effundere

Effundere is a Latin verb meaning to pour out, shed, or spill. It is a transitive verb of the third conjugation, with principal parts effundō, effundere, effūdī, effūsum. Its core sense covers both literal pouring of liquid and figurative pouring forth of things such as emotions, words, or resources. Common collocations include effundere lacrimas (to shed tears), effundere sanguinem (to shed blood), and effundere voces or effundere verba (to pour forth words).

Etymology and usage notes: the form derives from ex- ‘out’ plus fundere ‘to pour’, with assimilation before f producing effundere. The verb typically governs a direct object in the accusative (what is poured out) and can be used with directional phrases such as in + accusative to indicate toward a target (for example, sanguinem in hostes effundere, to shed blood on the enemies). In broader sense it can convey lavishness or abundance, as in pouring forth a great display of action or emotion.

In literature: effundere appears across Latin poetry and prose, from epic to oratory, to emphasize force, emotion, or action unleashed. It is often contrasted with related verbs like fundere (to pour) and effluere (to flow out) to express different nuances of outward movement.

See also: fundere, effūsus, lacrimae, sanguis.