dē-primo, pressi, pressum, 3, v. a. premo, to press down, weigh down, sink down, to depress (freq. and class.). Lit. In gen.: vis venti nubem deprimit, Lucr. 6, 432: qui (Critolaus) tantum propendere illam lancem putet, ut terram et maria deprimat, Cic. Tusc. 5, 17 fin.; cf. id. Fin. 5, 30, 92: deprimi in tenebras, id. Fragm. ap. Lact. 3, 19: ad mentum depresso supercilio, id. Pis. 6 fin.: animus caelestis ex altissimo domicilio depressus et quasi demersus in terram, id. de Sen. 21: depresso aratro (sc. in terram), Verg. G. 1, 45 et saep.

—Absol.: haec quae porto deprimunt, Plaut. Merc. 4, 1, 9.

— In partic. To sink deep, as a plant, a well, etc.; to plant deep, to dig deep: vites in terram, Cato R. R. 32 fin.; cf. Plin. 14, 1, 3, § 10: plantas, Col. 11, 3, 28 et saep.: qui tollit aedificium, vel deprimit, Dig. 8, 2, 17, § 2: saxum in mirandam altitudinem depressum, Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 27; cf.: valle in altitudinem depressa, Hirt. B. G. 8, 9, 2: locus circiter duodecim pedes humi depressus, Sall. C. 55, 3: fossam, Hirt. B. G. 8, 40, 3; Tac. A. 15, 42: deprimere vel allevare rivum, Dig. 8, 4, 11 et saep.

— Naut. t. t., to sink to the bottom, to sink, sc. a ship: partem navium, Caes. B. C. 1, 58 fin.: naves, id. ib. 2, 6 fin.; 2, 7; Nep. Con. 4, 4: lenunculos, Caes. B. C. 2, 43 fin.: carinam, Ov. M. 14, 185; Tac. H. 4, 79: classis superata atque depressa, Cic. de imp. Pomp. 8, 21 et saep.

— Trop. To press down, depress: animus depressus, Lucr. 6, 53: vos, gemi nae voragines scopulique reipublicae, vos meam fortunam deprimitis? vestram extollitis? (a figure borrowed from the sinking of a ship, v. supra, no. I. B. 2), Cic. Pis. 18; cf.: improbitate depressa veritas emergit, id. Clu. 65, 183: ita se quisque extollit, ut deprimat alium, Liv. 3, 65 fin.; cf. id. 30, 36; Plin. Pan. 44, 6 et saep.: preces, to suppress, silence, Nep. Att. 22, 2: nunc quid elocutio attollat aut deprimat dicendum, Quint. 8, 3 fin.: depressus in ludum, i. e. pressed, forced, Asin. Pollio ap. Cic. Fam. 10, 32, 3.

— Esp., to depreciate in words, disparage (cf. depretio): adversariorum causam per contemptionem deprimere, Auct. Her. 1, 5, 8; Cic. Inv. 1, 16, 22.

— To oppress (late Lat.): populum, Vulg. 2 Esdr. 5, 15.

—Hence, dēpressus, a, um, P. a. Lit., pressed down, i. e. deep, lying low, depressed (perh. only post-Aug.): humilius et depressius iter, Plin. Ep. 9, 26, 2: aquaeductus depressior, Front. Aquaed. 65: depresso loco castra ponere, id. Strat. 1, 5, 24.

— Transf., of the voice, low, suppressed: quam sedatissima et depressissima vox, Auct. Her. 3, 14.

—Adv.: dē-pressē, deeply; pos. not found.

—Comp.: fodere, quo depressius aestivos specus foderint, Sen. Cons. ad Helv. 9, 2: pastinare, Col. 11, 3, 10.