Lewis & Short

ostendo, di, sum, and tum (ostensus, Varr. ap. Prisc. p. 892 P.; Luc. 2, 192: ostentus, Att. ap. Cic. Div. 1, 22, 45; Pac. and Varr. ap. Prisc. l. l.; Tac. H. 1, 78: ostensurus, Suet. Ner. 13; App. ap. Prisc. p. 892 P.: ostenturus, Cato, Or. 52, 2; v. also the apoc. form: ostende ostendam, ut permultis aliis exemplis ejus generis manifestum est, Paul. ex Fest. p. 201 Müll.; perh. used by Cato, v. Müll. ad loc., and cf. the letter E), v. a. [obs-tendo], to stretch out or spread before one; hence, to expose to view, to show, exhibit, display (syn.: monstro, exhibeo).

  1. I. Lit.
    1. A. In gen.
      1. 1. Ostendo manus, Plaut. Ep. 5, 2, 17: os suum populo Romano ostendere audet, Cic. Verr. 2, 1, 1, § 1: pectora, Sil. 2, 669: umeros, Verg. A. 5, 376: dentem, Suet. Vesp. 5: se, to show one’s self, appear, Ter. Hec. 4, 4, 5: aciem, to display, Liv. 29, 7: equites sese ostendunt, show themselves, appear, Caes. B. C. 1, 63.
      2. 2. Transf.: vocem, to make heard, Phaedr. 1, 13, 9.
    2. B. In partic., to lay open, expose (poet.): Aquiloni glaebas, Verg. G. 2, 261: lucos Phoebo, Stat. Th. 6, 90: ager qui soli ostentus erit, Cato, R. R. 6, 2.
  2. II. Trop.
    1. A. In gen., to show, disclose, exhibit, manifest: ille dies cum gloriā maximā sese nobis ostendat, Enn. ap. Prisc. p. 880 P. (Ann. v. 384 Vahl.): non ego illi extemplo ita meum ostendam sensum, Plaut. Most. 5, 1, 21: verum hoc facto sese ostendit, he has exposed himself, id. As. 5, 2, 12: sententiam, Ter. Heaut. 2, 1, 7: potestatem, id. Eun. 5, 8, 3: spem, metum, i. e. to promise, threaten, Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 34, § 75 et saep.
      With two acc.: aliquem nocentem, Plin. Ep. 3, 9, 2; cf. Tit. ap. Gell. 2, 27, 5.
      Mid., to show itself, appear: nisi cum major spes ostenderetur, Suet. Aug. 25.
    2. B. In partic.
      1. 1. To show, express, indicate by speech or signs; to give to understand, to declare, say, tell, make known, etc. (syn.: indico, declaro, significo).
        With acc.: illud ostendit, Cic. Att. 1, 1, 4.
        With obj.- or rel.-clause: ostendit se cum rege colloqui velle, Nep. Con. 3, 2: quid sui consilii sit, ostendit, Caes. B. G. 1, 21; cf. id. ib. 5, 2, 3.
        Absol.: ut ostendimus supra, as we showed above, Nep. Ages. 1, 5: sed aliter, atque ostenderam, facio, Cic. Fam. 2, 3, 2: signum est per quod ostenditur idonea perficiendi facultas esse quaesita, Auct. Her. 2, 4, 6: primum ostendendum est, id. ib. 2, 16, 23.
      2. 2. To hold up conspicuously, flourish (ironically): sed quaedam mihi magnifica et praeclara ejus defensio ostenditur, Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 1, § 1.
        Hence, osten-tus, a, um, P. a.
    1. A. Exposed (ante-class.): ager soli ostentus, Cato, R. R. 6, 2; so id. ib. 6, 4; Varr. R. R. 1, 24, 1; 1, 25.
    2. B. Subst.: ostentum, i, n.
      1. 1. Lit., a prodigy, wonder, that announces something about to happen, a portent (class.; syn.: monstrum, portentum): praedictiones vero et praesensiones rerum futurarum quid aliud declarant, nisi hominibus ea, quae futura sunt, ostendi, monstrari, portendi, praedici? ex quo illa ostenta, monstra, portenta, prodigia dicuntur, Cic. N. D. 2, 3, 7; cf. id. Div. 1, 42, 93; id. Verr. 2, 4, 49, § 108; Suet. Caes. 32.
      2. 2. Transf., a wondrous thing, prodigy: scis Appium ostenta facere, Cael. ap. Cic. Fam. 8, 14, 4: ostenti prorsus genus, Just. 10, 1, 6.