in+doubt

• In doubt

• Where there is doubt, there is freedom

to doubt, hesitate.

(masc. sing. abl.) He gave plenty FOR THIS (field).

(neut. sing. abl.) Do not hesistate BECAUSE OF THIS! (doubt)

(neut. sing. nom.) THIS (monastery) is well-built.

(neut. sing. acc.) Break THIS! (fetter)

(neut. sing. abl.) Do not hesitate BECAUSE OF THAT! (doubt)

(masc. sing. abl.) He gave plenty FOR THAT (field).

evidently, certainly, of course, no doubt, assuredly.

rightly, it is just

aestŭo, āvi, ātum, 1, v. n. [aestus], to be in agilation or in violent commotion, to move to and fro, to rage, to toss, to boil up.

Lit.

Of fire, to rage, burn:

aestuat ut clausis rapidus fornacibus ignis,

as the fire heaves and roars in the closed furnaces, Verg. G. 4, 263:

tectus magis aestuat ignis,

Ov. M. 4, 64.—Hence,

Of the effect of fire, to be warm or hot, to burn, glow; both objectively, I am warm (Fr. je suis chaud), and subjectively, it is warm to me, I feel warm (Fr. j'ai chaud).

Object.: nunc dum occasio est, dum scribilitae aestuant ( while the cakes are warm) occurrite, Plaut. Poen. prol. 43; Verg. G. 1, 107:

torridus aestuat aër,

glows, Prop. 3, 24, 3; Luc. 1, 16. —

Subject., to feel warmth or heat (weaker than sudare, to sweat, and opp. algere, to be cold, to feel cold;

v. Doed. Syn. 3, 89): Lycurgi leges erudiunt juventutem esuriendo, sitiendo, algendo, aestuando,

Cic. Tusc. 2, 14, 34:

ille cum aestuaret, umbram secutus est,

id. Ac. 2, 22:

sub pondere,

Ov. M. 12, 514; Juv. 3, 103.—

Of the undulating, heaving motion of the sea, to rise in waves or billows (cf. aestus):

Maura unda,

Hor. C. 2, 6, 4:

gurges,

Verg. A. 6, 296.—

Of other things, to have an undulating, waving motion, to be tossed, to heave:

in ossibus umor,

Verg. G. 4, 308:

ventis pulsa aestuat arbor,

Lucr. 5, 1097; Gell. 17, 11, 5. —Of an agitated crowd, Prud. 11, 228.—

Trop.

Of the passions, love, desire, envy, jealousy, etc., to burn with desire, to be in violent, passionate excitement, to be agitated or excited, to be inflamed:

quod ubi auditum est, aestuare (hist. inf.) illi, qui dederant pecuniam,

Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 23:

quae cum dies noctesque aestuans agitaret,

Sall. J. 93:

desiderio alicujus,

Cic. Fam. 7, 18:

invidiā,

Sall. C. 23:

ingens in corde pudor,

Verg. A. 12, 666:

at rex Odrysius in illa Aestuat,

Ov. M. 6, 490 (cf. uri in id. ib. 7, 22;

and ardere in id,

ib. 9, 724); Mart. 9, 23:

aestuat (Alexander) infelix angusto limite mundi (the figure is derived from the swelling and raging of the sea when confined),

Juv. 10, 169; so Luc. 6, 63.—

Esp. in prose, to waver, to vacillate, to hesitate, to be uncertain or in doubt, to be undecided:

dubitatione,

Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 30: quod petiit, spernit; repetit quod nuper omisit;

Aestuat et vitae disconvenit ordine toto,

Hor. Ep. 1, 1, 99:

sic anceps inter utramque animus aestuat,

Quint. 10, 7, 33; Suet. Claud. 4:

aestuante rege,

Just. 1, 10.

aestus, ūs (archaic gen. aesti, Pac. 97 Rib.; rare form of nom. plur. aestuus). m. [kind. with aestas and Gr. aithô; v. aestas], an undulating, boiling, waving, tossing; a waving, heaving, billowy motion.

Lit.

Of fire; hence, in gen., fire, glow, heat (orig. in relation to its flashing up; while fervor denotes a glowing, ardor a burning, and calor a warming heat; yet it was early used for warming heat;

v. the following example): nam fretus ipse anni permiscet frigus et aestum,

heat and cold are blended, Lucr. 6, 364 (for which calor, id. 6, 368, 371 al.):

multa aestu victa per agros,

id. 5, 1104:

exsuperant flammae, furit aestus ad auras,

Verg. A. 2, 759:

caniculae,

Hor. C. 1, 17, 18; so id. Ep. 1, 8, 5:

labore et aestu languidus,

Sall. J. 51.—In plur.:

neque frigora neque aestus facile tolerabat,

Suet. Aug. 81.—So of midday heat:

aestibus at mediis umbrosam exquirere vallem,

Verg. G. 3, 331 (cf. Cic. Ac. 2, 22: ille cum aestuaret, umbram secutus est).—And of the heat of disease (of [p. 63] wounds, fever, inflammation, etc.): ulceris aestus, Att. ap. Cic. Tusc. 2, 7, 19:

homines aegri cum aestu febrique jactantur,

Cic. Cat. 1, 13.—

The undulating, heaving motion of the sea, the swell, surge: fervet aestu pelagus, Pac. ap. Cic. de Or. 3, 39; hence, meton. for the sea in agitation, waves, billows:

delphines aestum secabant,

Verg. A. 8, 674:

furit aestus harenis,

id. ib. 1, 107:

aestus totos campos inundaverant,

Curt. 9, 9, 18.—In Verg. once of the boiling up of water in a vessel: exsultant aestu latices, Aen. 7, 464.—

