laniō āvī, ātus, āre lanius, to tear in pieces, rend, mangle, lacerate: hominem: corpora a feris laniata: lanianda viscera praebere, L.: vestem, O.: laniatus corpore toto, V.: Lavinia roseas laniata genas, V.: comas, O.: flamina mundum laniant, O.

—Fig.: laniarunt carmina linguae, O.