Lewis & Short

ad-mĭnistro, āvi, ātum, 1, v. a.

  1. I. Lit., to be near as an aid, to attend upon, to assist, to serve (ministrum esse ad aliquam rem): conductam esse eam, quae hic administraret ad rem divinam tibi, Plaut. Ep. 3, 3, 37: omnia per sacerdotes administrabuntur, Vulg. Num. 18, 7: David in sua generatione cum administrasset, ib. Act. 13, 36: mel ad principia convivii et in secundam mensam administratur, is served up, Varr. R. R. 3, 16, 5.
    Hence, with esp. ref. to the object,
  2. II. Fig., to take charge of, to manage, guide, administer, execute, accomplish, do, perform, etc. (the most usual signif. of this word; very freq. in Cic. and the histt.): a nobis omnia populi R. semper et belli adjumenta et pacis ornamenta administrata sunt, Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 47; so, provinciam, to govern, id. ib. 2, 4, 64: leges et judicia, id. Div. in Caecil. 22: rem publicam, id. Off. 1, 25; so Liv. 6, 6, 11; cf. Drak. Liv. 6, 6, 11: bellum, Cic. Imp. Pomp. 2; id. Div. 2, 36 (a military t. t.); cf. with exercitus, id. Inv. 1, 34, 58; Herz. ad Caes. B. G. 2, 20, and Cortius ad Sall. J. 92, 9; Caes. B. G. 5, 50; id. B. C. 1, 25, 26; Nep. Chabr. 2; id. Eum. 5 al.: rem familiarem, Cic. Inv. 1, 25: negotium alicujus, id. Fam. 13, 11: neque ab uno omnia imperia administrari poterant, be issued, given, Caes. B. G. 2, 22: classem, id. B. C. 3, 18: navem, to guide, steer, id. ib. 3, 14: legionarii, qui dextram partem operis administrabant, i. e. who conducted the siege on the right side, id. ib. 2, 8: illustriores legationes, Nep. Dion. 1: oppida et fines alicujus, Sall. J. 22; cf. also Suet. Caes. 76; id. Tib. 8; id. Vitell. 5; id. Vesp. 4; so absol. (the acc. must be supplied from that which precedes): neque administrandi (sc. navigium) neque repellendi facultas dabatur, Hirt. B. Al. 21: milites neque pro opere consistere neque inter vineas sine periculo administrare poterant, nor … pursue their work without peril, Sall. J. 92, 9: si celeriter administraverint (sc. hoc opus), Vitr. 1, 5, p. 19 Rod. (others translate administrare in this place, to put the hand to, to render service, to do one’s duty, etc.).
    Unus.: virtutem, innocentiam, diligentiam alicujus, to employ, Cato ap. Cic. Fam. 15, 5.