The great malow or holihocke.

I. To build, erect (post-Aug.): neque quis quid molit, S. C. ap. Front. Aquaed. 129.—

II. In a pass. signif., to set in motion, start: jam sospitatricis deae peculiaris pompa moliebatur, App. M. 11, p. 261, 8.

I. Neutr.

A. To set one's self or one's powers in motion, to make exertions, exert one's self, to endeavor, struggle, strive, toil, etc. (rare but class.; syn.: conor, nitor): viden ut misere moliuntur? Plaut. Curc. 1, 3, 32: agam per me ipse et moliar, Cic. Fam. 6, 10, 2: nōsti mores mulierum: Dum moliuntur, dum comuntur, annus est, Ter. Heaut. 2, 2, 11: horam amplius jam in demoliendo signo permulti homines moliebantur, Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 43, 95.—

B. To set one's self in motion, endeavor to depart, to depart: molientem hinc Hannibalem, Liv. 28, 44: dum naves moliuntur a terra, id. 37, 11: in quam (insulam) gladiatores navibus molientes, Tac. H. 2, 35.—

II. Act.

A. To labor upon any thing, exert one's self at or upon, set in motion, work an instrument or engine; to work any thing (cf. ago; class.).

1. Nihil enim agit (vita deorum), ... nulla opera molitur, Cic. N. D. 1, 19, 51: res dura et regni novitas me talia cogant moliri, Verg. A. 1, 564: validam in vites molire bipennem, to work, i. e. wield, id. G. 4, 331: ancoras, to work, i. e. hoist the anchor, weigh anchor, Liv. 28, 17: agricola incurvo terram molitus aratro, i. e. to work, cultivate, till the ground, Verg. G. 1, 494; Col. 1 praef. 17; 11, 2, 19: erro molirier arva, Lucr. 5, 932: fores, to work, i. e. to force, to break open, Tac. A. 1, 39; 2, 82; Liv. 23, 18, 2; 24, 46, 5: Atharrias ad Philotam missus clausum aditum domus moliebatur, Curt. 6, 8, 20: habenas, to guide, Verg. A. 12, 327: fulmina molitur dextrā, hurls, id. G. 1, 329: ignem, id. A. 10, 131: opera, to begin work, Col. 11, 2, 2: aliquid sub divo moliri potest, id. 1, 8, 9.—

2. To set in motion, bestir, rouse, cause to remove, displace (syn.: deicio, deturbo): montes suā sede, displaces, Liv. 9, 3: corpora ex somno moliebantur, aroused, id. 36, 24, 3: onera objecta, id. 25, 36.—

3. To build, make, erect, construct (syn.: condo, fundo, construo): muros, to build, Verg. A. 3, 132: classem, id. ib. 3, 6: arcem, id. ib. 1, 424: atrium, Hor. C. 3, 1, 46: aedem, Flor. 1, 7: locum, prepares, Verg. A. 7, 158: pocula de inimicorum capitibus hominum, to construct, make, Sol. 15.—

B. Trop., to endeavor to do; to undertake, attempt, set about any thing (cf.: aggredior, apparo): nec ea, quae agunt, molientes cum labore operoso, performing, doing, Cic. N. D. 2, 23, 59: viam clipei molita per oras, made its way, Verg. A. 10, 477: inde datum molitur iter, id. ib. 6, 477: jamque alio moliris iter, Stat. S. 5, 2, 61: viam et gressus, Claud. Rapt. Pros. 1, 278; 3, 438: animum, to form or acquire for one's self, Ov. A. A. 2, 119: laborem, to undertake, Verg. A. 4, 233: struere et moliri aliquid calamitatis alicui, to try to bring upon, Cic. Clu. 64, 178: fortissimis atque optimis civibus periculum moliri, id. Sest. 1, 1: pestem patriae nefarie, id. Cat. 2, 1, 1: perniciem rei publicae, id. ib. 1, 2, 5: insidias avibus, to lay snares, Verg. G. 1, 271: crimina et accusatorem, to bring about, find out, Tac. A. 12, 22: triumphos, Ov. M. 14, 719: fugam, Verg. A. 2, 109: moram, to cause, make, occasion, id. ib. 1, 414: opem extremam alicui, Val. Fl. 6, 431: dolos apertos, to devise, id. 5, 249: bellum in animo, to design, meditate, Vell. 2, 46: Athenienses urbem ex integro condere moliuntur, Just. 2, 15, 1: mundum efficere moliens deus, attempting, Cic. Univ. 4: fallere, Val. Fl. 3, 491: de occupando regno moliens, striving to usurp the government, Cic. Rep. 2, 35, 60: nuptias, to bring about, Tac. A. 12, 3: apud judices oratione molienda sunt amor, odium, etc., are to be excited, called forth, Cic. de Or. 2, 51, 206: tumorem, Col. 6, 17: vorandi facultatem, Cels. 1, 3: fidem moliri coepit, began to meddle with, disturb, Liv. 6, 11, 8.