mulcō

1. Verberare, ferire, and icere, mean, in a general sense, to strike, whether by throwing, hitting, or pushing; but the verberans makes his blow rebound; the iciens and feriens penetrate and wound, or break to pieces; the iciens (resembling in form jaciens) chiefly by throwing, for instance, fulmine ictus; the feriens, by pushing, for instance, murum ariete; whereas cædere, pulsare, and mulcare, denote especially striking, generally with a weapon; cædere, with a weapon that cuts and wounds, a hatchet, sword, whip, rod, strap; pulsare and mulcare, with a hard weapon, stick or fist. Pulsare has any object whatever, man, a door, the ground; mulcare, like to cudgel, only an object that can feel pain, especially man. 2. Verberare, in a narrower sense, denotes a quiet chastisement by the blows of a stick, which is generally appointed, as a formal punishment, by the competent authorities; whereas pulsare and mulcare, a misusage by blows or thrusts, which is administered as mere vengeance by unauthorized persons; pulsare (from pellere) as a slighter misusage with hand or stick, which principally hurts the honor and dignity of the person misused; mulcare (μαλάξαι, malaxare), a rougher misusage, with fists or clubs, which aims principally at physical pain, like a sound drubbing. 3. Pavire (παίειν) means to beat, in order to make a soft mass solid; cudere, in order to widen or extend a solid mass. Fulgere, battuere, and cajare are antiquated or vulgar expressions for beating. (v. 67.)