Lewis & Short

manceps, ĭpis, m. [manus-capio], a purchaser of any thing at a public auction, a renter, farmer, contractor, etc. (syn.: redemtor, exactor).

  1. I. Lit.: manceps dicitur, qui quid a populo emit conducitve, quia manu sublata significat se auctorem emptionis esse: qui idem praes dicitur, Paul. ex Fest. p. 151 Müll.: postremo ne in praedae quidem societate mancipem aut praedem … reperire potuisti, Cic. Dom. 18, 48: si res abiret ab eo mancipe, quem ipse apposuisset, contractor for building, id. Verr. 2, 1, 54, § 141: hominis studiosissimi nobilitatis manceps fit Chrysogonus, the purchaser, id. Rosc. Am. 8, 21: mancipes a civitatibus pro frumento pecuniam exegerunt, the contractors with the government, farmers, id. Div. in Caecil. 10, 33; id. Dom. 10, 25: nullius rei neque praes neque manceps, Nep. Att. 6, 3: aliquis praevalens annonam flagellet, i. e. a forestaller, speculator, Plin. 33, 13, 57, § 164: sutrinae, a keeper of a stall, id. 10, 43, 60, § 122; Plin. Ep. 3, 19: operarum, one who hires laborers to let them out again, Suet. Vesp. 1; itinera fraude mancipum et incuria magistratuum interrupta, a farmer of the revenue, farmer-general, Tac. A. 3, 31: VIAE APPIAE, Inscr. Orell. 3221.
  2. II. Transf.
    1. A. A surety, bondsman, bail, = praes: ego mancipem te nihil moror, Plaut. Curc. 4, 2, 29.
    2. * B. One who hires people to applaud: conducti et redempti mancipes, Plin. Ep. 2, 14, 4.
    3. * C. The owner, proprietor, or possessor of a thing: deus et manceps divinitatis, Tert. Apol. 11.
    4. D. A master, chief: carceris, i. e. jailer, Prud. στεφ. 5, 345; Tert. de Spect. 10.