Esp., the periodical flux and reflux or ebb and flow of the sea, the tide (cf. Varr. L. L. 9, 19; Mel. 3, 1:

aestus maris accedere et reciprocare maxime mirum, pluribus quidem modis, sed causa in sole lunāque,

Plin. 2, 97, 99); Plaut. As. 1, 3, 6: quid de fretis aut de marinis aestibus dicam? quorum accessus et recessus ( flow and ebb) lunae motu gubernantur, Cic. Div. 2, 14 fin.:

crescens,

Plin. 2, 100, 97, § 219:

decedens,

id. ib.:

recedens,

id. 2, 98, 101, § 220: secundus, in our favor, Sall. Fragm. ap. Gell. 10, 26, 2: adversus, against us, id. ap. Non. 138, 8.—

Trop.

The passionate ferment or commotion of the mind, the fire, glow, ardor of any ( even a good) passion (cf. aestuo, II. A.):

et belli magnos commovit funditus aestus (genus humanum),

has stirred up from their very bottom the waves of discord, Lucr. 5, 1434:

civilis belli aestus,

Hor. Ep. 2, 2, 47 (cf. id. C. 2, 7, 15):

repente te quasi quidam aestus ingenii tui procul a terrā abripuit atque in altum abstraxit,

Cic. de Or. 3, 36:

hunc absorbuit aestus quidam gloriae,

id. Brut. 81:

stultorum regum et populorum continet aestus,

Hor. Ep. 1, 2, 8:

perstet et, ut pelagi, sic pectoris adjuvet aestum,

the glow of love, Ov. H. 16, 25.—

A vacillating, irresolute state of mind, doubt, uncertainty, hesitation, trouble, embarrassment, anxiely:

qui tibi aestus, qui error, quae tenebrae,

Cic. Div. in Caecin. 14:

vario fluctuat aestu,

Verg. A. 12, 486:

amor magno irarum fluctuat aestu,

id. ib. 4, 532; cf. id. ib. 8, 19:

aestus curaeque graves,

Hor. S. 1, 2, 110.—

In the Epicurean philos. lang. of Lucretius, the undulatory flow or stream of atoms, atomic efflux, as the cause of perception (cf. affluo, I.):

Perpetuoque fluunt certis ab rebus odores, Frigus ut a fluviis, calor ab sole, aestus ab undis Aequoris, exesor moerorum litora propter, etc.,

Lucr. 6, 926; and in id. 6, 1002 sq., the magnetic fluid is several times designated by aestus lapidis.

ālĕa, ae, f. [of uncer. origin; Curtius asserts an obscure connection with the words for bone; Sanscr. asthi; Zend, açti; Gr. osteon; Lat. os (ossis)].

A game with dice, and in gen., a game of hazard or chance. There were among the Romans two kinds of dice, tesserae and tali, Cic. Sen. 16, 58. The tesserae had six sides, which were marked with I. II. III. IV. V. VI.; the tali were rounded on two sides, and marked only on the other four. Upon one side there was one point, unio, an ace, like the ace on cards, called canis; on the opp. side, six points called senio, six, sice; on the two other sides, three and four points, ternio and quaternio. In playing, four tali were used, but only three tesserae. They were put into a box made in the form of a tower, with a strait neck, and wider below than above, called fritillus, turris, turricula, etc. This box was shaken, and the dice were thrown upon the gaming-board. The highest or most fortunate throw, called Venus, jactus Venereus or basilicus, was, of the tesserae, three sixes, and of the tali when they all came out with different numbers. The worst or lowest throw, called jactus pessimus or damnosus, canis or canicula, was, of the tesserae, three aces, and of the tali when they were all the same. The other throws were valued acc. to the numbers. When one of the tali fell upon the end (in caput) it was said rectus cadere, or assistere, Cic. Fin. 3, 16, 54, and the throw was repeated. While throwing the dice, it was customary for a person to express his wishes, to repeat the name of his mistress, and the like. Games of chance were prohibited by the Lex Titia et Publicia et Cornelia (cf. Hor. C. 3, 24, 58), except in the month of December, during the Saturnalia, Mart. 4, 14, 7; 5, 85; 14, 1; Suet. Aug. 71; Dig. 11, 5. The character of gamesters, aleatores or aleones, was held as infamous in the time of Cicero, cf. Cic. Cat. 2, 5, 10; id. Phil. 2, 23, although there was much playing with aleae, and old men were esp. fond of this game, because it required little physical exertion, Cic. Sen. 16, 58; Suet. Aug. 71; Juv. 14, 4; cf.

