insidiae, ārum, f. plur. (in sing. insidia prima, Sall. Fragm. ap. Charis. p. 75 P.) [insideo], an ambush, ambuscade (class.). Lit Of persons: qui sustinuerant primos impetus insidiarum, Hirt. B. G. 8, 19: equites procedere longius jussi, donec insidiae coorirentur, Tac. H. 2, 24.

— Of place: si forte in insidias devenero, Plaut. As. 1, 1, 92: signa aenea in insidiis ponere, Cic. Deiot. 7, 21: milites in insidiis collocare, Caes. B. G. 3, 20: intrare insidias, id. B. C. 3, 38.

—Particular phrases. To lay an ambush for any one: insidias dare alicui, Plaut. Mil. 2, 3, 32: facere vitae alicujus, Cic. Q. Fr. 2, 3, 4: ponere vitae alicujus, id. Sest. 18, 41: insidias penitus abstrusas ponere contra aliquem, id. Agr. 2, 18, 49: parare alicui, id. Rosc. Am. 9, 26: tendere, id. Rosc. Com. 16, 46: collocare, id. Mil. 10, 27: comparare, id. Clu. 16, 47: struere, id. ib. 66, 190: componere, Tac. H. 5, 22: compo nere in aliquem, Prop. 2, 32 (3, 30), 19: componere alicui, Tib. 1, 6, 4: disponere, Quint. 4, 2, 48: afferre ovilibus, Calp. Ecl. 1, 40: avibus moliri, Verg. G. 1, 271.

— In abl. alone, abl. with ex, or acc. with per, by artifice or stratagem, craftily, insidiously: Marcellus insidiis interfectus est, Cic. Att. 13, 10, 3: per insidias quempiam interficere, id. Dom. 23: per insidias circumvenire, Caes. B. G. 1, 42: non ex insidiis, sed aperte ac palam elaborare, Cic. Or. 12, 38: ex insidiis invadere aliquem, Sall. J. 113, 6.

— Trop., artifice, crafty device, plot, snare: nimis insidiarum ad capiendas aures adhiberi videtur, Cic. Or. 51, 170: compositae orationis insidiis fidem alicujus attentare, id. ib. 61, 208: noctis, Verg. G. 1, 426: maris, Val. Fl. 1, 416: post obitum parentis periculo insidiarum subjectus pupillus, Gai. Inst. 2, 181.