Definition - Numen - The Latin Lexicon - An Online Latin Dictionary

Orthography ID = 2015877

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LNS

dēfīniō, dēfīnīre, dēfīnīvī, dēfīnītus

de, finio

verb (4^th conjugation)

To bound, to set bounds to
to limit, terminate, define
To designate by limiting
to limit, define, determine
to explain
to limit within certain bounds, to restrict, confine

Abbreviations

dēfīnio, īvi, ītum, 4, v. a. To bound, to set bounds to; to limit, terminate, define (for syn. v. decerno

—freq. in Cic.). Lit.: ejus fundi extremam partem oleae directo ordine definiunt, Cic. Caecin. 8, 22; cf. id. Rep. 2, 6: orbes caeli aspectum nostrum definiunt, id. Div. 2, 44; cf. id. N. D. 2, 40: orbem terrarum (loca), id. Balb. 28, 64; imperium populi R., id. Sest. 31, 67 al.

— Trop. To designate by limiting; to limit, define, determine; to explain (cf. circumscribo, no. II. A.): genus universum brevi circumscribi et definiri potest, Cic. Sest. 45, 97; cf. id. de Or. 1, 16, 70: universam et propriam oratoris vim, id. ib. 1, 15: definienda res erit verbis et breviter describenda, id. Inv. 1, 8 fin.; cf. Cic. Rep. 1, 24; 2, 31 fin.: omitto innumerabiles viros, etc.... unum hoc definio, tantam esse necessitatem virtutis, etc., this only I declare, etc., id. ib. 1, 1 fin.: probe definitur a Stoicis fortitudo, cum eam virtutem esse dicunt propugnantem pro aequitate, id. Off. 1, 19; 1, 27, 96; id. Fin. 2, 2 et saep.: nec uno modo definitur res eadem, Quint. 7, 3, 16; Tac. A. 6, 28 et saep.: aedes sibi optimas, hortos, etc., Cic. Phil. 8, 3, 9; cf.: ut suus cuique locus erat definitus, Caes. B. G. 7, 81, 4: tempus adeundi, id. ib. 7, 83, 5: cf.: ante quem diem iturus sit, id. B. C. 1, 11, 2: annos, Quint. 12, 6, 1: consulatum in annos, Caes. B. C. 3, 82, 4; cf.: potestatem in quinquennium, Cic. Agr. 2, 13: ut quam vitam ingrediar, definias, id. Ac. 2, 36; cf. id. Quint. 27: non remittam: definitum est, it is determined, decided, Plaut. Cist. 2, 1, 43; Cic. Fat. 5, 9; Vulg. 1 Reg. 20, 33.

— In opposition to breadth or laxity (cf. circumscribo, no. II. 2), to limit within certain bounds, to restrict, confine: non vagabitur oratio mea longius atque eis fere ipsis definietur viris, qui, etc., Cic. de Or. 3, 3: quae sententia definit amicitiam paribus officiis ac voluntatibus, Cic. Lael. 16, 58; cf. id. de Or. 3, 28, 109: ex perduellium numero definitus, included in the definition of, Off. 3, 29, 107 (dub.).

— To terminate, finish (very rare; perh. only in the foll. places): ut totam hujus generis orationem concludam atque definiam, Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 52 Zumpt; id. Or. 19 fin.: definito juvene, ended, i. e. slain, Apul. M. 8, p. 203, 20.

—Hence, dēfīnītus, a, um, P. a. (according to no. I. B. 1), definite, limited, distinct, precise; plain, perspicuous (rare, but good prose): quaestionum duo sunt genera: alterum infinitum, alterum definitum. Definitum est, quod ὑπόθεσιν Graeci, nos causam, etc., Cic. Top. 21; so opp. generales, Quint. 7, 2, 1: certum esse in caelo ac definitum locum, ubi, etc., Cic. Rep. 6, 13; so with certus, id. Fam. 3, 8; Quint. 7, 10, 7: quaestiones, Cic. Top. 24 fin.

—Adv.: dē-fīnītē, definitely, precisely, distinctly, etc., Cic. Balb. 14; de Or. 2, 27, 118; Plin. Pan. 88, 6; Gell. 1, 257 al.

—Comp. and sup. do not occur.