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ambi- (ambe-, Varr. L. L. 7, § 30 Müll.); abbrev. amb-, am-, an-.

  1. I. Insepar. prep. [Osc. amfr-; Umbr. am-, an-, ampr-; Gr. ἀμφί; old Sax. umbi; old Germ. umpi; mod. Germ. um = around; Sanscr. abhi = around], around, round about; used only in composition; before vowels usually amb-: ambages, ambedo, ambigo, ambio, amburo; but amicio (for amjicio); once also amp-: ampulla; before consonants, ambi-: ambidens, ambifariam, ambivium; am-: amplector, amputo, amsegetes, amtermini; or amp-: ampsanctus; but before c, q, h, f, t, an-: anceps, ancisus, anquiro, anhelo (q. v.), anhelus, anfractus, etc.
  2. II. Also am, an, arch. prep., round, around: am fines, am segetes, Charis. 2, p. 205 P.: an terminum, Cato, Orig. ap. Macr. 1, 14, 5; cf. Schneid. Gr. I. p. 535 sq.; Kühner, Ausf. Gr. § 210, 8; Hand, Turs. I. pp. 284 sq.

‡ ambĭ-dens, a sheep which has both upper and lower teeth, Paul. ex Fest. p. 4 Müll.

* ambĭenter, adv. [as if from ambiens, which is not in use], with zeal, eagerly: expetere, Sid. Ep. 7, 9.

ambĭfārĭam, adv., v. the foll. fin.

ambĭ-fārĭus, a, um, adj. [cf. the Gr. δι-φάσιος, τρι-φάσιος, and v. aliquot-fariam], that has two sides, of double meaning, ambiguous (only post-class.): fabulae, Arn. p. 181: obtentio, id. p. 182.
Hence,

    1. 1. * ambĭfārĭē, adv., ambiguously, Mamert. Stat. Anim. 1, 3.
    2. 2. ambĭfārĭ-am, adv. (orig. acc. fem. sc. partem), on two sides, in two ways, ambiguously, = in utramque partem, App. Flor. 4, 18, p. 360, 25; so id. Mag. p. 276, 2.

ambĭ-formĭter, adv. [forma], = ambigue, ambifarie, ambiguously, Arn. p. 183.

ambīgă, ae, f. [ἄμβιξ, ῖκος], the cap of a still (post-class.), Apic. 6, 7; in Cael. Aur. Tard. 4, 7, it is written as Greek.

amb-ĭgo, ĕre (perf. tense not used), v. n. [ago].

  1. I. Lit., to go about or around: ambigens patriam et declinans, Tac. A. 6, 15 fin.
  2. II. Trop., to wander about; to waver, hesitate, be undecided, to doubt, be in suspense (syn. dubito; class., but mostly in prose).
    In this sense in Cic. either impers. or pass.
        1. a. Impers.: Quale quid sit, ambigitur, is uncertain, Cic. de Or. 2, 26: omnis res eandem habet naturam ambigendi, de quā disceptari potest, i. e. admits of arguments for and against, id. ib. 3, 29: ambigitur, quotiens uter utro sit prior, Hor. Ep. 2, 1, 55: de nomine ipso ambigi video, Plin. 33, 1, 4, § 10: adspici aliquando eam volucrem, non ambigitur, it cannot be doubted, Tac. A. 6, 28.
        2. b. Personal: cui rei primum occurreret, ambigebat, Just. 29, 4: Alexandrum regnum Asiae occupaturum haud ambigere, Curt. 3, 3; Tac. A. 12, 65: causa, de quā tu ambigis, Gell. 14, 2: ambigebant de illis, Vulg. Act. 5, 24.
        3. c. Pass.: ambigitur status, in quo etc., Lucr. 3, 1074: in eo jure, quod ambigitur inter peritissimos, of which there is a doubt, Cic. de Or. 1, 57; 2, 24: in eis causis, quae propter scriptum ambiguntur, id. ib. 2, 26.
  3. III. Transf.
    1. A. To argue, debate about something: ut inter eos, qui ambigunt, conveniat, quid sit id, de quo agatur, Cic. Fin. 2, 2: ambigere de vero, id. Or. 36.
    2. B. To contend, dispute, wrangle, etc.: vicini nostri ambigunt de finibus, * Ter. Heaut. 3, 1, 90: ambigunt agnati cum eo, qui est heres, Cic. Inv. 2, 42: de fundo, id. Caecin. 8: de hereditate, id. Verr. 2, 1, 45: de regno, Liv. 40, 15.