Jahn,

Ov. Tr. 2, 471; Rupert. ad Tac. G. 24, 5:

provocat me in aleam, ut ego ludam,

Plaut. Curc. 2, 3, 75.—Ludere aleā or aleam, also sometimes in aleā:

in foro aleā ludere,

Cic. Phil. 2, 23, 56; Dig. 11, 5, 1: ludit assidue aleam, Poët. ap. Suet. Aug. 70:

aleam studiosissime lusit,

Suet. Claud. 33; so id. Ner. 30; Juv. 8, 10:

repetitio ejus, quod in aleā lusum est,

Dig. 11, 5, 4.—Hence, in aleā aliquid perdere, Cic. Phil. 2, 13:

exercere aleam,

Tac. G. 24:

indulgere aleae,

Suet. Aug. 70:

oblectare se aleā,

id. Dom. 21:

prosperiore aleā uti,

to play fortunately, id. Calig. 41.— Trop.: Jacta alea esto, Let the die be cast! Let the game be ventured! the memorable exclamation of Cæsar when, at the Rubicon, after long hesitation, he finally decided to march to Rome, Suet. Caes. 32, ubi v. Casaub. and Ruhnk.—

Transf., any thing uncertain or contingent, an accident, chance, hazard, venture, risk:

alea domini vitae ac rei familiaris,

Varr. R. R. 1, 4:

sequentes non aleam, sed rationem aliquam,

id. ib. 1, 18:

aleam inesse hostiis deligendis,

Cic. Div. 2, 15:

dare summam rerum in aleam,

to risk, Liv. 42, 59:

in dubiam imperii servitiique aleam ire,

fortune, chance, id. 1, 23:

alea belli,

id. 37, 36:

talibus admissis alea grandis inest,

Ov. A. A. 1, 376:

periculosae plenum opus aleae,

Hor. C. 2, 1, 6: M. Tullius extra omnem ingenii aleam positus, raised above all doubt of his talents, Plin. praef. § 7: emere aleam, in the Pandects, to purchase any thing uncertain, contingent, e. g. a draught of fishes, Dig. 18, 1, 8; so ib. 18, 4, 7.

ălĭquandŏ, temp. adv. [aliquis; Corssen, Ausspr. II. p. 856, regards the affix in this word and in quando as from an earlier -da = dies].

A.. In opp. to a definite, fixed point of time, at some time or other, once; at any time, ever (i. e. at an indefinite, undetermined time, of the past, present, and future; mostly in affirmative clauses, while umquam is only used of past and future time, and in negative clauses or those implying doubt; cf. Beier ad Cic. Off. 2, 14, 51).—Of the past: neque ego umquam fuisse tale monstrum in terris ullum puto: quis clarioribus viris quodam tempore jucundior? quis turpioribus conjunctior: quis civis meliorum partium aliquando? Cic. Cael. 5, 12:

Ad quem angelorum dixit aliquando, Sede etc.,

Vulg. Heb. 1, 13.—Of the future:

erit illud profecto tempus et illucescet aliquando ille dies, etc.,

Cic. Mil. 26, 69:

cave, ne aliquando peccato consentias,

Vulg. Tob. 4, 6:

huic utinam aliquando gratiam referre possimus! Habebimus quidem semper,

Cic. Fam. 14, 4:

ne posset aliquando ad bellum faciendum locus ipse adhortari,

id. Off. 1, 11, 35.—Of the present: de rationibus et de controversiis societatis vult dijudicari. Sero: verum aliquando tamen, but yet once, in opp. to not at all, never, Cic. Quint. 13, 43.—

With non, nec (eccl. Lat.):

non peccabitis aliquando,

Vulg. 2 Pet. 1, 10:

nec aliquando defuit quidquam iis,

ib. 1 Reg. 25, 7; 25, 15; ib. Dan. 14, 6; ib 1 Thess. 2, 5.—

In connection with ullus, and oftener, esp. in Cic., with aliquis:

quaerere ea num vel e Philone vel ex ullo Academico audivisset aliquando,

Cic. Ac. 2, 4, 11: Forsitan aliquis aliquando ejusmodi quidpiam fecerit. id. Verr. 2, 32, 78;

ego quia dico aliquid aliquando, et quia, ut fit, in multis exit aliquando aliquid, etc.,

id. Planc 14, 35;

non despero fore aliquem aliquando,

id. de Or. 1, 21, 95:

docendo etiam aliquid aliquando,

id. Or. 42, 144:

Nam aut erit hic aliquid aliquando, etc.,

id. Fam. 7, 11, 2.—So with quisquis:

nec quidquam aliquando periit,

Vulg. 1 Reg. 25, 15; 25, 7.—

Si forte aliquando or si aliquando, if at any time, if ever; or of a distant, but undefined, point of time, if once, at one time, or one day:

si quid hujus simile forte aliquando evenerit,

Ter. Heaut. 3, 2, 40:

quod si aliquando manus ista plus valuerit quam vestra ac rei publicae dignitas, etc.,

