Lewis & Short

Parsing inflected forms may not always work as expected. If the following does not give the correct word, try Latin Words or Perseus.

arcĕo, cui, ctum (arcitum, acc. to Prisc. p. 1265 P.) [cf. ἀρκέω = to keep off, to suffice; ἄρκιος = sufficient, safe; arx = a stronghold; arca = a strong-box, chest; ἀλαλκεῖν = to keep off; ἀλκή = defence, strength. Curt.].

  1. I. To shut up, to enclose.
    1. A. Lit.: arcere est continere, Paul. ex Fest. p. 15 Müll.: alvus arcet et continet quod recipit, Cic. N. D. 2, 54, 136: orbis caelestis arcens et continens ceteros, id. Rep. 6, 17: nos flumina arcemus, dirigimus, avertimus, id. N. D. 2, 60, 152: hos quidem ut famulos vinclis prope ac custodiā arceamus, shut in, confine, id. Tusc. 2, 21, 48 (cf. Doed. Syn. II. p. 426).
    2. B. Trop.: videbam audaciam tam immanem non posse arceri otii finibus, Cic. Har. Resp. 3.
      Also, to keep in order: arcendae familiae gratiā, Paul. ex Fest. s. v. noverca, p. 175 Müll.
  2. II. To keep or hold off, to prevent from approaching, to keep at a distance: arcere prohibere est, Paul. ex Fest. p. 15 Müll.; constr. absol. aliquem, with ab, the simple abl., poet. also with dat.
          1. (α) Absol. aliquem: ille tenet et scit ut hostium copiae, tu ut aquae pluviae arceantur, Cic. Mur. 9, 22; so, aquam pluviam, aquas pluvias arcere, Cic. Top. 10, 43, and Dig. 39, 3: platanus solem arcet, Plin. 12, 1, 5, § 11: somnos ducere et arcere, Ov. M. 2, 735: Odi profanum vulgus et arceo, Hor. C. 3, 1, 1.
            With an abstr. object: transitum hostis, to arrest, hinder, Liv. 26, 41.
            Poet. and in postAug. prose, with inf. as object, to hinder, prevent: quae (dicta) clamor ad aures Arcuit ire meas, Ov. M. 12, 427: plagamque sedere Cedendo arcebat, id. ib. 3, 89; so id. P. 3, 3, 56; Stat. S. 2, 1, 34; id. Th. 1, 455; Sen. Hippol. 805; Sil. 13, 341 al.; Tac. A. 3, 72.
            And without object: arcuit Omnipotens, Ov. M. 2, 505.
          2. (β) With ab: tu, Juppiter, hunc a tuis aris ceterisque templis arcebis, Cic. Cat. 1, 13 fin.: homines ab injuriā, etc., id. Leg. 1, 14: haec aetas a libidinibus arcenda est, id. Off. 1, 34, 122: homines ab improbitate, id. Par. 3, 2, 23: famulas a limine templi, Ov. F. 6, 482: aliquem ab amplexu, id. M. 9, 751: ignavum, fucos, pecus a praesepibus arcent, Verg. G. 4, 168.
          3. (γ) With the simple abl. (not with persons): primordia genitali concilio arceri tempore iniquo, Lucr. 1, 183: illum ut hostem arcuit Galliā, Cic. Phil. 5, 13 fin.: te dominus illis sedibus arcebit, id. ib. 2, 40 fin.; so id. Tusc. 1, 37, 89: Virginiam matronae sacris arcuerant, Liv. 10, 23: aliquem aditu, id. 42, 6; so Suet. Ner. 46; Luc. 10, 499: aquā atque igni arcebatur, Tac. A. 3, 23; so id. ib. 3, 50 (cf. aqua, I. B. 3.) al.: arceor aris, Ov. M. 6, 209: patriis penatibus, id. ib. 9, 446 al.: aliquem funesto veterno, i. e. to protect, guard, Hor. Ep. 1, 8, 10: classes aquilonibus, id. A. P. 64 et saep.
          4. (δ) With dat., to keep off something from: oestrum pecori, Verg. G. 3, 155 (cf.: Solstitium pecori defendite, id. E. 7, 47: mortem fratri depulit, Ov. H. 14, 130; and the Gr. ἀμύνειν νηυσὶ θοῇσι πῦρ, Hom. Il. 9, 435; 9, 347; v. also Rudd. II. p. 150).