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).

arx, arcis, f. [arx ab arcendo, quod is locus munitissimus rubis, a quo facillime possit hostis prohiberi, Varr. L. L. 5, § 151 Müll; cf. Serv. ad Verg. A. 1, 20; Isid. Orig. 15, 2, 32; Doed. Syn. IV. p. 428; v. arceo], a stronghold, castle, citadel, fortress, ἀκρόπολις; in Rome, the Capitolium.

  1. I.
    1. A. Lit.: arce et urbe orba sum, Enn. ap. Cic. Tusc. 3, 19, 44 (Trag. v. 114 Müll.): optumates, Corinthum quae arcem altam habetis, id. ap. ejusd. Fam. 7, 6: edicite per urbem ut omnes qui arcem astuque accolunt, cives, etc.; Att. ap. Non. p. 357, 14: Illa autem in arcem [hinc] abiit, Plaut. Bacch. 4, 8, 59; so id. Ps. 4, 6, 2: In arcem transcurso opus est, Ter. Hec. 3, 4, 17: Condere coeperunt urbīs arcemque locare, Lucr. 5, 1107: arcis servator, candidus anser, id. 4, 683: munire arcem, Cic. Pis. 34 fin.: cum Tarento amisso arcem tamen Livius retinuisset, id. de Or. 2, 67, 273: arx intra moenia in immanem altitudinem edita; Liv. 45, 28: arx Sion, Vulg. 2 Reg. 5, 7: arx Jerusalem, ib. 1 Macc. 13, 49: Romana, Liv. 1, 12: Capitolina, id. 6, 20; cf. id. 3, 18: Sabinus arcem Capitolii insedit mixto milite, Tac. H. 3, 69; Suet. Claud. 44 et saep. As the place on which auguries were received (cf. auguraculum): ut cum in arce augurium augures acturi essent, Cic. Off. 3, 16, 66; so Liv. 1, 18 and 24.
      Hence,
    2. B. Trop., defence, prolection, refuge, bulwark, etc.: Castoris templum fuit te consule arx civium perditorum, receptaculum veterum Catilinae militum, castellum forensis latrocinii, Cic. Pis. 5, 11: haec urbs, lux orbis terrarum atque arx omnium gentium, id. Cat. 4, 6; cf. id. Agr. 1, 6, 18: Africa arx omnium provinciarum, id. Lig. 7, 22: Stoicorum, id. Div. 1, 6, 10: arx finitimorum, Campani, Liv. 7, 29; 37, 18: tribunicium auxilium et provocationem, duas arces libertatis tuendae, id. 3, 45: arx ad aliquid faciendum, id. 28, 3: eam urbem pro arce habiturus Philippus adversus Graeciae civitates, id. 33, 14; Flor. 3, 6, 5: quasi arx aeternae dominationis, Tac. A. 14, 31.
    3. C. As the abode of tyrants, a poet. designation of tyranny (cf. Ascon. ad Cic. Div. in Caecil. 5), Claud. IV. Cons. Hon. 293 Heins.: cupidi arcium, Sen. Thyest. 342; cf. id. Contr. 4, 27: non dum attigit arcem, Juris et humani culmen, Luc. 7, 593 Corte; cf. id. 8, 490, and 4, 800; Tert. Apol. 4.
    4. D. Prov.: arcem facere e cloacā, to make a mountain of a mole-hill, Cic. Planc. 40.
  2. II. Since castles were generally on a height, meton., a height, summit, pinnacle, top, peak (usu. poet. and in Aug. and postAug. prose), lit. and trop.
    1. A. Lit.: summā locum sibi legit in arce, upon the extreme height, Ov. M. 1, 27; cf. id. ib. 12, 43.
      So,
      1. 2. In partic.
        1. a. Of mountains: Parnasi constitit arce, Ov. M. 1, 467: arce loci summā, id. ib. 11, 393: Rhipaeae arces, Verg. G. 1, 240: flērunt Rhodopeïae arces, id. ib. 4, 461: septemque unā sibi muro circumdedit arces, id. ib. 2, 535: primus inexpertas adiit Tirynthius arces, i. e. Alpes, Sil. 3, 496; cf. Drak. ad id. 15, 305; Val. Fl. 3, 565: impositum arce sublimi oppidum cernimus, Petr. 116; cf. id. 123, 205, and 209.
        2. b. Of houses built on an eminence, Petr. 121, 107, and 293.
        3. c. Of the citadel of heaven: quae pater ut summā vidit Saturnius arce, Ov. M. 1, 163: summam petit arduus arcem, id. ib. 2, 306: sideream mundi qui temperat arcem, id. Am. 3, 10, 21.
        4. d. Of the heavens themselves: aetheriae arces, Ov. Tr. 5, 3, 19: arces igneae, Hor. C. 3, 3, 10: caeli quibus adnuis arcem, Verg. A. 1, 250; cf. id. ib. 1, 259.
        5. e. Of temples erected on an eminence: dexterā sacras jaculatus arces, Hor. C. 1, 2, 3.
        6. f. Of the head: arx corporis, Sen. Oedip. 185; Claud. IV. Cons. Hon. 235.
    2. B. Trop., height, head, summit, etc. (rare): celsā mentis ab arce, Stat. S. 2, 2, 131: summae laudum arces, Sil. 13, 771; Sid. Carm. 2, 173: ubi Hannibal sit, ibi caput atque arcem totius belli esse, head and front, Liv. 28, 42: arx eloquentiae, Tac. Or. 10.