(verb) : prō-tĕro, trīvi, trītum, 3, *
* To drive forth, drive away: ver proterit aestas Interitura,i. e. supplants,Hor. C. 4, 7, 9.
* To tread under foot, trample down, wear away, crush, bruise (class.; syn. proculco).
* Lit.: aliquem pedibus,Plaut. Truc. 2, 2, 13: homines elephantis proterendos substravit,Val. Max. 2, 7, 14: januam limā,i. e. to destroy,Plaut. Men. 1, 1, 9: equitatus aversos proterere incipit,Caes. B. C. 2, 41: agmina curru,Verg. A. 12, 330: florentia arva,Ov. M. 2, 791: adversum rota proterit agmen,Sil. 2, 175: ulmus labens proterit uvas,Stat. Th. 8, 747: seges torrefacta proteritur,Col. 2, 21, 3.
* Transf., in gen., to overthrow, beat, crush, defeat, destroy: Marte Poenos,Hor. C. 3, 5, 34: protrita hostium acies,Tac. H. 2, 26: aliquem proterere et conculcare,to maltreat, abuse, trample upon,Cic. Fl. 2, 22, 53; cf.: pati urbem proteri atque conculcari,Auct. Her. 4, 53, 66: ruinā suā proteri,Vell. 2, 91, 4: umbram,Ov. Tr. 3, 11, 25: omnia ferro,Just. 24, 4, 6: barbaram plebem,Amm. 15, 4, 12. —Hence, prōtrītus, a, um, P.a., worn out (by rubbing); hence, of words, of frequent use, common, trite, vulgar (post-class.): verba,Gell. 5, 21, 4; 12, 2, 1; 18, 4, 6.

s. TLL