Döderlein's Hand-book of Latin Synonymes

Præceptor, see Doctor.

Præcipere, see Jubere.

Præclarus, see Eminens.

Præda; Manubiæ; Spolia; Exuviæ; Rapina. 1. Prædia and manubiæ denote booty only as a possession and gain that has been made by conquest; whereas spolia and exuviæ, at the same time, as signs of victory and of honor. 2. Præda denotes any sort of booty; whereas manubiæ only the honorable booty of the soldier, taken in war; and rapina, the dishonorable booty of the prædo, who violates the peace of the country, robbery. (iv. 337.) 3. Prædo is the robber in general, in as far as he commits the robbery with his own hands, like λῃστής, as a species of latro (from ὀλετήρ) the highwayman, who lays wait for travellers, like σίνις, and pirata (πειρατής) the sea-robber; whereas raptor means the robber of some particular person or thing, like ἁρπακτήρ.

Prædicere, see Divinare.

Præditus; Instructus; Exstructus; Ornatus. 1. Præditus (præ-θετός) refers to a distinction which sheds lustre; instructus and exstructus to a qualification which attests usefulness; ornatus refers to both, for ornamentum is not, on the one side, that which is merely of use, like instrumentum, nor, on the other, that which is merely for show, like decus, but that which is of such eminent utility as to be prized even as an ornament. Instructus paints the qualification, etc., as a perfection which protects and secures; ornatus, as an accomplishment of an imposing nature. It is only in a higher point of view, and with reference to ideal claims, that ornatus is considered as a want; but, according to ordinary pretensions, it passes for a distinction of life. Cic. Phil. x. 4. Græcia copiis non instructa solum, sed etiam ornata. Sen. Tranq. 9. Sicut plerisque libri non studiorum instrumenta, sed cœnationum ornamenta sunt. 2. Instructus refers to persons and things, which act either offensively or defensively; exstructus to things which are for the most part only destined to be acted upon; for example, we say, instructæ naves but exstructæ mensæ. The exstructa are absolutely ready; the instructa are only relatively so, only fully prepared to be employed according to their destination. (iii. 260.) 3. Instructus refers to the possession of the means; paratus to the readiness of the possessor to employ them. (vi. 175.)

Prædium, see Villa.

Prægnans; Gravidus; Fœtus; Fordus; Inciens. Prægnans (from γενέσθαι, gnasci) denotes pregnancy quite in a general sense; gravidus, that of human beings; fœtus, fordus, inciens, that of animals, as with young; fœtus (from φύω) that of all animals; fordus or hordus (φοράς) that of cows; inciens (ἔγκυος) that of small animals, and particularly of swine. Varro, R. R. ii. 5. Quæ sterilis est vacca, taura appellatur; Quæ prægnans, horda. Gravida mulier is the physical and medical expression, like ἔγκυος; prægnans, the more select and decorous expression, something like ‘in a family way.’ (v. 226.)

Præmium; Pretium; Merces. Præmium is a prize of honor, that confers distinction on the receiver, as a reward, in opp. to pœna; Tac. Ann. i. 26. Cic. Rep. iii. 16. Rabir perd. 11. Liv. xxxvi. 40, like ἆθλον, γέρας; whereas pretium and merces are only a price, for the discharge of a debt, as a payment; pretium, as a price for an article of merchandise, in opp. to gratia, Cic. Verr. ii. 36. Suet. Galb. 15. Appul. Apol. p. 296, like ὦνος; merces denotes wages for personal services of some duration, or hire for something hired, like μισθός. (iv. 139.)

Præs, see Sponsor.

Præsagire, see Divinare.

Præsentem esse, see Adesse.

Præsentire, see Divinare.

Præstans, s. Eminens.

Præstolari, see Manere.

Præterea; Insuper; Ultro. Præterea intimates something that completes what is gone before, as πρὸς τούτοις; insuper, something in addition to what is gone before, like πρόσετι; lastly, ultro, something that exceeds what has gone before, so striking as to cast it into the back-ground. (iii. 108.)

