I.experienced, practised, practically acquainted, skilled, skilful, expert (cf.: gnarus, consultus).
I. Lit.
(α ).
Absol.: “nil iam mihi novi Offerri pote, quin sim peritus,” Plaut. Pers. 2, 3, 19: “doctos homines vel usu peritos,” Cic. Off. 1, 41, 147: “docti a peritis,” id. ib. 3, 3, 15: “ab hominibus callidis ac peritis animadversa,” id. de Or. 1, 23, 109: “decede peritis,” Hor. Ep. 2, 2, 213: “me peritus discet Iber,” id. C. 2, 20, 19: “homo peritissimus,” Cic. de Or. 1, 15, 66: “hominem peritissimum in eis ipsis rebus, superare, quas, etc.,” id. ib. 1, 15, 66: “peritissimi duces,” Caes. B. C. 3, 73; Prop. 1, 10, 7. —
(β ).
With gen.: “multarum rerum peritus,” Cic. Font. 7, 15: “antiquitatis nostrae et scriptorum veterum litterate peritus,” id. Brut. 56, 205: “earum regionum,” Caes. B. C. 1, 48: “caelestium prodigiorum,” Liv. 1, 34: “peritiores rei militaris,” id. 3, 61: “bellorum omnium peritissimus,” Cic. Imp. Pomp. 23, 68: “peritissimi caeli ac siderum vates,” Curt. 4, 10, 4: “juris,” Juv. 1, 128: “vir movendarum lacrimarum peritissimus,” Plin. Ep. 2, 11, 3: “definiendi,” Cic. Off. 3, 14, 60.—
(γ ).
With abl.: jure peritus, Lucil. ap. Charis. p. 62 P.: “jure peritissimus,” Aur. Vict. Epit. 19: “quis jure peritior?” Cic. Clu. 38, 107: “peritus bello,” Vell. 2, 29, 3: “peritus disciplinā militari,” Gell. 4, 8, 2: “arte fabricā peritus,” Dig. 33, 7, 19.—
(δ ).
With ad: “ad usum et disciplinam peritus,” Cic. Font. 15, 43: “et ad respondendum et ad cavendum peritus,” id. de Or. 1, 48, 212: “ad prospicienda cavendaque pericula,” Just. 31, 2, 2.—(ε ) With in and abl.: “sive in amore rudis, sive peritus erit,” Prop. 2, 34 (3, 32), 82.—(ζ ) With de: “de agriculturā peritissimus,” Varr. R. R. 1, 2, 10.—(η ) With acc. (poet.): “arma virumque peritus,” Aus. Epigr. 137.—(θ ) With inf. or object-clause (poet. and in post-Aug. prose): “soli cantare periti Arcades,” Verg. E. 10, 32: “peritus obsequi,” Tac. Agr. 8: “urentes oculos inhibere perita,” Pers. 2, 34: “rex peritus, fortius adversus Romanos aurum esse quam ferrum,” Flor. 3, 1, 7.—Hence, subst.: pĕrītissĭ-mus , i, m., a man of extraordinary skill: “cum discendi causā duobus peritissimis operam dedisset, etc.,” Cic. Brut. 42, 154.—
II. Transf., of abstract things, skilfully constructed, clever: “peritae fabulae,” Aus. Ep. 16, 92.—Hence, adv.: pĕrītē , in an experienced manner, skilfully, expertly, cleverly: “quod institutum perite a Numa,” Cic. Leg. 2, 12, 29: “perite et ornate dicere,” id. de Or. 2, 2, 5; Gell. 17, 5 fin.: “callide et perite versari in aliquā re,” Cic. de Or. 1, 11, 48: “distributa perite,” id. ib. 2, 19, 81.— Comp.: “peritius fit aliquid ab aliquo,” Sen. Ep. 90, 33.—Sup.: “aliquid peritissime et callidissime venditare,” Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 54, § 135: “disputare,” Val. Max. 8, 11, 1: “suavissime et peritissime legere,” Plin. Ep. 3, 15, 3.