Cic. Cat. 4, 10, 20: ampla domus dedecori saepe domino fit, et maxime si aliquando alio domino solita est frequentari, once, i. e. at a former time, id. Off. 1, 39, 139.—

It is often used (opp.: in praesentiā, nunc, adhuc) of an indefinite, past, or future time = olim, quondam, once, formerly; in future time, hereafter:

quod sit in praesentiā de honestate delibatum, virtute aliquando et industriā recuperetur,

Cic. Inv. 2, 58, 174:

aliquando nobis libertatis tempus fuisse, quod pacis vobiscum non fuerit: nunc certe, etc., Liv 25, 29: Iol ad mare, aliquando ignobilis, nunc illustris,

Mel. 1, 6:

Qui aliquando non populus, nunc autem populus Dei,

Vulg. 1 Pet. 2, 10; ib. Philem. 11:

quam concedis adhuc artem omnino non esse, sed aliquando, etc.,

Cic. de Or 1, 58, 246.—Sometimes the point of time in contrast can be determined only from the context:

quaerere num e Philone audivisset aliquando,

Cic. Ac. Pr. 2, 4, 11:

veritus sum deesse Pompeii saluti, cum ille aliquando non defuisset meae,

id. Fam. 6, 6, 10:

aut quisquam nostri misereri potest, qui aliquando vobis hostis fuit?

Sall. J. 14, 17:

Zacynthus aliquando appellata Hyrie,

Plin. 4, 12, 19, § 54; Plin. Ep. 6, 10:

quae aliquando viderat,

Vulg. Gen. 42, 9; ib. 1 Pet. 3, 20.—

Of that which at times happens, in contrast with that which never or seldom occurs, sometimes, now and then = non numquam, interdum (opp.: numquam, raro; semper, saepe).

Te non numquam a me alienārunt, et me aliquando immutārunt tibi, Cic. Fam. 5, 8, 2:

liceret ei dicere utilitatem aliquando cum honestate pugnare,

id. Off. 3, 3, 12:

sitne aliquando mentiri boni viri?

id. de Or. 3, 29, 113; Quint. 5, 13, 31:

multa proelia et aliquando non cruenta,

Tac. Agr. 17; Suet. Aug. 43.—

With numquam, raro; semper, saepe, saepius, modo in another clause:

convertit se aliquando ad timorem, numquam ad sanitatem,

Cic. Sull. 5, 17:

senatumque et populum numquam obscura nomina, etiam si aliquando obumbrentur,

Tac. H. 2, 32:

quod non saepe, atque haud scio an umquam, in aliquā parte eluceat aliquando,

Cic. Or. 2, 7:

raro, sed aliquando tamen, ex metu delirium nascitur,

Cels. 3, 18; so id. 8, 4; 1 praef.:

aliquando... semper,

Liv. 45, 23, 8:

aliquando fortuna, semper animo maximus,

Vell. 2, 18: Haud semper errat fama;

aliquando et elegit,

Tac. Agr. 9:

aliquando... saepe,

Cels. 1 praef.:

nec tamen ubique cerni, aliquando propter nubila, saepius globo terrae obstante,

Plin. 2, 13, 10, § 56; so Tac. A. 3, 27; id. Agr. 38.—

In partitive clauses, twice, or even several times, like modo—modo, sometimes also alternating with non numquam or modo (so only in the post-Aug. per.), at one time... at another, now.. now:

confirmatio aliquando totius causae est, aliquando partium,

Quint. 5, 13, 58; Plin. 17, 28, 47, § 262; Sen. Q. N. 2, 36, 2:

aliquando emicat stella, aliquando ardores sunt, aliquando fixi et haerentes, non numquam volubiles,

id. ib. 1, 14; cf. Suet. Calig. 52:

Vespasianus modo in spem erectus, aliquando adversa reputabat,

Tac. H. 2, 74; id. A. 16, 10.—

In colloquial lang., to indicate that there is occasion for a certain thing, once, for once, on this occasion, now:

aliquando osculando melius est, uxor, pausam fieri,

Plaut. Rud. 4, 6, 1:

sed si placet, sermonem alio transferamus, et nostro more aliquando, non rhetorico loquamur,

now in our own way, Cic. de Or. 1, 29, 133:

sed ne plura: dicendum enim aliquando est, Pomponium Atticum sic amo, ut alterum fratrem,

I must for once say it, id. Fam. 13, 1, 14.—

In commands, exhortations, or wishes, = tandem, at length, now at last:

audite quaeso, judices, et aliquando miseremini sociorum,

Cic. Verr. 1, 28, 72:

mode scribe aliquando ad nos, quid agas,

id. Fam. 7, 12, 2:

stulti, aliquando sapite,

Vulg. Psa. 93, 8:

ipse agat, ut orbatura patres aliquando fulmina ponat,

Ov. M. 2, 391:

