Lewis & Short

oppōno (obp-), pŏsŭi (in Plaut pŏsīvi), sĭtum, 3 (sync.: oppostus for oppositus, Lucr. 4, 150), v. a. [ob-pono], to set or place against, to set or station before or opposite, to oppose (class., cf.: obicio, offero, adversor).

  1. I. Lit.
    1. A. In gen.: se venientibus in itinere, Caes. B. C 3, 30: huic equites, id. ib. 3, 75: turrim ad introitum portūs, id. ib. 3, 39: armatos homines ad omnes introitus. Cic. Caecin. 8, 27: Eumenem adversariis, Nep. Eum. 3, 2: (Hannibali) opposuit natura Alpemque nivemque, Juv 10, 152.
      To place or put before, to hold before: ante oculos opposuit manum, Ov F. 4, 178: oculis manūs, id. ib. 3, 46: manum fronti, id. M. 2, 276: gallinae se opponant (pullis), Cic. N. D. 2, 52, 130: foramini oculos, to keep before the opening, Petr. 96: eos opponi omnibus contionibus auctores ad perniciem meam, represented, held up as, Cic. Sest. 19, 42: licet antestari? ego vero Oppono auriculam, offer, present, Hor. S. 1, 9, 76: oppositas habere fores, i. e. closed, Ov. H. 17, 8.
      To apply, as a remedy: brassicam, Cato, R. R. 157.
    2. B. In partic., to set against as a pledge, to pledge, wager, mortgage: pono pallium: ille suum anulum opposivit, Plaut. Curc. 2, 3, 77: potes mutuam drachumam me dare? Ps. Vix hercle opino, etsi me opponam pignori, id. Ps. 1, 1, 84: ager oppositus est, pignori ob decem minas, Ter. Phorm. 4, 3, 56; Vulg. 2 Esdr. 5, 3.
      So, with a play upon both meanings: villula nostra non ad Austri flatus opposita est, verum ad milia quindecim, mortgaged, Cat. 26, 1 sq.
    3. C. To expose, lay bare or open, abandon: opponere se periculis pro re publicā, Cic. Balb. 10, 26: Saguntinis pro nudatā moenibus patriā corpora opponentibus, Liv. 21, 8: nudatas radices hiberno frigori, Plin. 17, 28, 47, § 262.
  2. II. Trop.
    1. A. In gen., to set before, bring forward, set before the eyes or mind, to oppose, adduce, allege: pericula intendantur, formidines opponantur, Cic. Quint. 14, 47: ut ante occupet (orator), quod videat opponi, id. Or. 40, 138; id. Top. 24, 92; 25, 96: auctoritatem suam, id. Ac. 2, 20, 64: his quattuor causis totidem medicinae opponuntur, id. de Or. 2, 83, 339: opposuisti semel Ciceronis nostri valetudinem: conticui, id. Q. Fr. 2, 8 (10), 1: muri causam, id. Off. 3, 10, 41.
    2. B. In partic.
      1. 1. To speak against, oppose, object, reply, adduce in contradiction: quid opponas, si negem, Cic. Phil. 2, 4, 8: non minorem auctoritatem, id. Ac. 2, 20, 6: iis opposuit sese Socrates, id. Brut. 8, 31: quid habes quod mihi opponas? id. Phil. 2, 4, 8 sq.: ut opponeret Stoicis, summum bonum esse frui iis rebus, id. Ac. 2, 42, 131.
      2. 2. To set against, oppose, by way of comparison: multis secundis proeliis unum adversum, et id mediocre, opponerent, Caes. B. C. 3, 73; Phaedr. Epil. 2: rationibus labores, Cic. Rep. 1, 3, 4: quotiens quis dixerit, occidit Alexander Persarum multa milia, opponetur et Callisthenem, Sen. Q. N. 6, 23, 2; id. Ep. 117, 5; 118, 8 sq.; cf.: felicia tempora, quae te Moribus opponunt! Juv. 2, 39.
    3. C. Jusjurandum alicui, to impose an oath on one, Dig. 37, 14, 6.
      Hence. oppŏsĭtus, a, um, P a., placed or standing against or opposite, lying over against, opposed to, opposite (class.): moles oppositae fluctibus, Cic. Off. 2, 4, 14: luna opposita soli, id. Div. 2, 6, 17: oppositam petens contra Zancleia saxa Rhegion, Ov. M. 14, 47.
      Trop.: Narbo propugnaculum istis ipsis nationibus oppositum, Cic. Font. 1, 3.
      1. 2. Subst.: oppŏsĭta, ōrum, n. plur., opposite, i. e. contradictory propositions, opposites (postclass.): opposita (ἀντικείμενα Graeci dicunt), Geil. 16, 8, 13.