Lewis & Short

contĭōnor, ātus, 1, v. dep. [contio].

  1. * I. To be convened or united in an assembly, to form an assembly: nunc illi vos, singuli universos contionantes timent, Liv. 39, 16, 4.
    Far more freq.,
  2. II. (Acc. to contio, II.) To deliver an oration before an assembly of the people, to harangue, address: Dionysius contionari ex turri altā solebat, Cic. Tusc. 5, 20, 59; cf.: superiore e loco contionari, id. ib. 1, 49, 117: pro tribunali, Tac. A. 1, 61 fin.: apud milites, Caes. B. C. 1, 7; Suet. Aug. 27: ad populum, id. ib. 84: de Caesare, id. ib. 85: adversus aliquem, Liv. 9, 18, 7; and entirely absol.: cum Lepidus contionaretur, Asin. ap. Cic. Fam. 10, 31, 4; so Liv. 1, 28, 2; Quint. 1, 10, 27; 3, 11, 13; 7, 6, 3; Tac. A. 11, 7; id. H. 1, 31; Suet. Caes. 33, 55; id. Rhet. 6.
    With acc.: haec velut contionanti Minucio circum fundebatur tribunorum multitudo, Liv. 22, 14, 15.
    Once with the acc. and inf. (cf. the foll.): C. Cato contionatus est, comitia haberi non siturum, etc., declared before the people, Cic. Q. Fr. 2, 4, 6.
    1. B. In gen., to say publicly, publish, make known, declare (very rare): caterva tota clarissimā concentione .. contionata est: huic vitae tuae, etc., Cic. Sest. 55, 118; id. Tusc. 1, 49, 117: idem hoc futurum, etiam Sibylla contionata est, Lact. 4, 18, p. 292 Bip.