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.

2. dīco, xi, ctum, 3 (praes. DEICO, Inscr. Orell. 4848; imp. usu. dic; cf. duc, fac, fer, from duco, etc., DEICVNTO, and perf. DEIXSERINT, P. C. de Therm. ib. 3673; imp. dice, Naev. ap. Fest. p. 298, 29 Müll.; Plaut. Capt. 2, 2, 109; id. Bac. 4, 4, 65; id. Merc. 1, 2, 47 al.; cf. Quint. 1, 6, 21; fut. dicem = dicam, Cato ap. Quint. 1, 7, 23; cf. Paul. ex Fest. p. 72, 6 Müll.
Another form of the future is dicebo, Novius ap. Non. 507 (Com. v. 8 Rib.).
Perf. sync.: dixti, Plaut. As. 4, 2, 14; id. Trin. 2, 4, 155; id. Mil. 2, 4, 12 et saep.; Ter. And. 3, 1, 1; 3, 2, 38; id. Heaut. 2, 3, 100 et saep.; Cic. Fin. 2, 3, 10; id. N. D. 3, 9, 23; id. Caecin. 29, 82; acc. to Quint. 9, 3, 22.
Perf. subj.: dixis, Plaut. Capt. 1, 2, 46; Caecil. ap. Gell. 7, 17 fin.: dixem = dixissem, Plaut. Pseud. 1, 5, 84; inf. dixe = dix isse, Plaut. Fragm. ap. Non. 105, 23; Varr. ib. 451, 16; Arn. init.; Aus. Sept. Sap. de Cleob. 8; inf. praes. pass. dicier, Ter. Eun. 4, 4, 32; Vatin. in Cic. Fam. 5, 9 al.), v. a. [root DIC = ΔΕΙΚ in δείκνυμι; lit., to show; cf. δίκη, and Lat. dicis, ju-dex, dicio], to say, tell, mention, relate, affirm, declare, state; to mean, intend (for syn. cf.: for, loquor, verba facio, dicto, dictito, oro, inquam, aio, fabulor, concionor, pronuntio, praedico, recito, declamo, affirmo, assevero, contendo; also, nomino, voco, alloquor, designo, nuncupo; also, decerno, jubeo, statuo, etc.; cf. also, nego.
The person addressed is usually put in dat., v. the foll.: dicere ad aliquem, in eccl. Lat., stands for the Gr. εἰπεῖν πρός τινα, Vulg. Luc. 2, 34 al.; cf. infra I. B. 2. γ).

  1. I. Lit.
    1. A. In gen.: Amphitruonis socium nae me esse volui dicere, Plaut. Am. 1, 1, 228: advenisse familiarem dicito, id. ib. 1, 1, 197: haec uti sunt facta ero dicam, id. ib. 1, 1, 304; cf. ib. 2, 1, 23: signi dic quid est? id. ib. 1, 1, 265: si dixero mendacium, id. ib. 1, 1, 43; cf. opp. vera dico, id. ib. 1, 1, 238 al.: quo facto aut dicto adest opus, id. ib. 1, 1, 15; cf.: dictu opus est, Ter. Heaut. 5, 1, 68: nihil est dictu facilius, id. Phorm. 2, 1, 70: turpe dictu, id. Ad. 2, 4, 11: indignis si male dicitur, bene dictum id esse dico, Plaut. Curc. 4, 2, 27: ille, quem dixi, whom I have mentioned, named, Cic. de Or. 3, 12, 45 et saep.: vel dicam = vel potius, or rather: stuporem hominis vel dicam pecudis attendite, Cic. Phil. 2, 12, 30; cf.: mihi placebat Pomponius maxime vel dicam minime displicebat, id. Brut. 57, 207; so id. ib. 70, 246; id. Fam. 4, 7, 3 al.
        1. b. Dicitur, dicebatur, dictum est, impers. with acc. and inf., it is said, related, maintained, etc.; or, they say, affirm, etc.: de hoc (sc. Diodoro) Verri dicitur, habere eum, etc., it is reported to Verres that, etc., Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 18: non sine causa dicitur, ad ea referri omnes nostras cogitationes, id. Fin. 3, 18, 60; so, dicitur, Nep. Paus. 5, 3; Quint. 5, 7, 33; 7, 2, 44; Ov. F. 4, 508: Titum multo apud patrem sermone orasse dicebatur, ne, etc., Tac. H. 4, 52; so, dicebatur, id. A. 1, 10: in hac habitasse platea dictum’st Chrysidem, Ter. And. 4, 5, 1: dictum est, Caes. B. G. 1, 1, 5; Liv. 38, 56; Quint. 6, 1, 27: ut pulsis hostibus dici posset, eos, etc., Caes. B. G. 1, 46, 3. Cf. also: hoc, illud dicitur, with acc. and inf., Cic. Fin. 5, 24, 72; id. de Or. 1, 33, 150; Quint. 4, 2, 91; 11, 3, 177 al.