Prævidere, see Divinare.

Pravitas, see Malitia.

Precari, see Rogare.

Prehendere, s. Sumere.

Pretum, see Præmium.

Pridem; Diu; Dudum; Diuturnus; Diutinus. 1. Pridem (πρὶν δή) denotes a point of time, as long before; diu and dudum, a space of time as long since; diu denotes many days, months, years ago; dudum (δαρόν?) several minutes or hours since. Jam pridem mortuus est means, he died long ago, as an aorist; jam diu mortuus est, he has already long been in his grave as a perfect. Cic. Cat. i. 1. Ad mortem te duci jam pridem oportebat; in te conferri pestem illam quam tu in nos omnes jamdiu machinaris. Tac. Ann. xv. 64. Seneca Annæum diu sibi amicitiæ fide et arte medicinæ probatum orat, proviram pridem venenum promeret. 2. Diutunus denotes long duration indifferently, as something long in a general sense, or with praise, as something lasting and possessing durability, in opp. to that which quickly passes away, like χρόνιος; whereas diutinus, with blame, something protracted and wearisome, like αἰανός. Cic. Senect. 19. Nihil mihi diuturnum videtur, in quo est aliquid extremum: comp. with Fam. xi. 8: Libertatis desiderio et odio diutinæ servitutis.

Primordium, see Initium.

Primores; Principes; Proceres; Optimates. Primores and principes denote the most eminent persons in a state, as a class of the most influential and respectable citizens, in opp. to insignificant persons; primores, so far as they are so by their connections, birth, power, and credit; principes, so far as they have raised themselves by their intellect, commanding talent, and activity to take the lead in debates, to be at the head of parties, to be the first men even among the primores, and in the whole state; whereas proceres, as far as they are so from their natural position, as the nobility, in opp. to the commonalty; optimates, as a political class, as the aristocracy, in opp. to the democracy. Accius apud Non. Primores procerum provocaret nomine. (v. 346.)

Primus; Princeps; Imperator; Cæsar. 1. Primus is the first, so far as, in space of time, he makes his appearance first, and others follow him; princeps, so far as he acts first, and others follow his example. (v. 344.) 2. Princeps means the Roman emperor, as holder of the highest civil power, which gradually devolved to him as princeps senatus; whereas imperator, as holder of the highest military power, inasmuch as, except him and the members of his family, no one had any longer a claim to the title of imperator; lastly, Cæsar means the Roman emperor, as a member, and from the time of Galba, as a mere successor, of the imperial family and dynasty.

Principium, see Initium.

Priscus, Pristinus, see Antiquus.

Privus; Proprius; Peculiaris. Privus means one’s own, in opp. to alienus, that which belongs to another, like οἰκεῖος; proprius, that which is exclusively one’s own, in opp. to communis, that which is common, like ἴδιος; lastly, peculiaris, that which is especially one’s own, in opp. to universalis, that to which all are entitled. (iv. 344.)

Probrum, see Ignominia and Maledictum.

Probus, see Bonus.

Procax, see Petulans.

Procella, see Ventus.

Proceres, see Primores.

Procerus, see Altus.

Proclivis, see Pronus.

Procrastinare, see Differre.

Procul; Longe; Eminus; E longinquo. 1. Procul means at a considerable distance, but yet generally within sight, in opp. to juxta, Tac. H. ii. 74, like ἄποθεν; whereas longe, at a great distance, generally out of sight, in opp. to prope, Plin. Ep. vii. 27, like τῆλε. 2. Eminus means at such a distance as to be in reach only of missile weapons, in opp. to cominus, like πόῤῥωθεν; whereas e longinquo, from afar, means from a great distance, in opp. to e propinquo, like τηλόθεν.

Prodigia, see Auguria.

