vēnor, ātus (
* Inf. parag. venarier, Lucr. 5, 1248; gen. plur. part. venantum, Verg. A. 9, 551 al.), 1, v. dep. n. and a., to hunt, chase (cf.: capto, aucupor).
* Neutr.: qui venari solent,Cic. Fam. 2, 11, 2: quo me in silvam venatum vocas?Plaut. Men. 5, 2, 82: venatum in nemus ire parant,Verg. A. 4, 117: canum alacritas in venando,Cic. N. D. 2, 63, 158: tigris venatur,Val. Fl. 1, 493: tu praecipue curvis venare theatris,Ov. A. A. 1, 89.—Prov.: stultitia est venatum ducere invitas canes,Plaut. Stich. 1, 2, 82: piscari in aëre, Venari autem jaculo in medio mari,id. As. 1, 1, 87.—Part. as subst.: voces venantum,of hunters,Phaedr. 1, 12, 7.
* Act.: i modo, venare leporem,Plaut. Capt. 1, 2, 81: canibus leporem, dammas,Verg. G. 3, 410: vespae muscas grandiores venantur,Plin. 11, 21, 24, § 72: conchae hiantes venantur cibum,id. 32, 11, 54, § 154: fugientes cum mari pisces,id. 16, 1, 1, § 3.
* Trop., to hunt or seek after, to pursue a thing (mostly poet.): laudem modestiae,Auct. Her. 4, 3, 5: suffragia ventosae plebis,Hor. Ep. 1, 19, 37: viduas avaras frustis et pomis,id. ib. 1, 1, 78: viros oculis (filia),Phaedr. 4, 5, 4; cf.: amores,Ov. Med. Fac. 27.—Pass., Enn. Trag. 335; Prisc. p. 734 P.