Aliquando isti principes sibi populi Romani auctoritati parendum esse fateantur,

id. Imp. Pomp. 22, 64; id. Verr. 4, 37, 81; Sall. J. 14, 21; Ov. M. 2, 390:

et velim aliquando, cum erit tuum commodum, Lentulum puerum visas,

Cic. Att. 12, 28.—Hence,

Of that which happens after long expectation or delay, freq. in connection with tandem, finally, at length, now at last:

quibus (quaestionibus) finem aliquando amicorum auctoritas fecit,

Cic. Clu. 67, 191:

(dii) placati jam vel satiati aliquando,

id. Marcell. 6, 18:

collegi me aliquando,

id. Clu. 18, 51: aliquando idque sero usum loquendi populo concessi, finally. i. e. after I have for a long time spoken in another manner, id. Or. 48, 160:

te aliquando collaudare possum, quod jam, etc.,

id. Fam. 7, 17; Suet. Aug. 70:

diu exspectaverant, dum retia extraherentur: aliquando extractis piscis nullus infuit,

id. Clar. Rhet. 1.—With tandem:

aliquando tandem huc animum ut adducas tuum,

Ter. Hec. 4, 4, 61:

spes est et hunc aliquan do tandem posse consistere,

Cic. Quint. 30, 94 tandem aliquando L. Catilinam ex urbe ejecimus, id. Cat. 2, 1:

ut tandem aliquando timere desinam,

id. ib. 1, 7, 18; id. Quint. 30, 94:

servus tandem aliquando mihi a te exspectatissimas litteras reddidit,

id. Fam. 16, 9:

tandem aliquando refloruistis,

Vulg. Phil. 4, 10.—With jam:

utile esse te aliquando jam rem transigere,

now at length Cic. Att. 1, 4.

ambĭgŭus, a, um, adj. [ambigo], going about, hither and thither.

Lit.:

per ambiguum favorem gratiam victoris spectare,

i. e. in that they show equal friendliness to both sides, Liv. 21, 52:

ambiguus Proteus,

who sometimes takes one form, sometimes another, changeable, Ov. M. 2, 9:

ambiguus fuerit, modo vir, modo femina, Scython,

id. ib. 4, 280:

Inque virum soliti vultus mutare ferinos Ambigui prosecta lupi,

they sometimes assume the form of a wolf and sometimes that of a man, id. ib. 7, 271:

promisit Ambiguam Salamina, h. l. = alteram,

a second Salamis, Hor. C. 1, 7, 29. —

Transf.

Uncertain, doubtful (syn.: dubius, incertus): ambiguum est quod in ambas agi partes animo potest. Hujusmodi apud Graecos amphibola dicuntur, Paul. ex Fest. p. 17 Müll.:

quidquid incerti mihi in animo prius aut ambiguom fuit, Nunc liquet, nunc defaecatum est,

Plaut. Ps. 2, 4, 69: etiam si dudum fuerat ambiguom hoc mihi, * Ter. Hec. 4, 4, 26:

difficile et ambiguum,

Vulg. Deut. 17, 8:

haud ambiguus rex, i. e. sine dubio rex futurus,

Liv. 40, 8.— Subst.: ambĭgŭum, i, n., doubt, uncertainty:

in ambiguo est,

Plaut. Trin. 2, 4, 193:

in ambiguo relinquere,

Lucr. 4, 1133: non habui ambiguum, Brut. ap. Cic. Fam. 11, 11:

servet in ambiguo Juppiter,

Hor. Ep. 1, 16, 28:

non sane alias magis in ambiguo Britannia fuit,

Tac. Agr. 5.—Also in acc. absol. in the Gr. manner: Ambiguum Clymene precibus Phaëthontis an irā Mota magis, it being uncertain whether, etc., Ov. M. 1, 765 (so, incertum, Tac. Agr. 7:

dubium,

id. A. 1, 5).—

Of discourse, obscure, dark, ambiguous:

scriptum,

Cic. Top. 25:

verba ambigua distinximus,

id. Or. 29, 102:

oracula,

id. Div. 2, 56:

responsa,

Suet. Tib. 24:

divinatio,

Vulg. Ezech. 12, 24.— Subst.: ambĭgŭum, i, n., an obscure, dark saying:

ambiguorum complura sunt genera,

Cic. de Or. 2, 26, 111; 2, 61, 250; Auct. ad Her. 1, 6; 1, 12 al.:

voces,

Verg. A. 2, 98.—

Trop., uncertain, wavering; not to be relied on, untrustworthy. —So of moral conduct:

esse ambiguā fide,

Liv. 6, 2:

puer acris ingenii sed ambigui,

Plin. Ep. 4, 2:

femina bonis atque honestis moribus, non ambiguā pudicitiā,

Gell. 3, 16:

per ambiguas vias,

Ov. H. 10, 62:

domum timet ambiguam Tyriosque bilinguis,

Verg. A 1, 661.—Of fortune, changing, fluctuating: ambiguarum rerum sciens, Tac. A. 1, 64.

with gen.:

ambiguus imperandi,

irresolute, Tac. A. 1, 7:

pudoris ac metus,

wavering between shame and fear, id. ib. 2, 40:

futuri,

id. H. 3, 43.— Adv.: ambĭguē, doubtfully, ambiguously, Cic. de Or. 2, 26; id. N. D. 1, 31; Aur. Vict. 35:

pugnare,

with doubtful success, Tac. A. 2, 21 al.

ambĭgŭus, a, um, adj. [ambigo], going about, hither and thither.