Prodigus; Profusus; Helluo; Nepos. Prodigus and profusus denote prodigality, as a single feature in a man’s character; prodigus (from δέχω?) inasmuch as he regards not the value of money, and neither can nor will carefully put it out to interest, from a genial disposition, as the squanderer; profusus, inasmuch as he thinks nothing too dear, that can minister to his pleasures, from levity of character, as the spendthrift; whereas helluo and nepos denote prodigality as pervading the whole character, which shows itself fully in the quality of prodigality; helluo (from χλιδή) the habitual gourmand and glutton; nepos (ἀναπότης) a young and harebrained prodigal, who runs through his own property and that of his parents. (vi. 286.)

Prœlium, see Pugna.

proferre, see Differre.

Proficisci; Iter facere; Peregrinari. 1. Proficisci (from facere, facessere,) denotes only the starting-point of a journey, as to set out, πορεύεσθαι; whereas iter facere and peregrinari, the duration, as to travel, ὁδοιπορεῖν. 2. Iter facere applies to an inland journey, as well as to travelling abroad; but peregrinari, ἐκδημεῖν, supposes that one travels beyond the bounds of one’s own country; in which case the peregrinatio lasts, even when the point of destination is arrived at, and the iter ended. (ii. 133. iv. 69.)

Profiteri, see Fateri.

Profugus, see Perfuga.

Profusus, see Prodigus.

Progenies, see Stirps.

Prohibere, see Arcere.

Proles, see Stirps.

Prolixi, see Passi.

Proloqui, see Eloqui.

Promittere, s. Polliceri.

Pronuntiare, s. Eloqui.

Pronus; Proclivis; Propensus. Pronus (from πρών, πρηνής,) in its moral meaning denotes inclination in general; proclivis, oftener the inclination to something good; propensus, to something bad. (vi. 287.)

Propalam, see Aperire.

Prope, see Pæne.

Propensus, see Pronus.

Properus, see Citus.

Propinquus, s. Necessarius.

Proprius, s. Privus.

Prorogare, see Differre.

Prorsus, see Plane.

Prosapia, see Stirps.

Prosequi, s. Comitari.

Prosper, see Felix.

Protervus, s. Petulans.

Protinus, see Repente.

Prudens, see Sapiens.

Psallere, see Canere.

Pudens; Pudibundus; Pudicus, see Castus.

Puella, see Virgo.

Puer; Infans; Adolescens; Juvenis; Vir; Vetus; Senex. Puer (from parere, πάϊς,) in a wider sense, is the man in his dependent years, so long as he neither can be, nor is, the father of a family, as a young person, in three periods, as infans, νήπιος, παιδίον, from his first years till he is seven; as puer, in a narrower sense, παῖς, from his seventh year till he is sixteen; as commencing adolescens (from ἄλθειν) a youngster, μειράκιον, νεανίας, from his sixteenth year. Juvenis, in a wider sense, is as long as he remains in his years of greatest strength, from about the time of his being of age to the first appearances of advanced age, as the young man νέος, which also may be divided into three periods; – as ceasing to be adolescens, from his eighteenth year; as juvenis (from ζέω) in a narrower sense, νεανίας, from his four-and-twentieth year; as beginning to be vir, ἀνήρ, from his thirtieth year. Maturus is the man in his ripest years, when the wild fire of youth has evaporated, and may be divided into three periods; – as ceasing to be vir, ἀνήρ, from his fortieth year; as vetus, γέρων, from his fiftieth year; as senex, (ἄναξ) πρεσβύτης, from his sixtieth year. (v. 45.)

Pugio, see Gladius.

Pugna; Acies; Prœlium. Pugna (πυκνή, πύξ,) denotes in a general sense, any conflict, from a single combat to the bloodiest pitched battle, like μάχη; acies, the conflict of two contending armies drawn up in battle array with tactical skill, the pitched battle; prœlium (from πρύλεες) the occasional rencounter of separate divisions of the armies, as an engagement, action, skirmish, like συμβολή. (v. 189.) [No: prœlium is frequently used of general engagements: e.g. illustrissimum est prœlium apud Platæas. Nep.]

