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Esp. To break up, to wreck, shatter: navem Ulixis, Ov. P. 3, 6, 19: majorem partem classis, Vell. 2, 79, 3: naves, Liv. 29, 8: navigia, Curt. 4, 3, 18: lecticam, Suet. Aug. 91.
To cut up, carve: obsonium, Petr. 36: anserem, id. 137; 74.
To waste, plunder: cum Hannibal terram Italiam laceraret atque vexaret, Cato ap. Serv. Verg. E. 6, 7, 6: orbem, Juv. 4, 37.
Trop. To tear to pieces with words, to censure, asperse, abuse, rail at: obtrectatio invidiaque, quae solet lacerare plerosque, Cic. Brut. 42, 156: optimum virum verborum contumeliis, id. Phil. 11, 2: aliquem probris, Liv. 31, 6: Pompeium dempto metu lacerant, Sall. H. 3, 61, 21 Dietsch: meque vosque male dictis, id. J. 85, 26: famam alicujus, to slander, calumniate, id. 38, 54: alicujus carmina, Ov. P. 4, 16, 1: lacerari crebro vulgi rumore, Tac. A. 15, 73.
To distress, torture, pain, afflict: intolerabili dolore lacerari, Cic. Ac. 2, 8, 23: quam omni crudelitate lacerastis, id. Dom. 23, 59: quid laceras pectora nostra morā? Ov. H. 15, 212: meus me maeror cottidianus lacerat et conficit, Cic. Att. 3, 8, 2; cf.: aegritudo lacerat, exest animum planeque conficit, id. Tusc. 3, 13, 27.
To ruin, destroy, dissipate, squander, waste: male suadendo et lustris lacerant homines, Plaut. Curc. 4, 2, 22: patriam omni scelere, Cic. Off. 1, 17, 57: bonorum emptores, ut carnifices, ad reliquias vitae lacerandas et distrahendas, to scatter, disperse, Cic. Quint. 15, 50: pecuniam, to squander, id. Verr. 2, 3, 70, § 164: lacerari valde suam rem, Plaut. Merc. 1, 1, 48; cf.: bona patria manu, ventre, to lavish, squander, Sall. C. 14, 2: diem, to waste, Plaut. As. 2, 2, 25; id. Stich. 3, 1, 45.