mētĭor, mensus (post-class. metītus, Dig. 32, 1, 52), 4, v. dep. [Sanscr. ma, to measure; cf. Gr. μέ-τρον, Lat. modus], to measure, mete (lands, corn); also, to measure or mete out, to deal out, distribute by measure (class.).
- I. Lit.: metiri agrum, Cic. Fam. 9, 17, 2: frumentum, id. Verr. 2, 3, 83, § 192: sol, quem metiri non possunt, id. Ac. 2, 41, 128: magnitudinem mundi, id. Off. 1, 43, 154: nummos, to measure one’s money, i. e. to have a great abundance of it, Hor. S. 1, 1, 95: nummos modio, Petr. S. 37: se ad candelabrum, id. ib. 75: pedes syllabis, to measure by syllables, Cic. Or. 57, 194: frumentum militibus metiri, Caes. B. G. 1, 16: cum exercitu frumentum metiri oporteret, id. ib. 1, 23; 7, 71: Caecubum, Hor. Epod. 9, 36: quis mensus est pugillo aquas? Vulg. Isa. 40, 12: tantus acervus fuit, ut metientibus dimidium super tres modios explesse, sint quidam auctores, Liv. 23, 12.
- B. Poet. transf., to measure a distance, i. e. to pass, walk, or sail through or over, to traverse: Sacram metiente te viam (of the measured pace of a proud person), Hor. Epod. 4, 7: aequor curru, to sail through, Verg. G. 4, 389: aquas carinā, Ov. M. 9, 446: tu, cursu, dea menstruo metiens iter annuom, to go through complete, Cat. 34, 17: instabili gressu metitur litora cornix, Luc. 5, 556.
Also absol.: quin hic metimur gradibus militariis, to walk, Plaut. Ps. 4, 4, 11.
- II. Trop., to measure, estimate, judge one thing by another; also simply to measure, estimate, judge of, set a value on a thing.
- (α) With abl. of the standard of comparison, or the means of judgment: sonantia metiri auribus, Cic. Or. 68, 227: oculo latus, Hor. S. 1, 2, 103: omnia quaestu, by profit, Cic. Phil. 2, 43, 111: qui nihil alterius causa faciet et metietur suis commodis omnia, id. Leg. 1, 14, 41: vides igitur, si amicitiam sua caritate metiare, nihil esse praestantius, id. Fin. 2, 26, 85: vim eloquentiae sua facultate non rei natura, id. Opt. Gen. Or. 4, 10: omnia voluptate, id. Fam. 7, 12, 2: studia utilitate, Quint. 12, 11, 29: magnos homines virtute, non fortuna, Nep. Eum. 1: usum pecuniae non magnitudine, sed ratione, Cic. Att. 14: officia utilitate, Lact. 6, 11, 12: odium in se aliorum suo in eos metiens odio, Liv. 3, 54: pericula suo metu, Sall. C. 31, 2: peccata vitiis, Cic. Par. 3, 1, 20: aetatem nostram non spatio senectutis, sed tempore adulescentiae, Quint. 12, 11, 13.
- (β) With ex (very rare): fidelitas, quam ego ex mea conscientiā metior, Cic. Fam. 10, 4, 2: ex eo, quantum cuique satis est, metiuntur homines divitiarum modum, id. Par. 6, 1, 14.
- (γ) With ad: nec se metitur ad illum quem dedit haec (paupertas) posuitque modum, i. e. accommodates herself, Juv. 6, 358.
- (δ) Absol. (post-Aug.): metiri ac diligenter aestimare vires suas, Quint. 6, 1, 45: pondera sua, Mart. 12, 100, 8: sua regna, Luc. 8, 527.
(ε) With quod: quanto metiris pretio, quod, etc., Juv. 9, 72.
- B. To traverse. go over, pass through: late Aequora prospectu metior alta meo, Ov. H. 10, 28: tot casus, tot avia, Val. Fl. 5, 476: jamque duas lucis partes Hyperione menso, Ov. M. 8, 564.
- C. To measure out, deal to any one, treat one well or ill: mensurā quā mensi fueritis, remetietur vobis, Vulg. Luc. 6, 38; cf. id. Matt. 7, 2.
Note: In pass. signif., to be measured: agri glebatim metiebantur, Lact. Mort. Persec. 23, 2: an sol pedis unius latitudine metiatur, Arn. 2, 86.
Part. perf.: mensus, a, um, measured off: mensa spatia conficere, Cic. N. D. 2, 27, 69.
As subst.: bene mensum dabo, good measure, Sen. Q. N. 4, 4, 1.