ambĭgŭē, adv., v. ambiguus fin.

ambĭgŭĭtas, ātis, f. [ambiguus], equivocalness, double sense, ambiguity, uncertainty: sed nobis ambiguitas nominis, Cic. Inv. 1, 40: verbi, Liv. 41, 18: in ambiguitatem incidere, Sen. Ep. 9; so Quint. 5, 10, 106; 6, 3, 47; 7, 9, 3: omne quod (vir) loquitur, sine ambiguitate venit, cometh to pass without uncertainty, surely, * Vulg. 1 Reg. 9, 6 al.
In plur.: relictis ambiguitatibus, Sen. Ep. 108; Quint. 1, 10, 5.

ambĭgŭus, a, um, adj. [ambigo], going about, hither and thither.

  1. I. Lit.: per ambiguum favorem gratiam victoris spectare, i. e. in that they show equal friendliness to both sides, Liv. 21, 52: ambiguus Proteus, who sometimes takes one form, sometimes another, changeable, Ov. M. 2, 9: ambiguus fuerit, modo vir, modo femina, Scython, id. ib. 4, 280: Inque virum soliti vultus mutare ferinos Ambigui prosecta lupi, they sometimes assume the form of a wolf and sometimes that of a man, id. ib. 7, 271: promisit Ambiguam Salamina, h. l. = alteram, a second Salamis, Hor. C. 1, 7, 29.
  2. II. Transf.
    1. A. Uncertain, doubtful (syn.: dubius, incertus): ambiguum est quod in ambas agi partes animo potest. Hujusmodi apud Graecos ἀμφίβολα dicuntur, Paul. ex Fest. p. 17 Müll.: quidquid incerti mihi in animo prius aut ambiguom fuit, Nunc liquet, nunc defaecatum est, Plaut. Ps. 2, 4, 69: etiam si dudum fuerat ambiguom hoc mihi, * Ter. Hec. 4, 4, 26: difficile et ambiguum, Vulg. Deut. 17, 8: haud ambiguus rex, i. e. sine dubio rex futurus, Liv. 40, 8.
      Subst.: ambĭgŭum, i, n., doubt, uncertainty: in ambiguo est, Plaut. Trin. 2, 4, 193: in ambiguo relinquere, Lucr. 4, 1133: non habui ambiguum, Brut. ap. Cic. Fam. 11, 11: servet in ambiguo Juppiter, Hor. Ep. 1, 16, 28: non sane alias magis in ambiguo Britannia fuit, Tac. Agr. 5.
      Also in acc. absol. in the Gr. manner: Ambiguum Clymene precibus Phaëthontis an irā Mota magis, it being uncertain whether, etc., Ov. M. 1, 765 (so, incertum, Tac. Agr. 7: dubium, id. A. 1, 5).
    2. B. Of discourse, obscure, dark, ambiguous: scriptum, Cic. Top. 25: verba ambigua distinximus, id. Or. 29, 102: oracula, id. Div. 2, 56: responsa, Suet. Tib. 24: divinatio, Vulg. Ezech. 12, 24.
      Subst.: ambĭgŭum, i, n., an obscure, dark saying: ambiguorum complura sunt genera, Cic. de Or. 2, 26, 111; 2, 61, 250; Auct. ad Her. 1, 6; 1, 12 al.: voces, Verg. A. 2, 98.
    3. C. Trop., uncertain, wavering; not to be relied on, untrustworthy.
      So of moral conduct: esse ambiguā fide, Liv. 6, 2: puer acris ingenii sed ambigui, Plin. Ep. 4, 2: femina bonis atque honestis moribus, non ambiguā pudicitiā, Gell. 3, 16: per ambiguas vias, Ov. H. 10, 62: domum timet ambiguam Tyriosque bilinguis, Verg. A 1, 661.
      Of fortune, changing, fluctuating: ambiguarum rerum sciens, Tac. A. 1, 64.
      Note: In Tac. with gen.: ambiguus imperandi, irresolute, Tac. A. 1, 7: pudoris ac metus, wavering between shame and fear, id. ib. 2, 40: futuri, id. H. 3, 43.
      Adv.: ambĭguē, doubtfully, ambiguously, Cic. de Or. 2, 26; id. N. D. 1, 31; Aur. Vict. 35: pugnare, with doubtful success, Tac. A. 2, 21 al.