Lit.:

per ambiguum favorem gratiam victoris spectare,

i. e. in that they show equal friendliness to both sides, Liv. 21, 52:

ambiguus Proteus,

who sometimes takes one form, sometimes another, changeable, Ov. M. 2, 9:

ambiguus fuerit, modo vir, modo femina, Scython,

id. ib. 4, 280:

Inque virum soliti vultus mutare ferinos Ambigui prosecta lupi,

they sometimes assume the form of a wolf and sometimes that of a man, id. ib. 7, 271:

promisit Ambiguam Salamina, h. l. = alteram,

a second Salamis, Hor. C. 1, 7, 29. —

Transf.

Uncertain, doubtful (syn.: dubius, incertus): ambiguum est quod in ambas agi partes animo potest. Hujusmodi apud Graecos amphibola dicuntur, Paul. ex Fest. p. 17 Müll.:

quidquid incerti mihi in animo prius aut ambiguom fuit, Nunc liquet, nunc defaecatum est,

Plaut. Ps. 2, 4, 69: etiam si dudum fuerat ambiguom hoc mihi, * Ter. Hec. 4, 4, 26:

difficile et ambiguum,

Vulg. Deut. 17, 8:

haud ambiguus rex, i. e. sine dubio rex futurus,

Liv. 40, 8.— Subst.: ambĭgŭum, i, n., doubt, uncertainty:

in ambiguo est,

Plaut. Trin. 2, 4, 193:

in ambiguo relinquere,

Lucr. 4, 1133: non habui ambiguum, Brut. ap. Cic. Fam. 11, 11:

servet in ambiguo Juppiter,

Hor. Ep. 1, 16, 28:

non sane alias magis in ambiguo Britannia fuit,

Tac. Agr. 5.—Also in acc. absol. in the Gr. manner: Ambiguum Clymene precibus Phaëthontis an irā Mota magis, it being uncertain whether, etc., Ov. M. 1, 765 (so, incertum, Tac. Agr. 7:

dubium,

id. A. 1, 5).—

Of discourse, obscure, dark, ambiguous:

scriptum,

Cic. Top. 25:

verba ambigua distinximus,

id. Or. 29, 102:

oracula,

id. Div. 2, 56:

responsa,

Suet. Tib. 24:

divinatio,

Vulg. Ezech. 12, 24.— Subst.: ambĭgŭum, i, n., an obscure, dark saying:

ambiguorum complura sunt genera,

Cic. de Or. 2, 26, 111; 2, 61, 250; Auct. ad Her. 1, 6; 1, 12 al.:

voces,

Verg. A. 2, 98.—

Trop., uncertain, wavering; not to be relied on, untrustworthy. —So of moral conduct:

esse ambiguā fide,

Liv. 6, 2:

puer acris ingenii sed ambigui,

Plin. Ep. 4, 2:

femina bonis atque honestis moribus, non ambiguā pudicitiā,

Gell. 3, 16:

per ambiguas vias,

Ov. H. 10, 62:

domum timet ambiguam Tyriosque bilinguis,

Verg. A 1, 661.—Of fortune, changing, fluctuating: ambiguarum rerum sciens, Tac. A. 1, 64.

with gen.:

ambiguus imperandi,

irresolute, Tac. A. 1, 7:

pudoris ac metus,

wavering between shame and fear, id. ib. 2, 40:

futuri,

id. H. 3, 43.— Adv.: ambĭguē, doubtfully, ambiguously, Cic. de Or. 2, 26; id. N. D. 1, 31; Aur. Vict. 35:

pugnare,

with doubtful success, Tac. A. 2, 21 al.

confĭtĕor, fessus, 2 (arch. inf. confiterier, Plaut. Cist. 1, 3, 22), v. dep. [fateor], to acknowledge, confess, own, avow (an error, mistake, or a fact previously denied or doubted, etc., implying a sacrifice of will or a change of conviction; while fateor expresses a simple acknowledgment, and profiteor a voluntary avowal), to concede, allow, grant (class. in prose and poetry):

quid confitetur, atque ita libenter confitetur, ut non solum fateri sed etiam profiteri videatur?

Cic. Caecin. 9, 24; cf.: hic ego non solum confiteor, verum etiam profiteor, id. Fragm. ap. Non. p. 434, 30:

tacendo loqui, non infitiando confiteri videbantur,

id. Sest. 18, 40.

In gen.

