verb transitive intransitive

amb-ĭo

2nd PP amb-īre · 3rd PP ambīvi · 4th PP and ii · conj. 4th

part. perf •

v. n. and a. (although from the root eo, it is regularly conjugated throughout; hence part. perf. ambītus; but ambitio and 2. ambĭtus follow the quantity of the simple verb, eo, ĭtum; in the imperf. ambiebat; also ambibat, Ov. M. 5, 361; cf. Prisc. p. 910 P.; Zumpt, Gram. § 215).

to go round; about a thing •

Lit.: aliquid, to go round or about a thing (syn. circumeo): ut terram lunae cursus proxime ambiret, Cic. Tim. 9: ambibat Siculae cautus fundamina terrae, Ov. M. 5, 361: jubet urbem ambiri, Luc. 1, 592.—

by extension

To surround; encircle; encompass ••

To surround, encircle, encompass (syn.: circumdo, cingo): insula, quam amnis Euphrates ambiebat, Vell. 2, 101: ambitae litora terrae, Ov. M. 1, 37: Thracam nec purior ambiat Hebrus, Hor. Ep. 1, 16, 13; Verg. A. 6, 550 (cf. Sen. Ben. 4, 5: flumina campos cingentia; v. ambitus, I.): funiculus ambiebat gyrum ejus, Vulg. 2 Par. 4, 2: muros praealtum mare ambiebat, Curt. 4, 2; so Tac. A. 1, 68; 15, 43; Suet. Aug. 95: (clipei) oras ambiit auro, Verg. A. 10, 243: ambiente (gemmam) circulo coloris aurei, Plin. 37, 10, 60, § 166: Judam suo ambiebat exercitu, Vulg. 2 Par. 13, 13.—

to go round after; to solicit; canvass for votes ••

T. t. to designate the manner in which candidates for office sought to procure votes (v. ambitio), to go round after, to solicit, canvass for votes (syn. peto): virtute ambire oportet, non fautoribus, Plaut. Am. prol. 18: quod si comitia placet in senatu habere, petamus, ambiamus, Cic. Phil. 11, 8: ambiuntur, rogantur, id. Rep. 1, 31; id. Planc. 4: singulos ex senatu ambiundo nitebantur, ne etc., Sall. J. 13, 8.—With acc. of the office: magistratum sibi, Plaut. Am. prol. 74.—

to solicit; to strive for; seek to gain ••

In gen., to solicit one for something, for his favor, friendship, etc., to strive for, seek to gain (syn.: peto, sector): qui ambīssent palmam histrionibus, Plaut. Am. prol. 69: nisi senis amicos oras, ambis, * Ter. And. 2, 2, 36: reginam ambire affatu, Verg. A. 4, 284: conubiis ambire Latinum, id. ib. 7, 333: te pauper ambit sollicitā prece Ruris colonus, Hor. C. 1, 35, 5: ambiebat Jason summum sacerdotium, Vulg. 2 Macc. 4, 7.—With ut or ne: ambienti, ut legibus solveretur, Suet. Caes. 18: ambirent multi, ne filias in sortem darent, id. Aug. 31.—With inf.: donec ultro ambiretur consulatum accipere, Tac. A. 2, 43: pauci, qui ob nobilitatem plurimis nuptiis ambiuntur, Tac. G. 18.

Perseus ID: n2163 Key: ambio