Pugnare; Confligere; Dimicare; Digladiari. 1. Pugnare and confligere mean, to decide a quarrel by force, generally in a mass, in a battle; dimicare and digladiari, to decide a quarrel by arms, and generally in a single combat. 2. Pugnare denotes a battle, more with reference to its form, and on its brightest side, as requiring skill and courage; confligere, as a mere engagement, in consequence of an occasional collision, on its rough side as aiming at slaughter and carnage. Cic. Balb. 9. Qui cum hoste nostro cominus sæpe in acie pugnavit: comp. with Off. i. 23. Tenere in acie versari et manu cum hoste confligere, immane quiddam et belluarum simile est. Or, Nep. Eum. 4. and 8. 3. Dimicare denotes a fight with weapons agreed upon by the parties, such as swords, spears, lances, clubs, and gives the harmless image of a man who fights in his own defence; whereas digladiari denotes a fight with sword or poniard, and gives the hateful image of a practised gladiator, whose calling and art consist in nothing but fighting and assassinating. Cic. Tusc. iv. 19. Convenit dimicare pro legibus, pro libertate, pro patria: comp. with Leg. iii. 9. Iis sicis, quas ipse se projecisse dicit in forum, quibus inter se digladientur cives. (v. 187.)

Pulcher, see Formosus.

Pullus, see Ater.

Pulpa, see Caro.

Pulsare, see Verberare.

Pulvinar, Pulvinus, see Culcita.

Pungere; Stimulare. Pungere means to thrust at with any pointed instrument, in order to inflict a wound or occasion pain; whereas stimulare, with a sharp-pointed or penetrating instrument, in order, by inflicting pain, to rouse to watchfulness and activity. (vi. 292.)

Punire, see Vindicta.

Purgatio; Excusatio; Satisfactio. Purgatio consists, like justification, in clearing one’s self of a suspicion or accusation by proving it groundless; excusatio, like making an excuse, is acknowledging something wrong, but with the assertion of, or reference to, subjective innocence; satisfactio, like atonement, is the satisfaction made to the suffering, or injured party, in case of innocence, by purgatio or excusatio, – in case of guilt, by veniæ petitio or by pœna (vi. 293.)

Purus; Mundus; Merus; Putus; Meracus. 1. Purus (ψωρός) denotes purity, as a synonyme of integer, and in opp. to contaminatus, like καθαρός, Suet. Vesp. 9; whereas mundus, as a synonyme of nitidus, and in opp. to spurcus or sordidus, like κομψός; Senec. Ep. 70. Sall. Jug. 85. Hor. Sat. ii. 1, 65; lastly, merus (from μείρω) as a synonyme of simplex, and in opp. to mixtus, like ἀκήρατος, ἀκέραιος. Colum. iii. 21. 2. Purus is the general and popular, putus, or usually purus putus, purus ac putus, the technical expression for the purity of gold and silver, that are solid and without alloy. 3. Merus denotes anything unmixed, indifferently, or with praise, as a mixture may be an adulteration; whereas meracus refers especially to unmixed wine, and, figuratively, it is transferred to other objects, and means unmixed in a bad sense, as that which is without its proper ingredients, like the old German word, eitel, thin and poor in quality, in opp. to temperatus. Cic. Rep. i. 43. (iii. 204.)

Pus, see Sanies.

Pusillus, see Parvus.

Putare, see Censere.

Putus, see Purus.

Q

Quærere; Scrutari; Rimari; Investigare; Indagare. 1. Quærere denotes seeking, in a general sense, as the wish and want to get at something; whereas scrutari, rimari, investigare, and indagare, involve the accessory notion of taking pains. 2. Scrutari and rimari mean to search for something hidden; scrutari (from γρύτη) by rummaging, with evident interest and eagerness; rimari, by digging for, with evident exertion and skill on the part of the searcher; whereas investigare and indagare mean to search after something at a distance; investigare, like the huntsman, who cautiously follows the visible track of the wild animal; indagare (from δέχεσθαι, δήειν) like the hound who, guided by instinct, follows the scent. Curt. ix. 10. 11. Famem sentire cœperunt, radices palmarum ubique rimantes: comp. with ix. 9. 5. Scrutati omnia tuguria tandem latentes reperere. Or, Tac. Ann. vi. 3. Rimans secreta omnium; that is, what were intentionally kept secret; with xii. 52. Quasi finem principis per Chaldæos scrutaretur; which was done without opposition. (v. 121.)