amb-ĭo, īvi, and ii, ītum, 4, v.n. and a. (although from the root eo, it is regularly conjugated throughout; hence part. perf. ambītus; but ambitio and 2. ambĭtus follow the quantity of the simple verb, eo, ĭtum; in the imperf. ambiebat; also ambibat, Ov. M. 5, 361; cf. Prisc. p. 910 P.; Zumpt, Gram. § 215).

  1. I. Lit.: aliquid, to go round or about a thing (syn. circumeo): ut terram lunae cursus proxime ambiret, Cic. Tim. 9: ambibat Siculae cautus fundamina terrae, Ov. M. 5, 361: jubet urbem ambiri, Luc. 1, 592.
  2. II. Transf.
    1. A. To surround, encircle, encompass (syn.: circumdo, cingo): insula, quam amnis Euphrates ambiebat, Vell. 2, 101: ambitae litora terrae, Ov. M. 1, 37: Thracam nec purior ambiat Hebrus, Hor. Ep. 1, 16, 13; Verg. A. 6, 550 (cf. Sen. Ben. 4, 5: flumina campos cingentia; v. ambitus, I.): funiculus ambiebat gyrum ejus, Vulg. 2 Par. 4, 2: muros praealtum mare ambiebat, Curt. 4, 2; so Tac. A. 1, 68; 15, 43; Suet. Aug. 95: (clipei) oras ambiit auro, Verg. A. 10, 243: ambiente (gemmam) circulo coloris aurei, Plin. 37, 10, 60, § 166: Judam suo ambiebat exercitu, Vulg. 2 Par. 13, 13.
    2. B. T. t. to designate the manner in which candidates for office sought to procure votes (v. ambitio), to go round after, to solicit, canvass for votes (syn. peto): virtute ambire oportet, non fautoribus, Plaut. Am. prol. 18: quod si comitia placet in senatu habere, petamus, ambiamus, Cic. Phil. 11, 8: ambiuntur, rogantur, id. Rep. 1, 31; id. Planc. 4: singulos ex senatu ambiundo nitebantur, ne etc., Sall. J. 13, 8.
      With acc. of the office: magistratum sibi, Plaut. Am. prol. 74.
    3. C. In gen., to solicit one for something, for his favor, friendship, etc., to strive for, seek to gain (syn.: peto, sector): qui ambīssent palmam histrionibus, Plaut. Am. prol. 69: nisi senis amicos oras, ambis, * Ter. And. 2, 2, 36: reginam ambire affatu, Verg. A. 4, 284: conubiis ambire Latinum, id. ib. 7, 333: te pauper ambit sollicitā prece Ruris colonus, Hor. C. 1, 35, 5: ambiebat Jason summum sacerdotium, Vulg. 2 Macc. 4, 7.
      With ut or ne: ambienti, ut legibus solveretur, Suet. Caes. 18: ambirent multi, ne filias in sortem darent, id. Aug. 31.
      With inf.: donec ultro ambiretur consulatum accipere, Tac. A. 2, 43: pauci, qui ob nobilitatem plurimis nuptiis ambiuntur, Tac. G. 18.