With acc.:

et genus et divitias meas,

Plaut. Capt. 2, 3, 52:

peccatum suum,

Cic. N. D. 2, 4, 11:

amorem nutrici,

Ov. M. 14, 703; cf.:

amorem patris nutrici,

Quint. 9, 2, 64:

crimen,

Curt. 6, 11, 31:

facinus,

id. 8, 8, 2: singula, * Cat. 86, 2: se, to make one's self known (sc. Jovem), Ov. M. 3, 2; cf.

deam,

Verg. A. 2, 591.—With two accs.:

se victos, Cacs. B. C. 1, 84: se imperitum,

Quint. 1, 10, 19:

causam Caesaris meliorem,

id. 5, 11, 42:

hoc de statuis,

Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 60, § 149:

summam infirmitatem de se,

Quint. 2, 4, 28:

de se quid voluerit,

id. 8, 4, 23.—

With acc. and inf.:

hoc confiteor jure mi obtigisse,

Ter. And. 3, 5, 1; id. Heaut. 2, 3, 97; 5, 3, 12:

me abs te cupisse laudari aperte atque ingenue confitebar,

Cic. Fam. 5, 2, 2; 1, 9, 18; id. N. D. 1, 7, 44; Lucr. 1, 271; 1, 826; 2, 691 al.; Quint. 2, 17, 19; 11, 1, 85; Suet. Caes. 52 et saep.—

Absol.:

ut eampse vos audistis confiterier,

Plaut. Cist. 1, 3, 22; Ter. Heaut. 5, 3, 13; id. Phorm. 5, 9 (8), 46:

confitentem audire Torquatum,

Cic. Fin. 2, 7, 21; Ov. M. 2, 52; 13, 270; Curt. 6, 11, 14; Tac. A. 11, 28:

vere,

Ov. R. Am. 318; cf.:

confessae manus,

i. e. confessing defeat, id. M. 5, 215.—

With de:

de maleficio,

Cic. Rosc. Am. 41, 119; so id. ib. 42, 123; Tac. A. 14, 59; cf. supra, a fin. —

Part. perf.: confessus, a, um, in a pass. signif.: aes, Lex XII. Tab. ap. Gell. 15, 13, 11, and 20, 1, 45; Dig. 42, 1, 15; v. under P. a.—Hence,

Esp., after the Aug. per., sometimes, to reveal, manifest, make known, show.

With acc.:

confessa vultibus iram,

Ov. M. 6, 35:

motum animi sui lacrimis,

Quint. 6, 1, 23:

admirationem suam plausu,

id. 8, 3, 3; 9, 4, 39:

cupidinem coëundi,

id. 1, 28, 2. —

With acc. and inf., Quint. 1, 6, 15; 4, 2, 122; Plin. Ep. 3, 14, 3; Pall. Jun. 7, 6.—

In eccl. writers, to confess, own, acknowledge: Christum, Prud. steph. 5, 40.— With dat.:

tibi, Domine,

Vulg. Psa. 137, 1:

nomini tuo,

id. ib. 141, 8.— Absol., Cypr. Ep. 15.— confessus, a, um, P. a.

Act., confessing, that has acknowledged, pleaded guilty, etc.:

reus,

Ov. P. 2, 2, 56:

in judicio reus,

Dig. 48, 4, 4, § 1.— Subst.: confessi, ōrum, m., criminals who have confessed their guilt:

de confessis supplicium sumere,

Sall. C. 52, 36.—

Pass., lit., acknowledged; hence, undoubted, evident, certain, incontrovertible (most freq. in the post-Aug. per.):

ut omnes intellegant, quam improbam, quam manifestam, quam confessam rem pecuniā redimere conetur,

Cic. Verr. 2, 3, 56, § 130:

confessā in re,

Plin. 7, 49, 50, § 164; 20, 11, 45, § 116.—Esp., subst.: confessum, i, n., an undoubted, certain, acknowledged thing, matter:

a confessis transeamus ad dubiā,

Sen. Q. N. 2, 21, 1:

adhuc versamur in confessis,

Quint. 7, 1, 48:

de confessis disserere,

Plin. 10, 49, 70, § 138 al. —Hence the phrases:

ex confesso,

confessedly, beyond doubt, Quint. 3, 5, 3; Sen. Ep. 76, 12:

in confesso esse,

to be notorious, everywhere known, id. Ben. 3, 11, 2; id. Brev. Vit. 2, 3; id. Q. N. 2, 22, 2; Vell. 2, 85, 4; Plin. 35, 8, 34, § 54; Tac. Or. 25; 27:

vita cervis in confesso longa est,

Plin. 8, 32, 50, § 191; Amm. 21, 1, 3:

in confessum venire,

to be generally acknowledged, be well known, Plin. Ep. 10, 81 (85), 8; cf.:

ad liquidum confessumque perducere omnia,

Quint. 5, 14, 28:

pro confesso habere aliquid,

Lact. 2, 8.

confĭtĕor, fessus, 2 (arch. inf. confiterier, Plaut. Cist. 1, 3, 22), v. dep. [fateor], to acknowledge, confess, own, avow (an error, mistake, or a fact previously denied or doubted, etc., implying a sacrifice of will or a change of conviction; while fateor expresses a simple acknowledgment, and profiteor a voluntary avowal), to concede, allow, grant (class. in prose and poetry):

quid confitetur, atque ita libenter confitetur, ut non solum fateri sed etiam profiteri videatur?