          Esp. in histt. in reference to what has been previously related: ut supra dictum est, Sall. J. 96, 1: sicut ante dictum est, Nep. Dion. 9, 5; cf. Curt. 3, 7, 7; 5, 1, 11; 8, 6, 2 et saep.
        2. c. (See Zumpt, Gram. § 607.) Dicor, diceris, dicitur, with nom. and inf., it is said that I, thou, he, etc.; or, they say that I, thou, etc.: ut nos dicamur duo omnium dignissimi esse, Plaut. As. 2, 2, 47: cf. Quint. 4, 4, 6: dicar Princeps Aeolium carmen ad Italos Deduxisse modos, Hor. Od. 3, 30, 10 al.: illi socius esse diceris, Plaut. Rud. 1, 2, 72: aedes Demaenetus ubi dicitur habitare, id. As. 2, 3, 2: qui (Pisistratus) primus Homeri libros confusos antea sic disposuisse dicitur, ut nunc habemus, Cic. de Or. 3, 34, 137 et saep.: quot annos nata dicitur? Plaut. Cist. 4, 2, 89: is nunc dicitur venturus peregre, id. Truc. 1, 1, 66 et saep. In a double construction, with nom. and inf., and acc. and inf. (acc. to no. b. and c.): petisse dicitur major Titius … idque ab eis facile (sc. eum) impetrasse, Auct. B. Afr. 28 fin.; so Suet. Oth. 7.
        3. d. Dictum ac factum or dictum factum (Gr. ἅμα ἔπος ἅμα ἔργον), in colloq. lang., no sooner said than done, without delay, Ter. And. 2, 3, 7: dictum ac factum reddidi, it was "said and done" with me, id. Heaut. 4, 5, 12; 5, 1, 31; cf.: dicto citius, Verg. A. 1, 142; Hor. S. 2, 2, 80; and: dicto prope citius, Liv. 23, 47, 6.
    2. B. In partic.
      1. 1. Pregn.
        1. a. To assert, affirm a thing as certain (opp. nego): quem esse negas, eundem esse dicis, Cic. Tusc. 1, 6, 12; cf.: dicebant, ego negabam, id. Fam. 3, 8, 5; and: quibus creditum non sit negantibus, iisdem credatur dicentibus? id. Rab. Post. 12, 35.
        2. b. For dico with a negative, nego is used, q. v.; cf. Zumpt, Gram. § 799; but: dicere nihil esse pulchrius, etc., Liv. 30, 12, 6; 21, 9, 3 Fabri; so, freq. in Liv. when the negation precedes, id. 30, 22, 5; 23, 10, 13 al.; cf. Krebs, Antibar. p. 355.
      2. 2. dico is often inserted parenthetically, to give emphasis to an apposition: utinam C. Caesari, patri, dico adulescenti contigisset, etc., Cic. Phil. 5, 18, 49; id. Tusc. 5, 36, 105; id. Planc. 12, 30; Quint. 9, 2, 83; cf. Cic. Or. 58, 197; id. Tusc. 4, 16, 36; Sen. Ep. 14, 6; id. Vit. Beat. 15, 6; Quint. 1, 6, 24: ille mihi praesidium dederat, cum dico mihi, senatui dico populoque Romano, Cic. Phil. 11, 8, 20; Sen. Ep. 83, 12; Plin. Ep. 2, 20, 2; 3, 2, 2.
      3. 3. In rhetor. and jurid. lang., to pronounce, deliver, rehearse, speak any thing.
          1. (α) With acc.: oratio dicta de scripto, Cic. Planc. 30 fin.; cf.: sententiam de scripto, id. Att. 4, 3, 3: controversias, Quint. 3, 8, 51; 9, 2, 77: prooemium ac narrationem et argumenta, id. 2, 20, 10: exordia, id. 11, 3, 161: theses et communes locos, id. 2, 1, 9: materias, id. 2, 4, 41: versus, Cic. Or. 56, 189; Quint. 6, 3, 86: causam, of the defendant or his attorney, to make a defensive speech, to plead in defence, Cic. Rosc. Am. 5; id. Quint. 8; id. Sest. 8; Quint. 5, 11, 39; 7, 4, 3; 8, 2, 24 al.; cf. causas (said of the attorney), Cic. de Or. 1, 2, 5; 2, 8, 32 al.: jus, to pronounce judgment, id. Fl. 3; id. Fam. 13, 14; hence the praetor’s formula: DO, DICO, ADDICO; v. do, etc.
