Lewis & Short

conquīro (-quaero), quīsīvi (arch. form CONQVAESEIVEI in inscrr.: conquisierit, Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 1, § 1; id. Rab. Perd. 5, 15), quīsītum, 3, v. a. [quaero], to seelc or search for, to procure, bring together, collect (class.; esp. freq. in the histt.).

  1. I. In gen.
    1. A. Lit.: naves toto flumine Ibero, Caes. B. C. 1, 61: Lisso Parthinisque et omnibus castellis quod esset frumenti conquiri jussit, id. ib. 3, 42: haec (cornua) studiose conquisita, id. B. G. 6, 28: quam plurimum domiti pecoris ex agris, Sall. J. 75, 4: ea (sc. obsides, arma, servos), Caes. B. G. 1, 27 and 28: socios ad eum interficiendum, Nep. Dion, 8, 3: pecuniam, Liv. 29, 18, 6; cf.: dona ac pecunias acerbe per municipia, Tac. H. 3, 76 fin.: conquirere et comburere vaticinos libros, Liv. 39, 16, 8: desertores de exercitu volonum, id. 25, 22, 3: sacra, id. 25, 7, 5 Duker: virgines sibi undique, Suet. Aug. 71; 83: vulgo amantes, Prop. 1, 2, 23: duces, Curt. 9, 9, 1: fabros undique, Dig. 45, 1, 137, § 3.
    2. B. Trop., to seek after, search for, go in quest of, to make search for (esp. freq. in Cic. and Tac.): conquisita diu dulcique reperta labore carmina, Lucr. 3, 419: suavitates undique, Cic. Off. 3, 33, 117: voluptates, Caes. B. C. 3, 96; cf.: conquirere et comparare voluptatem, Cic. Fin. 1, 13, 42; id. Ac. 2, 27, 87: vetera exempla, id. de Or. 3, 8, 29: piacula irae deum, Liv. 40, 37, 2: impedimenta, Tac. A. 1, 47: solacia, id. ib. 12, 68: argumenta, id. ib. 14, 44: causas, id. Or. 15: naturae primas causas, Cic. Univ. 14 med.: omnes artes ad opprimendum eum, Tac. A. 15, 56.
  2. II. Esp. (con intens.), to seek for with earnestness, to search out eagerly or carefully (rare but class.).
    1. A. Lit.: Diodorum tota provincia, Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 19, § 39: (Liberam) investigare et conquirere, id. ib. 2, 4, 48, § 106: terrā marique conquiri, Vatin. ap. Cic. Fam. 5, 9, 2: conquirere consulem et sepelire, Liv. 22, 52, 6: eum ad necem, Vell. 2, 41, 2; Nep. Timol. 3, 1; Suet. Vit. 10.
    2. B. Trop.: aliquid sceleris et flagitii, to seek to commit, Cic. Agr. 2, 35, 96.
      Hence, conquīsītus, a, um, P. a. (acc. to II.), sought out, chosen, costly: conquisiti atque electi coloni, Cic. Agr. 2, 35, 96: peregrina et conquisita medicamenta, Cels. 5, 26, 23: figurae (opp. obviae dicenti), * Quint. 9, 3, 5.
      Sup.: mensae conquisitissimis epulis exstruebantur, Cic. Tusc. 5, 21, 62.
      Comp. prob. not in use.
      Adv.: conquīsītē, carefully, with much pains (ante- and post-class., and only in posit.): conquisite commercata edulia, Afran. ap. Non. p. 28, 30: conquisite admodum scripsit Varro, Gell. 3, 10, 16; cf.: conquisite conscripsimus (corresp. with diligenter), Auct. Her. 2, 31, 50.