Lewis & Short

circum-scrībo, psi, ptum, 3, v. a.

  1. I. Prop., to draw a line around, to circumscribe, enclose in a circle (in good prose; very freq. in Cic.): orbem, Cic. Fin. 5, 8, 23: lineas extremas umbrae, Quint. 10, 2, 7: virgulā stantem, Cic. Phil. 8, 8, 23: virgā regem, Liv. 45, 12, 5: aeneā fibulā pars auriculae latissima circumscribitur, Col. 6, 5, 4: terram surculo heliotropii, Plin. 22, 21, 29, § 60.
  2. II. Trop.
    1. A. To draw a line as the circumference of a thing (cf. Quint. 12, 10, 5), i. e. to define, encompass, enclose, lim it, bound, circumscribe (syn.: definio, describo, termino): nullis ut terminis (orator) circumscribat aut definiat jus suum, Cic. de Or. 1, 16, 70; cf.: genus universum brevi circumscribi et definiri potest, id. Sest. 45, 97: exiguum nobis vitae curriculum natura circumscripsit, immensum gloriae, id. Rab. Perd. 10, 30: quibus regionibus vitae spatium circumscriptum est, id. Arch. 11, 29: ante enim circumscribitur mente sententia confestimque verba concurrunt, id. Or. 59, 200: locum habitandi alicui, id. Par. 2, 18: Oceanus undique circumscribit omnes terras et ambit, Gell. 12, 13, 20: uti mihi dicas et quasi circumscribas verbis, quid homo sit, id. 4, 1, 12.
    2. B. To bring within narrow bounds, i. e. to contract, hem in, circumscribe, to hinder free action, to restrain, confine, limit, etc. (syn.: claudo, includo, coërceo).
          1. (α) Esp., of the restrictions or hinderances imposed by one magistracy or authority upon another: Senatus credo praetorem eum circumscripsisset, Cic. Mil. 33, 88 (cf. just before: an consules in praetore coërcendo fortes fuissent), id. Att. 7, 9, 2; id. Phil. 13, 9, 19; Caes. B. C. 1, 32; Auct. ap. Quint. 9, 3, 72: ille se fluvio Rubicone et CC. milibus circumscriptum esse patiatur? Cic. Phil. 6, 3, 5: gulam et ventrem, Sen. Ep. 108, 14: circumscribere corpus et animo locum laxare, id. ib. 15, 2: laudes, id. Cons. ad Helv. 19, 7.
          2. (β) In gen.: uno genere genus hoc aratorum, to comprehend in one class, Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 61, § 149 Zumpt: totum Dionysium sex epitomis circumscripsit, abridged, Col. 1, 1, 10: ut luxuriam vilitate circumscribamus, Plin. 22, 2, 3, § 4.
      1. 2. In later medic. lang. circumscribi = minui, to abate, subside: gravedo circumscribitur, Cael. Aur. Tard. 5, 10; so id. Acut. 2, 10 fin.
    3. C. To encircle or go around by writing = scribendo circumdare, i. e. to deceive, cheat, circumvent, entrap, insnare (syn.: circumvenio, decipio): fallacibus et captiosis interrogationibus circumscripti atque decepti, Cic. Ac. 2, 15, 46; Plin. 7, 40, 41, § 131; 33, 3, 14, § 48: non circumscribetur, qui ita se gesserit, ut dicat, etc., will not be deceived, i. e. will commit no error, Sen. Q. N. 5, 1, 3; id. Ep. 82, 19.
      1. 2. In mercantile lang., to deprive of money, to overreach, defraud: adulescentulos, Cic. Phil. 14, 3, 7; Juv. 10, 222; 14, 237: ab Roscio HS. IↃↃↃ. circumscriptus, Cic. Rosc. Com. 8, 24: vectigalia, to embezzle, Quint. Decl. 340.
      2. 3. In law, to defeat the purpose of a law, a will, etc., by a forced or too literal interpretation: legem, Dig. 4, 3, 18 fin.: ita circumscripto testamento, Plin. Ep. 8, 18, 4; Front. Aquaed. 112: constitutiones, Lact. de Ira Dei, 8.
      3. 4. Of circumlocution, to involve in language: oratio rem simplicem circumscribens elocutione, Auct. Her. 4, 32, 43; cf.: facetis jocis sacrilegium circumscribens, covering, Just. 39, 2, 5.
    4. D. To cancel; to declare invalid, to annul, invalidate, void, set aside (cf. circumduco, II. D.): hoc omni tempore Sullano ex accusatione circumscripto, Cic. Verr. 2, 1, 16, § 43 (sublato, circumducto, praetermisso, Ascon.): circumscriptis igitur iis seutentiis, quas posui, etc., id. Fin. 3, 9, 31.
      Hence, circumscriptus, a, um, P. a.
      1. 1. (Acc. to II. A.) In rhet., rounded into periods, periodic: circumscripti verborum ambitus, Cic. Or. 12, 38; cf. Auct. Her. 4, 32, 43; Quint. 12, 10, 5, and v. circumscriptio.
        Adv.: circum-scriptē, in periods: circumscripte numeroseque dicere, Cic. Or. 66, 221: circumscripte complecti singulas res. id. N. D. 2, 59, 147.
      2. 2. (Acc. to II. B.) Restricted, limited: brevis et circumscripta quaedam explicatio, Cic. de Or. 1, 42, 189: (vis orationis) pressior et circumscriptior et adductior, Plin. Ep. 1, 16, 4.
        Adv.: circum-scriptē, summarily: circumscripte et breviter ostendere, Lact. 5, 14, 8; 5, 9, 20.
        Sup. of the adj., and comp. and sup. of the adv. not in use.