I.to dig or pierce underneath; to pierce or bore through; to dig under, sap, undermine (class.; “not in Cic.): ilia equis suffodere,” Liv. 42, 59: “inguina,” Suet. Dom. 17: “equos,” to stab in the belly, Caes. B. G. 4, 12; Tac. A. 1, 65; 2, 11: “suffosso equo,” Verg. A. 11, 671; Liv. 42, 59; Curt. 4, 13, 33: “radices frumenti,” Plin. 18, 21, 50, § 184: “montes,” Vell. 2, 33, 4; Plin. 36, 15, 24, § 104; cf.: “vineas expediunt suffodiendis muris,” Tac. H. 2, 21: Alexandria est fere tota suffossa, undermined, Auct. B. Alex. 5, 1: “a cuniculis subfossum in Hispaniā oppidum,” Plin. 8, 29, 43, § 104: “quercus subfossae fluctibus,” id. 16, 1, 2, § 5: “sacella suffossa, incensa,” sapped, overthrown, Cic. Har. Resp. 15: “rupes suffossa,” Sen. Ep. 90, 6: “montes,” Vell. 2, 33.
suf-fŏdĭo (subf- ), fōdi, fossum, 3, v. a.,