(adj.adv.) : surdus, a, um, adj.Sanscr. svar, heavy; svaras, weight; cf. O. H. Germ. swārida, weight
* Deaf.
* Lit.: ne mi ut surdo verbera auris,Plaut. Mil. 3, 1, 204; id. Cas. 3, 3, 12: si surdus sit, varietates vocum noscere possit?Cic. Div. 2, 3, 9: utinam aut hic surdus aut haec muta facta sit,Ter. And. 3, 1, 5.—Sup., stone-deaf, Mart. Cap. 9, § 926; Aug. Ep. 39.—Prov.: surdo narrare, canere, etc., preach to deaf ears, talk to the wind: nae ille haud scit, quam mihi nunc surdo narret fabulam,Ter. Heaut. 2, 1, 10: cantabant surdo,Prop. 4 (5), 8, 47. cf.: non canimus surdis,Verg. E. 10, 8; and: quae (praecepta) vereor, ne vana surdis auribus cecinerim,Liv. 40, 8, 10; 3, 70, 7; Tib. 4, 14, 2: narrare asello Fabellam surdo,Hor. Ep. 2, 1, 200; cf.: suadere surdis, quid sit opus facto,Lucr. 5, 1050.
* Transf.
* Deaf to any thing, i. e. not listening, unwilling to hear, inattentive, regardless, insensible, inexorable; also, not understanding, not apprehending: orando surdas jam aures reddideras mihi,Ter. Heaut. 2, 3, 89; so, aures,Liv. 24, 32, 6; cf. Prop. 2, 16 (3, 8), 48; id. 2, 20 (3, 13), 13: non surdus judex,Cic. Font. 11, 25 (7, 15): ad mea munera surdus,Ov. H. 7, 27: per numquam surdos in tua vota deos,id. P. 2, 8, 28: surdae ad omnia solacia aures,Liv. 9, 7, 3: surdae ad fortia consilia Vitellio aures,Tac. H. 3, 67 init.: surdus adversus aliquid,Aug. Serm. 50, 13: surdus sum,I will not hear,Plaut. Ps. 1, 3, 24: surdas clamare ad undas,Ov. A. A. 1, 531: litora,Prop. 4 (5), 11, 6.—Hence, poet. transf.: vota,i. e. to which the gods are deaf, to which they will not hearken,Pers. 6, 28: surdaeque adhibent solatia menti,Ov. M. 9, 654: tuas lacrimas litora surda bibent,Prop. 4 (5), 11, 6. leges rem surdam, inexorabilem esse,Liv. 2, 3: surda tellus,not susceptible of cultivation,Plin. 18, 3, 4, § 21: surdus timori,not capable of fear,Sil. 11, 354: tuis lacrimis,Mart. 10, 13, 8: in alicujus sermone,Cic. Tusc. 5, 40, 116.—Comp.: scopulis surdior Icari Voces audit adhuc integer (i. e. castus),Hor. C. 3, 7, 21: surdior illa freto surgente,Ov. M. 14, 711: surdior aequoribus,id. ib. 13, 804: non saxa surdiora navitis,Hor. Epod. 17, 54.
* With gen.: Mars genitor, votorum haud surde meorum,Sil. 10, 554: pactorum,id. 1, 692: veritatis,Col. 3, 10, 18.
* Of things that give out a dull, indistinct sound, dull-sounding (very rare): theatrum,Varr. L. L. 9, § 58 Müll.: locus,Vitr. 3, 3: loca,Sen. Herc. Fur. 576: vox,Quint. 11, 3, 32: surdum quiddam et barbarum,id. 12, 10, 28.
* Pass., that is not heard, noiseless, silent, still, mute, dumb (poet. and in post-Aug. prose): lyra,Prop. 4 (5), 5, 58. buccina,Juv. 7, 71: plectra,Stat. S. 1, 4, 19: non erit officii gratia surda tui,unsung,Ov. P. 2, 6, 31; cf. fama,Sil. 6, 75: surdum et ignobile opus,Stat. Th. 4, 359: nomen parentum,Sil. 8, 248: herbae,Plin. 22, 2, 3, § 5: quos diri conscia facti mens surdo verbere caedit,secret,Juv. 13, 194: ictus,Plin. 19, 1, 4, § 20.
* Of odor, appearance, meaning, etc., faint, dim, dull, indistinct, stupid: spirant cinnama surdum,Pers. 6, 36: colos,Plin. 37, 5, 18, § 67: hebes unitate surdā color,id. 37, 5, 20, § 76: discrimen figurarum,id. 35, 2, 2, § 4: materia,id. 13, 15, 30, § 98: res surdae ac sensu carentes,id. 20, prooem. § 1; so id. 24, 1, 1, § 3; 27, 13, 120, § 146.—Hence, * adv.: surdē, faintly, imperfectly, indistinctly: surde audire, Afran. ap. Charis. p. 194 P. (Com. Fragm. v. 348 Rib.).