Ambiŏrix, ĭgis, m., chief of the Eburones in Gallia Belgica, Caes. B. G. 5, 26 sq., 5, 38 sq.; Flor. 3, 10.

ambĭtĭo, ōnis, f. [ambio], a going round.

  1. I. In the time of the republic, t. t. (v. ambio, II. B.), the going about of candidates for office in Rome, and the soliciting of individual citizens for their vote, a canvassing, suing for office (by just and lawful means; while ambitus denotes unlawful means, as bribery, threats, etc.): quid de nostris ambitionibus loquar? Cic. Tusc. 2, 26, 62: mea me ambitio ab omni illā cogitatione abstrahebat, id. Sull. 4: cum ambitionis nostrae tempora postulabant, id. Planc. 18, 45: si infinitus forensium rerum labor et ambitionis occupatio decursu honorum etiam aetatis flexu constitisset, id. de Or. 1, 1, 1: hic magistratus a populo summā ambitione contenditur, id. Verr. 2, 53, 131: tanta exarsit ambitio, ut primores civitatis prensarent homines, Liv. 3, 35, 1 et saep.
  2. II.
    1. A. In gen., a striving for one’s favor or good-will; an excessive desire to please, flattery, adulation: ambitione labi, Cic. Brut. 69, 244: sive aliquā suspitione sive ambitione adducti, id. Clu. 28, 76: in Scipione ambitio major, vita tristior, id. Off. 1, 30, 108 Heus., Beier, and Gernh.: Dionysius Platonem magnā ambitione Syracusas perduxit, in an ostentatious manner, for the purpose of securing his favor, Nep. Dion, 2, 2 Br. and Dähn.: ambitio (i.e. studium Fabiis placendi) obstabat, Liv. 5, 36: ambitione relegatā, without flattery, Hor. S. 1, 10, 84: ambitionem scriptoris facile averseris, obtrectatio et livor pronis auribus accipiuntur, Tac. H. 1, 1: nullo officii aut ambitionis genere omisso, i.e. nullis blanditiis, Suet. Oth. 4: coronas quam parcissime et sine ambitione tribuit, id. Aug. 25 et saep.
      Hence, also partiality: jus sibi per ambitionem dictum non esse, Liv. 3, 47.
    2. B. With the predom. idea of the purpose or end, a desire for honor, popularity, power, display, etc.; in bon. part., ambition; in mal. part., vanity.
      So in Lucr. of the ambitious efforts of men: Angustum per iter luctantes ambitionis, struggling to press through the narrow way of ambition, Lucr. 5, 1132: me ambitio quaedam ad honorum studium duxit, Cic. Att. 1, 17: Miserrima omnino est ambitio honorumque contentio, id. Off. 1, 25: a quo incepto studioque me ambitio mala detinuerat, Sall. C. 4, 2: aut ab avaritiā aut miserā ambitione laborat, Hor. S. 1, 4, 26: Vitā solutorum miserā ambitione gravique, id. ib. 1, 6, 129; so id. ib. 2, 3, 78; 2, 6, 18: inanis, id. Ep. 2, 2, 207: levis, Ov. F. 1, 103 al.: licet ipsa vitium sit ambitio, tamen frequenter causa virtutum est, Quint. 1, 2, 22: perversa, id. 10, 7, 20: funerum nulla ambitio, no display, pomp, Tac. G. 27.
    3. C. Great exertion: cum admitti magnā ambitione aegre obtinuisset, Just. 1, 3.
    4. D. That which surrounds (v. ambio, 2.; postclass. for ambitus): vimineos alveos circumdant ambitione tergorum bubulorum, with a wrapping of cowhide, Sol. 22: fuliginem ambitio extimae cutis cohibet, id. 35: ita assedimus, ut me ex tribus medium lateris ambitione protegerent, Min. Oct. 4.

ambĭtĭōsus, a, um, adj. [ambitio].