          2. (β) With ad and acc. pers., to plead before a person or tribunal: ad unum judicem, Cic. Opt. Gen. 4, 10: ad quos? ad me, si idoneus videor qui judicem, etc., id. Verr. 2, 2, 29, § 72; Liv. 3, 41.
          3. (γ) With ad and acc. of thing, to speak in reference to, in reply to: non audeo ad ista dicere, Cic. Tusc. 3, 32, 78; id. Rep. 1, 18, 30.
          4. (δ) Absol.: nec idem loqui, quod dicere, Cic. Or. 32: est oratoris proprium, apte, distincte, ornate dicere, id. Off. 1, 1, 2; so, de aliqua re pro aliquo, contra aliquem, etc., innumerable times in Cic. and Quint.: dixi, the t. t. at the end of a speech, I have done, Cic. Verr. 1 fin. Ascon. and Zumpt, a. h. 1.; thus, dixerunt, the t. t. by which the praeco pronounced the speeches of the parties to be finished, Quint. 1, 5, 43; cf. Spald. ad Quint. 6, 4, 7.
            Transf. beyond the judicial sphere: causam nullam or causam haud dico, I have no objection, Plaut. Mil. 5, 34; id. Capt. 3, 4, 92; Ter. Ph. 2, 1, 42.
      4. 4. To describe, relate, sing, celebrate in writing (mostly poet.): tibi dicere laudes, Tib. 1, 3, 31; so, laudes Phoebi et Dianae, Hor. C. S. 76: Dianam, Cynthium, Latonam, id. C. 1, 21, 1: Alciden puerosque Ledae, id. ib. 1, 12, 25: caelestes, pugilemve equumve, id. ib. 4, 2, 19: Pelidae stomachum, id. ib. 1, 6, 5: bella, id. Ep. 1, 16, 26; Liv. 7, 29: carmen, Hor. C. 1, 32, 3; id. C. S. 8; Tib. 2, 1, 54: modos, Hor. C. 3, 11, 7: silvestrium naturas, Plin. 15, 30, 40, § 138 et saep.: temporibus Augusti dicendis non defuere decora ingenia, Tac. A. 1, 1; id. H. 1, 1: vir neque silendus neque dicendus sine cura, Vell. 2, 13.
        1. b. Of prophecies, to predict, foretell: bellicosis fata Quiritibus Hac lege dico, ne, etc., Hor. C. 3, 3, 58: sortes per carmina, id. A. P. 403: quicquid, id. S. 2, 5, 59: hoc (Delphi), Ov. Tr. 4, 8, 43 et saep.
      5. 5. To pronounce, articulate a letter, syllable, word: Demosthenem scribit Phalereus, cum Rho dicere nequiret, etc., Cic. Div. 2, 46, 96; id. de Or. 1, 61, 260; Quint. 1, 4, 8; 1, 7, 21 al.
      6. 6. To call, to name: habitum quendam vitalem corporis esse, harmoniam Graii quam dicunt, Lucr. 3, 106; cf.: Latine dicimus elocutionem, quam Graeci φράσιν vocant, Quint. 8, 1, 1: Chaoniamque omnem Trojano a Chaone dixit, Verg. A. 3, 335: hic ames dici pater atque princeps, Hor. Od. 1, 2, 50: uxor quondam tua dicta, Verg. A. 2, 678 et saep.
        Prov.: dici beatus ante obitum nemo debet, Ov. M. 3, 135.
      7. 7. To name, appoint one to an office: ut consules roget praetor vel dictatorem dicat, Cic. Att. 9, 15, 2: so, dictatorem, Liv. 5, 9; 7, 26; 8, 29: consulem, id. 10, 15; 24, 9; 26, 22 (thrice): magistrum equitum, id. 6, 39: aedilem, id. 9, 46: arbitrum bibendi, Hor. Od. 2, 7, 26 et saep.
      8. 8. To appoint, set apart. fix upon, settle: nam mea bona meis cognatis dicam, inter eos partiam, Plaut. Mil. 3, 1, 113; cf. Pompon. ap. Non. 280, 19: dotis paululum vicino suo, Afran. ib. 26: pecuniam omnem suam doti, Cic. Fl. 35: quoniam inter nos nuptiae sunt dictae, Afran. ap. Non. 280, 24; cf.: diem nuptiis, Ter. And. 1, 1, 75: diem operi, Cic. Verr. 2, 1, 57: diem juris, Plaut. Men. 4, 2, 16: diem exercitui ad conveniendum Pharas, Liv. 36, 8; cf. id. 42, 28, and v. dies: locum consiliis, id. 25, 16: leges pacis, id. 33, 12; cf.: leges victis, id. 34, 57: legem tibi, Hor. Ep. 2, 2, 18; Ov. M. 6, 137; cf.: legem sibi, to give sentence upon one’s self, id. ib. 13, 72: pretium muneri, Hor. C. 4, 8, 12 et saep.