Quæstus, see Lucrum.

Quare, see Cur.

Que, see Et.

Questus; Quiritatio; Querimonia; Querela. Questus and Quiritatio are expressions of pain; questus, in single, quiritatio in continued tones of lamentation; whereas querimonia and querela are expressions of indignation; querimonia in the just feeling of the injured person, who will not brook an act of injustice; querela in, for the most part, the blamable feeling of the discontented person, who will brook no hardship. The Querimonia is an act of the understanding, and aims at redress or satisfaction; the querela is an act of feeling, and aims, for the most part, only at easing the heart. Cic. Cæcil. 3. In populi Romani quotidiana querimonia: comp. with Fam. v. 14. Tu non intelliges te querelis quotidianis nihil proficere. (v. 310.)

Quies; Tranquillitas; Requies. 1. Quies (from κεῖσθαι?) denotes absolute rest, in opp. to activity in general, like ἡσυχία; tranquillitas, quietness in acting, in opp. to hasty or passionate activity, like ἑκηλία. Sen. Ep. 3. Et quiescenti agendum et agenti quiescendum est; comp. with Cic. Top. 3. Ut aut perturbentur animi aut tranquillentur. Hence is quietus allied in sense with otiosus, segnis, languidus; whereas tranquillus with lenis, placidus, moderatus. 2. Quies is rest in itself; requies, rest after activity and exertion. Curt. ix. 6. § 2. Ne quies corpori invalido adhuc necessaria pulsu remorum impediretur: comp. with § 3. Placuit hic locus ad suam et militum requiem. (i. 80.)

Quire, see Posse.

Quiritatio, see Questus.

Quisque; Quivis; Quilibet; Unusquisque; Omnes; Universi; Cuncti; Totus. 1. Quisque, quivis, and quilibet, denote a totality, which is cut up into several individualities; whereas omnes, universi, and cuncti, denote a combined totality. 2. Quisque means each individual; quivis, any individual you choose, without exception, and with emphasis; quilibet, any individual whatever, without selection, and with indifference, like ὁστισοῦν, synonymously with primus quisque, ὁ τυχών. Propert. ii. 6, 26. Templa pudicitiæ quid opus statuisse puellis, si cuivis nuptæ cuilibet esse licet? apud Lachmann. Cic. Fam. viii. 10. Quidvis quamlibet tenue munusculum. 3. Quisque is an enclitic, that is, throws back the accent on the preceding word, and in prose never stands at the beginning of a sentence, like ἕκαστος; whereas unusquisque is accented and emphatic, like εἷς ἕκαστος. 4. Unusquisque denotes each individual, in opp. to some individuals; whereas singuli, individuals, in opp. to the undivided totality, like ἕκαστοι. 5. Omnes (ἅπαντες) denotes all without exception, merely as a totality, in opp. to nemo, unus, aliquot. Cic. Sext. 12, 27. Off. iii. 6, like πάντες; whereas universi, all taken collectively, in opp. to singuli and unusquisque. Cic. N. D. ii. 17. 65, 66. Off. iii. 6, like σύμπαντες; lastly, cuncti (ξυνεκτοί) all in their combined reality, in opp. to dispersi, like ἅπαντες. Liv. vii. 35. Admonitione paventibus cunctis quum omnium in se vertisset oculos Decius. Nep. Dat. 5. Qui illum unum pluris quam se omnes fieri videbant. Quo facto cuncti ad eum opprimendum consenserunt. 6. Totus, solidus, and integer denote that which is originally a whole, but which is liable to fall to pieces by accident, like ὅλος; whereas omnis, universus, and cunctus, denote original individualities, which form a whole by their association, like πᾶς, σύμπας, ἅπας. (iv. 352.)

Quotidie; In singulos dies. Quotidie applies to things that are daily repeated; whereas in singulos dies, to things that, from day to day, are making an advance. Cic. Att. v. 7. Quotidie vel potius in singulos dies breviores literas ad te mitto. Fam. vi. 4. Catil. i. 2.

