Lewis & Short

fĭdēlis, e, adj. [1. fides], that may be trusted or relied upon, trusty, faithful, sincere, true (class.; syn. fidus).

  1. I. Prop.
    1. A. Adj., constr. absol., with dat., or with in and acc.
          1. (α) Absol.: cum et civis mihi bonus et firmus amicus ac fidelis videretur, Cic. Cael. 6, 14: doctus, fidelis, Suavis homo, etc., Enn. ap. Gell. 12, 4 (Ann. v. 249 ed. Vahl.): boni fidelesque socii, Liv. 22, 37, 4; 9, 2, 5; 29, 7, 2; 22, 37, 4 Drak. N. cr.; cf.: sociis multo fidelioribus utimur, Cic. Att. 5, 18, 2: est urbs Massilia fortissimorum fidelissimorumque sociorum, id. Font. 1, 3: fidelissima conjux, id. Q. Fr. 1, 3, 3: medicus multum celer atque fidelis, Hor. S. 2, 3, 147: minister, id. C. 4, 4, 3: seu visa est catulis cerva fidelibus, id. ib. 1, 1, 27: multorum opes praepotentium excludunt amicitias fideles, Cic. Lael. 15, 54: consilium, id. Agr. 2, 2 fin.; cf. id. Clu. 31, 85: opera, id. Caecin. 5, 14; cf.: operā Commii fideli atque utili, Caes. B. G. 7, 76, 1: cura, Ov. H. 1, 104: silentium, Hor. C. 3, 2, 25: desideria (patriae), id. ib. 4, 5, 15: lacrimae, i. e. true, genuine, Ov. H. 14, 127.
          2. (β) With dat.: qui (Cn. Pompeius) unum Deiotarum fidelem populo Romano judicavit, Cic. Phil. 11, 13, 34: cave tu illi fidelis potius fueris quam mihi, Plaut. Aul. 4, 2, 11: illi fuisti quam mihi fidelior, id. Capt. 3, 5, 58: habere aliquem fidelem sibi, id. Bacch. 3, 3, 87: quem sibi fidelem arbitrabatur, Caes. B. G. 4, 21, 7; Hor. Ep. 2, 2, 1; Quint. 11, 2, 42.
          3. (γ) With in and acc.: quam fideli animo et benigno in illam fui, Ter. Hec. 3, 5, 22; cf. Cic. Mil. 10, 29: in amicos, Sall. C. 9, 2 (others read: in amicis, v. Kritz. ad h. 1.).
        1. b. Subst.: fĭdēlis, is, m., a trusty person, a confidant: si quem tuorum fidelium voles, ad me mittas, Cic. Fam. 4, 1, 2.
  2. II. Transf., in gen., of things, to be depended upon, sure, safe, strong, firm, durable (rare but class.): nam et doctrina et domus, et ars et ager etiam fidelis dici potest: ut sit, quomodo Theophrasto placet, verecunda tralatio, Cic. Fam. 16, 17, 1: in nave tuta ac fideli, id. Planc. 41, 97: lorica, Verg. A. 9, 707: portus, Ov. Tr. 4, 5, 5: materies terebinthi ad vetustatem, Plin. 13, 6, 12, § 54; structura, Front. Aquaed. 123: rimis explendis fidelior pice, Plin. 16, 36, 64, § 158: fidelissimum glutinum, id. 28, 17, 71, § 236.
    Hence, adv., in two forms: fĭdē-lĭter (class.) and fĭdēle (ante- and postclass.).
  1. I. Faithfully, trustily, certainly, surely, honestly.
          1. (α) Form fideliter: constanter et fideliter in amicitia alicujus permanere, Liv. 33, 35, 9: vivere simpliciter, fideliter vitaeque hominum amice, Cic. Off. 1, 26, 92: obtestatur per sua antea fideliter acta, etc., Sall. J. 71 fin.: aliquid fideliter curare, Cic. Att. 15, 20, 4: valetudini inservire, Tiro ap. Cic. Fam. 16, 17, 1: colere amicos, Plin. Ep. 7, 31, 5: discere artes ingenuas, Ov. P. 2, 9, 47: retinent commissa (aures), Hor. Ep. 1, 18, 70; cf.: ejus (memoriae) duplex virtus, facile percipere et fideliter continere, Quint. 1, 3, 1: exstincta parum fideliter incendia, Flor. 3, 5 med.
          2. (β) Form fidele: fac fidele sis fidelis, Plaut. Capt. 2, 3, 79: militare, Prud. στεγ. 10, 428.
        1. b. Comp.: quo propior quisque est servitque fidelius aegro, Ov. M. 7, 563; Plin. Ep. 6, 24, 3.
        2. c. Sup.: ut is optime te laudasse videatur, qui narraverit fidelissime, Plin. Pan. 56, 2.
      1. 2. (Acc. to II.) Surely, strongly, firmly: per quorum loca fideliter mihi pateret iter, Planc. in Cic. Fam. 10, 23, 2: oratoris futuri fundamenta fideliter jacere, Quint. 1, 4, 5: quod fideliter firmum est, a primis statim actionibus arripere optimum est, firmly grounded, id. 6, 4, 14; cf. Gell. 15, 2, 6.
        Comp.: qui quartanum passus convaluerit, fidelius constantiusque postea valiturum, Gell. 17, 12, 3: memoriae inhaerere fidelius, Quint. 10, 6, 2; cf. id. 10, 3, 2.
        Sup.: fortunae inaurato fidelissime simulacro, very solidly, durably, Plin. 33, 3, 19, § 61.