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.

căpesso (căpisso, Pac. ap. Non. p. 227, 1), īvi (Sall. H. 3, 68 Dietsch; Tac. A. 15, 49), or ii (Tac. A. 12, 30: capessi, given by Diom. p. 367 P., and by Charis. ap. Prisc. p. 902 ib., but apparently erroneously; cf. Struve, p. 198, and lacesso), ītum (acc. to Prisc. l. l. part. fut. capessiturus, Tac. A. 6, 48), 3, v. desid. a. [capio].

  1. I. Lit., to seize, take, or catch at eagerly, to snatch at, lay hold of (capesso = desidero capere, Prisc. l. l.; rare but class.): alia animalia cibum partim oris hiatu et dentibus ipsis capessunt, partim unguium tenacitate adripiunt, Cic. N. D. 2, 47, 122: pastus, id. ib.: arma, Verg. A. 3, 234; Ov. M. 11, 378.
    1. B. Of relations of place, to strive to reach a place or limit, to betake one’s self to, to go to, to repair or resort to; constr. usu. with acc.; ante-class. also capere se in or ad aliquem locum.
          1. (α) With acc.: omnes mundi partes undique medium locum capessentes nituntur aequaliter, Cic. N. D. 2, 45, 115: superiora capessere, id. Tusc. 1, 18, 42: Melitam, id. Att. 10, 9, 1: Italiam, Verg. A. 4, 346: turris, id. ib. 11, 466: montem, Val. Fl. 4, 316: aethera, Sil. 4, 480.
          2. (β) Se in or ad aliquem locum: quam magis te in altum capessis, tam aestus te in portum refert, Plaut. As. 1, 3, 6: nunc pergam … me domum capessere, id. Am. 1, 1, 106; Titin. ap. Serv. ad Verg. A. 4, 346.
          3. (γ) With adverb. dat.: quo nunc capessis te, Plaut. Bacch. 1, 2, 5; id. Rud. 1, 2, 89; 1, 2, 83.
  2. II. Trop.
    1. A. To take hold of any thing with zeal, to take upon one’s self, take in hand, to undertake, enter upon, engage in, execute, manage (the most usu. signif.; cf. I. A.): Pac. ap. Non. p. 227, 1: nunc ad senem cursum capessam, Plaut. Capt. 4, 1, 9: viam, Liv. 44, 2, 8: alicujus imperia, Plaut. Trin. 2, 2, 23: jussa, to perform, execute, Verg. A. 1, 77; Plaut. Aul. 4, 1, 4; so, capessere rem publicam, to undertake affairs of state, to engage in public affairs, administer (differing, by the idea of zealous co-operation and activity, from accedere ad rem publicam, which designates merely the entering upon a public office or duty), Cic. Sest. 6, 14; id. de Or. 3, 29, 112; id. Att. 1, 17, 10; 16, 7, 7; Sall. C. 52, 5; id. J. 85, 47; Nep. Them. 2, 1; Liv. 3, 69, 5; Tac. A. 1, 24; 12, 41; 16, 26; id. H. 4, 5; 4, 39; Suet. Tib. 25; Quint. 12, 3, 1: civitatem, Plin. Pan. 39, 5: orbem terrae, Tac. A. 11, 34; 12, 5: magistratus, id. Agr. 6: imperium, id. A. 13, 4; 14, 26: vigintiviratum, id. ib. 3, 29: provincias, id. ib. 6, 27: officia in republică, id. ib. 6, 14 Halm: curas imperii, Plin. Pan. 66, 2: laborem cum honoribus, Sall. H. 1, 48, 9 Dietsch: bellum, Liv. 26, 25, 5: pugnam, to commence, id. 2, 6, 8; 10, 5, 4; Tac. A. 12, 30; id. H. 3, 16; 5, 17: proelium, Just. 2, 12: partem belli, Liv. 31, 28, 4: partem pugnae, id. 26, 5, 15: fugam, to take to flight, id. 1, 25, 7: principium facinoris, Tac. A. 15, 49: inimicitias, id. ib. 5, 11: noctem in castris tutam et vigilem, to pass, id. ib. 4, 48: divorsa, Sall. H. 3, 68 Dietsch: tuta et salutaria, to adopt, Tac. A. 15, 29: parata, id. ib. 6, 37: meliora, id. ib. 6, 48 et saep.: libertatem, Sall. H. 3, 61, 2 Dietsch; Cic. Phil. 10, 9, 19: recta, * Hor. S. 2, 7, 7.
      1. 2. Esp., to lay hold of with the mind, to comprehend, understand: in capessendis naturae sensibus, Gell. 12, 1, 11.
    2. B. To betake one’s self to, enter upon (cf. I. B.): quam (filius) se ad vitam et quos ad mores praecipitem inscitus capessat, Plaut. Bacch. 4, 10, 2.
      1. 2. With the idea of completed action, to attain to, to reach a person or thing: neque (te) posse corde capessere, Enn. ap. Cic. Div. 1, 20, 40 (Ann. v 44 Vahl.).