R

Rabies, see Amens.

Radiare, see Lucere.

Rami; Ramalia; Virga; Termes; Turio; Surculus; Talea; Sarmentum; Stolo; Virgultum; Fruticetum. 1. Rami and ramalia are the boughs of a tree; rami (from ῥάκος) the living, green boughs, θαλλοί; ramalia, the withered dry boughs. Whereas virga, termes, turio, surculus, talea, sarmentum, and stolo, are only twigs; virga, and the words of rare occurrence, termes olivæ, and turio lauri, without any accessory reference, like κλάδος, κλών, κλῆμα; surculus and talea as members and offspring of the tree, which as scions and shoots should be subservient to the parent-stock, like ὀρσός; sarmentum and stolo, as mere off-shoots of the tree, are set aside, and cast away; sarmentum (from sarpere, ἅρπη,) as a completely useless twig; stolo, as at the same time an injurious sucker. 2. Virgultum is a place grown over with bushes, and not bare; fruticetum (from frutices) a place grown over with shrubs, and not passable. (v. 283.)

Rapina, Raptor, see Præda.

Rationem habere, see Respectum habere.

Recens, see Novus.

Recipere, see Polliceri and Sumere.

Recitari, see Eloqui.

Recludere, see Aperire.

Recondere, see Celare.

Recordari, s. Meminisse.

Recuperare, s. Sumere.

Recurvus, see Curvus.

Recusare, see Negare and Spernere.

Redimere, see Emere.

Redire, see Reverti.

Redolere, see Olere.

Reduncus, see Curvus.

Redundare, s. Abundare.

Refellere, see Refutare.

Refugium, see Perfuga.

Refutare; Confutare; Refellere. 1. Refutare and confutare (from sputare? or φοιτᾶν?) denote a refutation, in whatever manner; refellere (from fallere) on good grounds, and by convincing arguments. 2. The refutans acts on the defensive in refuting the arguments that are opposed to him; the confutans, on the offensive, in exposing their nullity, and cutting them up. Cic. Font. 1. Plus laboris consumo in poscendis testibus quam defensores in refutandis; comp. with N. D. ii. 17. Cujus opinionis levitas confutata a Cotta non desiderat orationem meam. (iv. 43.)

Regalis, see Regius.

Regio, see Locus.

Regius; Regalis. Regius means, what belongs to a king, and descends from kings; regalis, what is suitable to a king, and worthy of him. (iv. 93 v. 48.)

Religio; Fides. Religio (from ἀλέγειν) is conscientiousness, on the ground of an inward obligation, through the conscience; fides (from πιθεῖν) on the ground of an outward obligation, through a promise. (vi. 268.)

Relinquere; Deserere; Omittere; Destituere; Desolatus. 1. Relinquere, to leave behind, has reference to an object, to which one stands in a mere outward and local relation of proximity; whereas deserere and omittere, to an object to which one stands in an inward and moral relation as an owner or friend; desertio, like leaving in the lurch, has its ground in cowardice, or other forgetfulness of duty, in opp. to defensio, tutatio; omissio, like giving up, has its ground in a conviction of being able to dispense with, in opp. to obtinere. Tac. Dial. 16. Partes quas intellexerimus te non tam omisisse quam nobis reliquisse. And 9. Relinquenda conversatio amicorum et jucunditas urbis, deserenda cætera officia. Cic. Verr. i. 4. 11. Desertum exercitum, relictam provinciam. 2. Deserere means to forsake, and expose to a possible and remote danger; destituere to an actual and impending danger. Curt. iv. 2, 32. Desertus, destitutus, hostibus deditus. Liv. vi. 2. Quod defensores suos in ipso discrimine periculi destituat. 3. Desertus and destitutus denote, especially, forgetfulness of duty; whereas desolatus, the unmercifulness of the action. Suet. Cal. 12. Deserta, desolataque reliquis subsidiis aula. (iii. 290.)