Lewis & Short

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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.