Cic. Caecin. 9, 24; cf.: hic ego non solum confiteor, verum etiam profiteor, id. Fragm. ap. Non. p. 434, 30:

tacendo loqui, non infitiando confiteri videbantur,

id. Sest. 18, 40.

In gen.

With acc.:

et genus et divitias meas,

Plaut. Capt. 2, 3, 52:

peccatum suum,

Cic. N. D. 2, 4, 11:

amorem nutrici,

Ov. M. 14, 703; cf.:

amorem patris nutrici,

Quint. 9, 2, 64:

crimen,

Curt. 6, 11, 31:

facinus,

id. 8, 8, 2: singula, * Cat. 86, 2: se, to make one's self known (sc. Jovem), Ov. M. 3, 2; cf.

deam,

Verg. A. 2, 591.—With two accs.:

se victos, Cacs. B. C. 1, 84: se imperitum,

Quint. 1, 10, 19:

causam Caesaris meliorem,

id. 5, 11, 42:

hoc de statuis,

Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 60, § 149:

summam infirmitatem de se,

Quint. 2, 4, 28:

de se quid voluerit,

id. 8, 4, 23.—

With acc. and inf.:

hoc confiteor jure mi obtigisse,

Ter. And. 3, 5, 1; id. Heaut. 2, 3, 97; 5, 3, 12:

me abs te cupisse laudari aperte atque ingenue confitebar,

Cic. Fam. 5, 2, 2; 1, 9, 18; id. N. D. 1, 7, 44; Lucr. 1, 271; 1, 826; 2, 691 al.; Quint. 2, 17, 19; 11, 1, 85; Suet. Caes. 52 et saep.—

Absol.:

ut eampse vos audistis confiterier,

Plaut. Cist. 1, 3, 22; Ter. Heaut. 5, 3, 13; id. Phorm. 5, 9 (8), 46:

confitentem audire Torquatum,

Cic. Fin. 2, 7, 21; Ov. M. 2, 52; 13, 270; Curt. 6, 11, 14; Tac. A. 11, 28:

vere,

Ov. R. Am. 318; cf.:

confessae manus,

i. e. confessing defeat, id. M. 5, 215.—

With de:

de maleficio,

Cic. Rosc. Am. 41, 119; so id. ib. 42, 123; Tac. A. 14, 59; cf. supra, a fin. —

Part. perf.: confessus, a, um, in a pass. signif.: aes, Lex XII. Tab. ap. Gell. 15, 13, 11, and 20, 1, 45; Dig. 42, 1, 15; v. under P. a.—Hence,

Esp., after the Aug. per., sometimes, to reveal, manifest, make known, show.

With acc.:

confessa vultibus iram,

Ov. M. 6, 35:

motum animi sui lacrimis,

Quint. 6, 1, 23:

admirationem suam plausu,

id. 8, 3, 3; 9, 4, 39:

cupidinem coëundi,

id. 1, 28, 2. —

With acc. and inf., Quint. 1, 6, 15; 4, 2, 122; Plin. Ep. 3, 14, 3; Pall. Jun. 7, 6.—

In eccl. writers, to confess, own, acknowledge: Christum, Prud. steph. 5, 40.— With dat.:

tibi, Domine,

Vulg. Psa. 137, 1:

nomini tuo,

id. ib. 141, 8.— Absol., Cypr. Ep. 15.— confessus, a, um, P. a.

Act., confessing, that has acknowledged, pleaded guilty, etc.:

reus,

Ov. P. 2, 2, 56:

in judicio reus,

Dig. 48, 4, 4, § 1.— Subst.: confessi, ōrum, m., criminals who have confessed their guilt:

de confessis supplicium sumere,

Sall. C. 52, 36.—

Pass., lit., acknowledged; hence, undoubted, evident, certain, incontrovertible (most freq. in the post-Aug. per.):

ut omnes intellegant, quam improbam, quam manifestam, quam confessam rem pecuniā redimere conetur,

Cic. Verr. 2, 3, 56, § 130:

confessā in re,

Plin. 7, 49, 50, § 164; 20, 11, 45, § 116.—Esp., subst.: confessum, i, n., an undoubted, certain, acknowledged thing, matter:

a confessis transeamus ad dubiā,

Sen. Q. N. 2, 21, 1:

adhuc versamur in confessis,

Quint. 7, 1, 48:

de confessis disserere,

Plin. 10, 49, 70, § 138 al. —Hence the phrases:

ex confesso,

confessedly, beyond doubt, Quint. 3, 5, 3; Sen. Ep. 76, 12:

in confesso esse,

to be notorious, everywhere known, id. Ben. 3, 11, 2; id. Brev. Vit. 2, 3; id. Q. N. 2, 22, 2; Vell. 2, 85, 4; Plin. 35, 8, 34, § 54; Tac. Or. 25; 27:

vita cervis in confesso longa est,

Plin. 8, 32, 50, § 191; Amm. 21, 1, 3:

in confessum venire,

to be generally acknowledged, be well known, Plin. Ep. 10, 81 (85), 8; cf.:

ad liquidum confessumque perducere omnia,

Quint. 5, 14, 28:

pro confesso habere aliquid,

Lact. 2, 8.