Lewis & Short

largītĭo, ōnis, f. [largior], a giving freely, a granting, bestowing, dispensing, distributing, imparting.

  1. I. Lit.
    1. A. In gen. (class.): largitio, quae fit ex re familiari, fontem ipsum benignitatis exhaurit, Cic. Off. 2, 15, 52: largitione redemit militum voluntates, Caes. B. C. 1, 39 fin.: his pauca ad spem largitionis addidit, id. ib. 2, 28: maximas largitiones fecit, id. ib. 3, 31: largitio et communicatio civitatis, a granting, Cic. Balb. 13, 31: aequitatis, a distributing, dispensing, id. Mur. 20, 41.
      Prov.: largitio fundum non habet, there is no end of giving, Cic. Off. 2, 15, 55; v. fundus.
    2. B. In partic., in a bad sense.
      1. 1. Bribery, corruption, esp. to obtain a public office: liberalitatem ac benignitatem ab ambitu atque largitione sejungere, Cic. de Or. 2, 25, 55: tribum turpi largitione corrumpere, id. Planc. 15, 37: tribus largitione devinctas habere, id. ib.: perniciosa, id. Mur. 37, 80: profusissima, Suet. Caes. 13: nullum largitionis genus omisit, id. ib. 26.
      2. * 2. Profusion, prodigality: nullius rei, minime beneficiorum, honesta largitio est, Sen. Ben. 1, 2, 1.
  2. II. Meton., concr., largitiones, the imperial treasury, public chest, or imperial fund for presents and distributions, Eutr. 8, 13; Cod. Just. 7, 62, 21; both sacrae (for public or state purposes) and privatae (for personal outlay), id. 10, 23, 2; Cod. Th. 12, 6, 13.