ve-stīgo, no perf. and sup., āre, 1, v. a. etym. dub.; perh. Sanscr. vahis (bahis), out, and stigh-, to climb; cf. Gr. στίχος, a row, etc.; Angl. -Sax. stīgan; Germ. steigen, to climb. Prop., to follow in the track of; to track, trace out (cf.: rimor, indago, scrutor): germana soror, errare videbar, Tardaque vestigare et quaerere te, Enn. ap. Cic. Div. 1, 20, 40 (Ann. v. 43 Vahl.): feras vestigat (sc. canis), Sen. Thyest. 496.

—With abl.: fertur (sc. tigris) praeceps, odore vestigans (sc. raptorem), Plin. 8, 18, 25, § 66.

— Transf. To find out by tracing, to trace out, discover. With abl.: perfugas et fugitivos, quos inquirendo vestigare potuerint, reddidisse, Liv. 31, 19, 2: (cervi) vestigant cavernas (serpentium), Plin. 8, 32, 50, § 118: omnis enim jacens piscis magis naribus escam, quam oculis, vestigat, Col. 8, 17, 14.

— Absol.: dimissis deinde per agros, qui vestigarent, Liv. 32, 26, 13 dub.; cf. Weissenb. ad loc.

— To search after; to seek out: ceterum Alexander, quam regionem Dareus petisset, omni curā vestigans, tamen explorare non poterat, Curt. 4, 6, 5: adeo sicca lacuna, ut vestigantium sitim falleret, id. 4, 16, 14: equum vestigari jubet, id. 6, 5, 19: ergo alte vestiga (sc. ramum) oculis, riteque repertum Carpe manu, Verg. A. 6, 145.

— Trop. To inquire into, investigate (class.). In simple constr.: causas rerum, Cic. de Or. 2, 39, 166.

— With abl.: quā (sc. ratione) omnes illorum conatūs vestigare, Cic. Verr. 1, 16, 48.

— With cum: quod cum desidiosā delectatione vestiges, Cic. de Or. 3, 23, 88.

— To discover, find out: grave imperium regum nihil inexploratum, quod vestigari volunt, efficit, Liv. 39, 51, 6.