obsolesco, lēvi, lētum, 3, v. inch. n. [obs-olesco], to wear out, to grow old, decay, fall into disuse, lose value, become obsolete (class.; syn. exolesco): his (verbis) oportet, si possis, non uti: sic enim obsolescent, Varr. L. L. 9, § 16 Mull.: haec ne obsolescerent, renovabam, cum licebat, legendo, Cic. Ac. 1, 3, 11: obsolevit jam oratio, id. Imp. Pomp. 17, 52: vectigal, quod in bello non obsolescat, id. Agr. 1, 7, 21: laus, Tac. A. 4, 26: enituit aliquis in bello, sed obsolevit in pace, Plin. Pan. 4, 5.

—Hence, obsolētus, a, um, P. a. Lit., old, worn out, thrown off: erat veste obsoletā, Liv. 27, 34: vestitus, Nep. Ages. 8, 2: amiculum, Curt. 6, 9, 25: vestitu obsoletiore, Cig. Agr. 2, 5, 13: homo obsoletus, in a worn-out dress, id. Pis. 36, 89: tectum, old, ruinous, Hor. C. 2, 10, 6: verba, obsolete, Cic. de Or. 3, 37, 150: obsoleta et vulgaria, id. Quint. 18, 56.

— Transf., common, ordinary, poor, mean, low: crimina, Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 44, § 177: gaudia, Liv. 30, 42.

—Comp.: obsoletior oratio, a too ordinary, too negligent style, Cic. de Or. 3, 9, 33: honores, of little worth, Nep. Milt. 6, 2: color, Col. 4, 30: o nec paternis obsoleta sordibus, Hor. Epod. 17, 46: dextra obsoleta sanguine, defiled, Sen. Agam. 977.

—Hence, adv.: obsolētē, in an old or worn-out style, poorly, meanly: paulo tamen obsoletius vestitus, Cic. Verr. 2, 1, 58, § 152.