  1. I. (Very rare and mostly poet.) Going round, encompassing; poet., embracing, twining round: lascivis hederis ambitiosior, Hor. C. 1, 36, 20 (cf.: undique ambientibus ramis, Curt. 4, 7, 16).
    Of a river, making circuits, having many windings: Jordanes amnis ambitiosus, Plin. 5, 15, 15, § 71.
    Of oratorical ornament, excessive, superfluous: vir bonus ambitiosa recidet Ornamenta, Hor. A. P. 447.
  2. II. Transf.
    1. A. That asks for a thing fawningly; esp., that solicits the favor, good-will, etc., of any one, in a good and bad sense, honor-loving, ambitious, courting favor; vain, vainglorious, conceited, etc.: qui ita sit ambitiosus, ut omnes vos nosque cotidie persalutet, Cic. Fl. 18: homo minime ambitiosus, minime in rogando molestus, id. Fam. 13, 1: ne forte me in Graecos tam ambitiosum factum esse mirere, desirous of the favor of the Greeks, id. Q. Fr. 1, 2, 2: pro nostris ut sis ambitiosa malis, Ov P. 3, 1, 84: pro nato caerula mater Ambitiosa suo fuit, i.e. begs fawningly of Vulcan for weapons for her son, id. M. 13, 289: malis artibus ambitiosus, seeking to ingratiate one’s self, Tac. H. 2, 57: salubris magis princeps quam ambitiosus, Suet. Aug. 42 al.
    2. B. Pass., that is willingly solicited or entreated, ambitious; much sought, honored, admired: ambitiosus et qui ambit et qui ambitur, Gell. 9, 12: turba caelestes ambitiosa sumus, Ov. F. 5, 298: sexus muliebris saevus, ambitiosus, potestatis avidus, Tac. A. 3, 33: si locuples hostis est, avari; si pauper, ambitiosi, id. Agr. 30: nota quidem sed non ambitiosa domus, not sought after, Ov. Tr. 1, 9, 18 Jahn: ambitiosae pulchritudinis scortum. Just. 30, 2.
    3. C. Of things, vain, ostentatious: amicitiae, founded merely on the desire to please, interested, Cic. Att. 1, 18: rogationes, id. Fam. 6, 12; so id. ib. 6, 6: gloriandi genus, Quint. 11, 1, 22: preces, urgent, Tac. H. 2, 49: sententiae, Suet. Dom. 8: mors, ambitious, i. e. to obtain fame, Tac. Agr. 42: medicina ars, boastful, Plin. 29, 1, 8, § 20: et quaesitorum pelago terrāque ciborum Ambitiosa fames, Luc. 4, 376: atria, splendid, gorgeous, Mart. 12, 69: ambitiosis utilia praeferre, Quint. 1, 2, 27: ambitiosius id existimans quam domi suae majestas postularet, more condescending, submissive, Suet. Aug. 25.
    4. D. In rhet.: orator ambitiosus, who seeks to rouse attention by obsolete or unusual expressions: antigerio nemo nisi ambitiosus utetur, Quint. 8, 3, 26.
      Hence, adv.: ambĭtĭōsē, ambitiously, ostentatiously, etc.: de triumpho ambitiose agere, Cic. Att. 15, 1: ambitiose regnum petere, Liv. 1, 35: amicitias ambitiose colere, Tac. H. 1, 10 al.
      Comp., Cic. Fam. 3, 7.
      Sup., Quint. 6, 3, 68.

ambītor, ōris, m. [ambio].

  1. I. Lit., a candidate (post-class.), Lampr. Alex. Sev. 28.
  2. II. Trop.: aeternae laudis, Paul. Nol. Ep. 13, 16.

ambĭtūdo, ĭnis, f. [2. ambitus], period of revolution: reditūs, App. Trism. 31, p. 258.

Ambitŭi, ōrum, m., a people in Galatia, Plin. 5, 32, 42, § 146.

