Lewis & Short

Parsing inflected forms may not always work as expected. If the following does not give the correct word, try Latin Words or Perseus.

instans, P. a., v. insto fin.

in-sto, stĭti, stātum (e. g. instaturum, Liv. 10, 36, 3: instaturos, Front. Strat. 2, 6, 10 al.), 1, v. n., to stand in or upon a thing (class.).

  1. I. Lit.
    1. A. In gen., constr. with dat., in and abl., or acc.
          1. (α) With dat.: jugis, Verg. A. 11, 529.
          2. (β) With in and abl.: saxo in globoso, Pac. ap. Auct. Her. 2, 23, 36 (Trag. Fragm. v. 367 Rib.): instans in medio triclinio, Suet. Tib. 72.
          3. (γ) Absol., to draw nigh, approach; to impend, threaten: quibus ego confido impendere fatum aliquod, et poenas jam diu debitas aut instare jam plane, aut certe jam appropinquare, Cic. Cat. 2, 5: instant apparatissimi magnificentissimique ludi, id. Pis. 27: cum illi iter instaret, id. Att. 13, 23: quidquid subiti et magni discriminis instat, Juv. 6, 520: ante factis omissis, illud quod instet, agi oportere, the subject in hand, Cic. Inv. 2, 11, 37.
            Of persons: cum legionibus instare Varum, Caes. B. C. 2, 43.
          4. (δ) With acc. (ante-class.): tantum eum instat exitii, Plaut. Poen. 4, 2, 96.
    2. B. In partic., to press upon, harass, molest, menace, threaten.
      With dat., acc., or absol.
          1. (α) With dat.: cedenti, Liv. 10, 36: vestigiis, id. 27, 12, 9: instantem regi cometen videre, Juv. 6, 407.
          2. (β) With acc.: si me instabunt (al. mi), Plaut. Curc. 3, 1, 6.
  2. II. Trop.
    1. A. To urge or press upon one, to insist; to pursue a thing (syn. urgeo): quamobrem urge, insta, perfice, Cic. Att. 13, 32, 1: accusatori, id. Font. 1: ille instat factum (esse), he insists upon the fact, Ter. And. 1, 1, 120.
      To follow up eagerly, pursue; with dat. or acc.
          1. (α) With dat.: instant operi regnisque futuris, Verg. A. 1, 504: talibus instans monitis (parens), Juv. 14, 210: non ignarus instandum famae, Tac. Agr. 18.
          2. (β) With acc., to urge forward, ply, transact with zeal or diligence: instant mercaturam, Nov. ap. Non. 212, 30 (Com. Rel. p. 223 Rib.): parte aliā Marti currumque, rotasque volucres Instabant, were hastening forward, working hard at, busily constructing, Verg. A. 8, 434: rectam viam, to go right, i. e. to be right, to hit the mark, Plaut. As. 1, 1, 40: unum instare de indutiis vehementissime contendere, Caes. B. C. 3, 17, 5; cf. Zumpt, Gram. § 385.
          3. (γ) Absol.: vox domini instantis, Juv. 14, 63.
    2. B. To demand earnestly, solicit, insist upon: satis est, quod instat de Milone, Cic. Q. Fr. 3, 2: quod profecto cum sua sponte, tum, te instante, faciet, at your instance, your solicitation, id. Att. 3, 15.
      With inf.: instat Scandilius poscere recuperatores, Cic. Verr. 2, 3, 59, § 136.
      With ut or ne: tibi instat Hortensius, ut eas in consilium, Cic. Quint. 10: uxor acriter tua instat, ne mihi detur, Plaut. Cas. 2, 5, 33; cf.: nunc nosmet ipsi nobis instemus, ut, etc., Auct. Her. 4, 56, 69.
      Impers.: profecto, si instetur, suo milite vinci Romam posse, Liv. 2, 44.
      Hence, instans, antis, P. a.
    1. A. (Standing by, being near, i. e.) Present.
      1. 1. In gen.: quae venientia metuuntur, eadem efficiunt aegritudinem instantia, Cic. Tusc. 4, 6, 11: ex controversia futuri, raro etiam ex instantis aut facti, id. de Or. 2, 25, 105: tempus, Auct. Her. 2, 5, 8: bellum, Cic. Phil. 11, 10, 24.
      2. 2. In partic., gram. t. t.: tempus, i.q. praesens tempus, the present tense, the present, Quint. 5, 10, 42; Charis. p. 147 P. et saep.
    2. B. Pressing, urgent, importunate (post-Aug.): periculum, Nep. Paus. 3, 5: species terribilior jam et instantior, Tac. H. 4, 83: gestus acer atque instans, Quint. 11, 3, 92 sq.; cf.: argumentatio acrior et instantior, id. ib. § 164: admonitio instantior, Gell. 13, 24, 19.
      Adv.: instanter, vehemently, earnestly, pressingly: intente instanterque pronuntiare, Plin. Ep. 5, 19, 6: petere, id. ib. 5, 7, 22: plura acriter et instanter incipere, Quint. 9, 3, 30: dicere, id. 9, 4, 126.
      Comp.: instantius concurrere, to fight more vehemently, Tac. A. 6, 35.
      Sup.: instantissime desiderare, Gell. 4, 18.