Lewis & Short

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vastĭtas, ātis, f. [vastus], an empty place, a waste, desert.

  1. I. Lit.: te propter tot tantasque habemus vastitatis funerum, Att. ap. Non. 417, 12 (Trag. Rel. v. 175 Rib.): audistis, quae solitudo in agris esset, quae vastitas, quae fuga aratorum, quam deserta, quam inculta, quam relicta omnia, Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 5, § 114; so (with solitudo) Tac. A. 13, 55: judiciorum et fori, Cic. Brut. 6, 21.
  2. II. Transf. (acc. to vastus, II.).
    1. A. Desolation, devastation, ruin, destruction: cum caedem a vobis, vastitatem a templis, urbe, Italiā depellebam, Cic. Fl. 1, 1: Italiam totam ad exitium et vastitatem vocas, id. Cat. 1, 5, 12: vastitatem efficere, id. Pis. 35, 85: inferre vastitatem tectis atque agris, id. Har. Resp. 2, 3: ut studiis civilibus bellum atque vastitas Italiae finem faceret, Sall. J. 5, 2: vastitatem reddere, Liv. 3, 26, 2: et plus vastitatis hinc urbi secunda nostra fortuna faciet, quam adversa fecit? id. 5, 51, 3: fugam ac vastitatem late fecerunt, id. 8, 9, 12: protritis arboribus ac frugibus dira vastitas, Tac. H. 2, 70.
      1. 2. Trop., of persons: et has duplices pestis sociorum, publicanorum ruinas, provinciarum vastitates, destroyers, Cic. Prov. Cons. 6, 13.
    2. B. Terrible size, hugeness, immensity, vastness (post-Aug.; but cf. vastus, II. B.): beluae pari vastitate, of like vast size, Col. 3, 8, 3: roborum Hercyniae silvae, Plin. 16, 2, 2, § 6; cf.: immensa aequorum, id. 3, praef. 1, § 1: hostis formidandae vastitatis, Gell. 9, 13, 4: caeli, Plin. 2, 41, 41, § 110: solis, id. 2, 11, 8, § 49: odoris, id. 31, 6, 32, § 60: vocis, Col. 1, 9, 2.
      1. 2. Trop.: vastitas instantis laboris, the fearful magnitude, immensity, vastness, Col. 4, 18, 2: scientiae rei rusticae, id. 5, 1, 1.