Lewis & Short

orno, āvi, ātum, 1 (old form of the perf. ORNAVET, Column. Rostr.; v. infra), v. a. [perh. root var-, cover; Sanscr. varna-, color], to fit out, furnish, provide with necessaries; to equip, to get ready, prepare (class.; syn. exorno, concinno).

  1. I. In gen.: age nunc, orna te, Plaut. Ep. 2, 2, 10: prandium domi, id. Rud. 1, 2, 53: ornatur ferro Enn. ap. Gell. 16, 10 (Ann. v. 190 Vahl.): aliquem armis, Verg. A. 12, 344: decemviros apparitoribus, scribis, librariis, praeconibus, architectis, praeterea mulis, tabernaculis, centuriis, supellectili, Cic. Agr. 2, 13, 32: aliquem pecuniā, Plin. Ep. 3, 21, 3: CLASESQVE-NAVALES-PRIMOS-ORNAVET, fitted out, Column. Rostr.: maximas classes, Cic. Imp. Pomp. 4, 9; cf. Liv. 9, 30: naves, id. 40, 26: convivium, Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 20, § 44: copias omnibus rebus, id. Imp. Pomp. 8, 20: provincias, to furnish money, arms, and attendants to governors setting out for their provinces, id. Att. 3, 24, 1; id. ib. 4, 18, 2; Liv. 40, 36, 5; so, consules, id. ib.
    Hence, to trim, provide with oil: lampades, Vulg. Matt. 25, 7.
  2. II. In partic., to ornament, adorn, embellish, deck, set off.
    1. A. Lit.: Italiam ornare quam domum suam, maluit: quamquam, Italiā ornatā, domus ipsa mihi videtur ornatior, Cic. Off. 2, 22, 76: scuta ad forum ornandum, Liv. 9, 40: cornua sertis, Verg. A. 7, 488: monilia collum, Ov. M. 5, 52.
      Of dressing the hair, Ov. Am. 1, 14, 5: capillos, id. ib. 2, 7, 23; Prop. 1, 2, 1.
    2. B. Trop., to adorn, decorate, set off; to commend, praise, extol; to honor, show honor to, distinguish: aliquid magnificentius augere atque ornare, Cic. de Or. 1, 21, 94: seditiones ipsas, id. ib. 2, 28, 124: aliquem suis sententiis, id. Fam. 15, 4, 11: dicere, laudandum adulescentem, ornandum, tollendum, Brut. ap. Cic. Fam. 11, 20, 1: civitatem omnibus rebus, Caes. B. G. 7, 33: aliquem maximis beneficiis, Cic. Att. 6, 1, 5: aliquem laudibus, id. Phil. 2, 11, 25: egressum alicujus frequentiā suā, id. Pis. 13, 31: candidatum suffragio, Plin. Ep. 2, 1, 8: aliquem ornare, to bestow honor upon, advance to honor, Cic. Fam. 1, 1: hederā poëtam, Verg. E. 7, 25.
      Ironically: ornatus esses, would have been rewarded, Ter. Ad. 2, 1, 22.
      Hence, ornātus, a, um, P. a.
    1. A. Fitted out, furnished, provided with necessaries, equipped, accoutred, splendidly furnished (class.; syn.: instructus, praeditus): sapiens plurimis artibus instructus et ornatus, Cic. Fin. 2, 34, 112: scutis telisque parati ornatique, id. Caecin. 21, 60: equus ornatus, Liv. 27, 19: elephantus, Nep. Hann. 3, 4: naves paratissimae, atque omni genere armorum ornatissimae, Caes. B. G. 3, 14: fundus, Cic. Quint. 31, 98: Graecia copiis non instructa solum, sed etiam ornata, not provided merely, but also splendidly furnished, id. Phil. 10, 4, 9.
      Transf.: ingenio bono, Plaut. Poen. 1, 2, 89.
    2. B. In partic., ornamented, adorned, decked, decorated, embellished, handsome, ornate: sepulcrum floribus ornatum, Cic. Fl. 38, 95.
      Comp.: nihil ornatius, Cic. Sen. 16, 57.
      Esp., adorned with all good qualities, excellent, distinguished, eminent, illustrious: lectissimus atque ornatissimus adulescens, Cic. Div. in Caecil. 9, 29: in dicendo, id. de Or. 1, 10, 42; id. ib. 1, 11, 49: homo ornatissimus loco, ordine, nomine, virtute, ingenio, copiis, honored, respected, id. Verr. 2, 1, 48, § 127: ornati elaboratique versus, embellished, id. Or. 11, 36: oratio, id. de Or. 1, 12, 50: locus ad dicendum ornatissimus, admirably adapted, id. Imp. Pomp. 1, 1.
      Hence, adv.: ornātē, with ornament, ornamentally, ornately, elegantly (class.): dicere, Cic. de Or. 3, 14, 53: apte, distincte, ornate dicere, id. Off. 1, 1, 2.
      Comp.: causas agere ornatius, Cic. Fam. 9, 21, 1.
      Sup.: causam ornatissime et copiosissime defendere, Cic. Brut. 5, 21.