flo

I. [root fla-; Gr. ἐκ-φλαίνω, to stream forth; φλασμός, vain-glorying; hence, Lat. flatus, flabrum, etc., flos, flōreo, Flōra; Germ. blasen, blähen; Eng. blow, bloom, blast, etc., Georg Curtius Gr. Etym. p. 301; cf. Grimm, Wörterb. s. v. blähen, blasen].

I. Neutr., to blow (class.; cf.: spiro, halo): belle nobis flavit ab Epiro lenissimus ventus, Cic. Att. 7, 2, 1: corus ventus in his locis flare consuevit, Caes. B. G. 5, 7, 3; id. B. C. 3, 25, 1; 3, 26 fin.; Quint. 12, 10, 67; Ov. M. 7, 664: Etesiae contra fluvium flantes, Lucr. 6, 717: quinam flaturi sint venti, Plin. 3, 9, 14, § 94: inflexo Berecynthia tibia cornu Flabit, Ov. F. 4, 181.—Prov.: simul flare sorbereque haud factu facile'st: ego hic esse et illic simitu hau potui, i. e. to do two opposite things at once, as we say, to blow hot and cold with the same breath, Plaut. Most. 3, 2, 104.—

II. Act., to blow, blow at, blow out, blow up, or blow away (mostly poet. and in post-Aug. prose; not in Cic.).

A. Lit.: hieme anima, quae flatur, omnium apparet, Varr. L. L. 6, § 9 Müll.: Chimaera Ore foras acrem flaret de corpore flammam. Lucr. 5, 906: pulvis vento flatus, Auct. B. Afr. 52, 4: tibia flatur, Ov. F. 4, 341: Phrygius lapis flatur follibus, donec rubescat, Plin. 36, 19, 36, § 143.—

2. Transf., to cast or coin metals by blowing: aes antiquissimum, quod est flatum, pecore est notatum, Varr. R. R. 2, 1, 9: flata signataque pecunia, Gell. 2, 10, 3.—Hence, the directors of the mint were called triumviri auro argento aeri flando feriundo (abbrev. III. VIRI A. A. A. F. F.), Inscr. Orell. 569; v. ferio.—

B. Trop.: omisso magna semper flandi tumore, Quint. 12, 6, 5: spernere succina, flare rosas, Fulva monilia respuere, qs. to blow away, i. e. to despise, Prud. στεφ. 3, 21.