. 2, 2, 4: oculi,Verg. A. 1, 228: astra,Ov. F. 5, 543: Lucifer,Tib. 1, 3, 93: nitentes solis equi,Val. Fl. 5, 413: arma nitentia ante rem, deformia inter sanguinem, etc.,Liv. 9, 40, 5.
* Transf.
* Trop.
* Of persons, shining, bright, beautiful: uxor ore floridulo nitens,Cat. 61, 189: desiderio meo nitenti,my darling bright,id. 2, 5.—Comp.: nitentior femina, Ov. M. 12, 405 (Merkel, decentior).
* Of plants, blooming: nitentia culta,Verg. G. 1, 153: arbor laeta et nitens,Gell. 12, 1, 16.—Comp.: Tyrio nitentior ostro flos oritur,Ov. M. 10, 211.
* Illustrious: recenti gloriā nitens,Liv. 3, 12: non patre nitens linguāve,Sil. 6, 19.
* Of speech, brilliant, elegant: oratio,Cic. Brut. 67, 238.
* Of the mind, bright, clear: macte, oro, nitenti Ingenio,Stat. S. 1, 5, 63.