1. ambītus, a, um, Part. of ambio.

2. ambĭtus, ūs, m. [ambio].

  1. I. Lit. A going round, a moving round about, a revolution: cum se octo ambitus ad idem caput rettulerint, Cic. Tim. 9: aquae per amoenos ambitus agros, Hor. A. P. 17 (cf. ambio, II. A.): alligata mutuo ambitu (i. e. amplexu) corpora, Petr. 132: ambitu breviore luna currit quam sol, Plin. 2, 23, 21, § 86: saeculorum, Tac. A. 6, 28: verborum (i. e. ambages), Suet. Tib. 71.
  2. II. Transf.
    1. A. Abstr. pro concr., a circuit, circle, circumference, periphery, edge of a circular object: ambitus parmae, Plin. 36, 5, 4, § 4: folia ambitu serrato, id. 25, 6, 30, § 66: castra lato ambitu, Tac. A. 1, 61; 4, 49: ambitus lacus, Suet. Claud. 21.
      Trop., of discourse, periphrasis, circumlocution, = ambages: multos circa unam rem ambitus facere, Liv. 27, 27.
      Hence, the open space left round a house: ambitus est quod circumeundo teritur, Varr. L. L. 5, § 22 Müll.: P. Scaevola id solum esse ambitus aedium dixerit, quo etc., Cic. Top. 4: ambitus proprie dicitur inter vicinorum aedificia locus duorum pedum et semipedis ad circumeundi facultatem relictus, Paul. ex Fest. p. 16 Müll.
      Also, the small space around sepulchres, Dig. 47, 12, 5.
    2. B. An unlawful striving for posts of honor, or canvassing for office; esp. by bribery (cf. ambitio, I.), prohibited by the Lex Calpurnia, Caecilia, Fabia, Julia, Licinia, Tullia de ambitu, against bribery, corruption, etc.: legem ambitus flagitāsti, Cic. Mur. 23: punire ambitum, id. ib. 32, 67; cf. Sall. C. 18, 2 Kritz: accusare aliquem ambitus, Cic. Clu. 41: deferre nomen alicujus de ambitu, id. Cael. 31: interrogare aliquem legibus ambitus, Sall. C. 18, 2: damnatus ambitus, Cic. Clu. 41: condemnare de ambitu, Suet. Caes. 41 al.: effusae ambitus largitiones, Nep. Att. 6.
    3. C. In gen., the desire to make a display, ostentation, vanity, show, parade: relinque ambitum: tumida res est vana, ventosa, Sen. Ep. 84: proprius quidam intellegendi ambitus, Quint. 12, 10, 3.
      Of speech, bombastic fulness, parade: imagine et ambitu rerum, Quint. 10, 1, 16 Fr.; id. Decl. 4 fin.
    4. D. In rhet., a period: comprehensio et ambitus ille verborum (si sic periodum appellari placet), Cic. Brut. 44, 162; id. Or. 12; so id. ib. 50.

Ambĭvarēti, Ambĭlarēti, or Am-blŭarēti, ōrum, m., a people of Gallia Celtica, in the neighborhood of the Ambarri, Caes. B. G. 7, 75; 7, 90.

Ambĭvarīti, ōrum, m., a people of Gallia Belgica, near the Meuse, in the region of the present Breda, Caes. B. G. 4, 9.

* ambĭ-vĭum, ii, n. [via], a double way, a place where two roads meet: hic in ambivio navem conscendimus palustrem, Varr. ap. Non. 451, 2.

Ambĭvĭus, ii, m., L. Turpio.

  1. I. A very distinguished actor in the time of Terence, in most of whose pieces he acted, v. Didascal. Fab. And., Eun., Heaut., Hec., and Phorm.; cf. Cic. Sen. 14; Varr. L. L. 7, 30; Symm. Ep. 1, 25.
  2. II. Ambĭvĭus, ii, m., a keeper of a restaurant, Cic. Clu. 59, 163; perh. also Col. 12, 4, 2.