        With inf.: prius data est, quam tibi dari dicta, Pac. ap. Non. 280, 28.
        Pass. impers.: eodem Numida inermis, ut dictum erat, accedit, Sall. J. 113, 6.
      9. 9. To utter, express, esp. in phrases: non dici potest, dici vix potest, etc.: non dici potest quam flagrem desiderio urbis, Cic. Att. 5, 11, 1; 5, 17, 5: dici vix potest quanta sit vis, etc., id. Leg. 2, 15, 38; id. Verr. 2, 4, 57, § 127; id. Or. 17, 55; id. Red. ad Quir. 1, 4; cf. Quint. 2, 2, 8; 11, 3, 85.
      10. 10. (Mostly in colloq. lang.) Alicui, like our vulg. to tell one so and so, for to admonish, warn, threaten him: dicebam, pater, tibi, ne matri consuleres male, Plaut. As. 5, 2, 88; cf. Nep. Datam. 5; Ov. Am. 1, 14, 1.
        Esp. freq.: tibi (ego) dico, I tell you, Plaut. Curc. 4, 2, 30; id. Bacch. 4, 9, 76; id. Men. 2, 3, 27; id. Mil. 2, 2, 62 et saep.; Ter. And. 1, 2, 33 Ruhnk.; id. ib. 4, 4, 23; id. Eun. 2, 3, 46; 87; Phaedr. 4, 19, 18; cf.: tibi dicimus, Ov. H. 20, 153; id. M. 9, 122; so, dixi, I have said it, i. e. you may depend upon it, it shall be done, Ter. Phorm. 2, 3, 90; 92.
      11. 11. Dicere sacramentum or sacramento, to take an oath, to swear; v. sacramentum.
  2. II. Transf., i. q. intellego, Gr. φημί, to mean so and so; it may sometimes be rendered in English by namely, to wit: nec quemquam vidi, qui magis ea, quae timenda esse negaret, timeret, mortem dico et deos, Cic. N. D. 1, 31, 86; id. de Or. 3, 44, 174: M. Sequar ut institui divinum illum virum, quem saepius fortasse laudo quam necesse est. At. Platonem videlicet dicis, id. Leg. 3, 1: uxoris dico, non tuam, Plaut. As. 1, 1, 30 et saep.
    Hence, dictum, i, n., something said, i. e. a saying, a word.
    1. A. In gen.: haut doctis dictis certantes sed male dictis, Enn. ap. Gell. 20, 10 (Ann. v. 274 Vahl.; acc. to Hertz.: nec maledictis); so, istaec dicta dicere, Plaut. Trin. 1, 2, 40: docta, id. ib. 2, 2, 99; id. Men. 2, 1, 24; Lucr. 5, 113; cf. condocta, Plaut. Poen. 3, 2, 3: meum, id. As. 2, 4, 1: ridiculum, id. Capt. 3, 1, 22: minimum, Cic. Fam. 1, 9: ferocibus dictis rem nobilitare, Liv. 23, 47, 4 al.: ob admissum foede dictumve superbe, Lucr. 5, 1224; cf. facete, Plaut. Capt. 1, 2, 73; id. Poen. 3, 3, 24; Ter. Eun. 2, 2, 57; Cic. Off. 1, 29, 104 al.: lepide, Plaut. Most. 1, 3, 103: absurde, id. Capt. 1, 1, 3: vere, Nep. Alc. 8, 4: ambigue, Hor. A. P. 449 et saep.
      Pleon.: feci ego istaec dicta quae vos dicitis (sc. me fecisse), Plaut. Casin. 5, 4, 17.
    2. B. In partic.
      1. 1. A saying, maxim, proverb: aurea dicta, Lucr. 3, 12; cf. veridica, id. 6, 24: Catonis est dictum. Pedibus compensari pecuniam, Cic. Fl. 29 fin. Hence, the title of a work by Caesar: Dicta collectanea (his Ἀποφθέγματα, mentioned in Cic. Fam. 9, 16), Suet. Caes. 56.
        Esp. freq.,
      2. 2. For facete dictum, a witty saying, bon-mot, Enn. ap. Cic. de Or. 2, 54 fin. (cf. Cic. ap. Macr. S. 2, 1 fin.); Cic. Phil. 2, 17; Quint. 6, 3, 2; 16; 36; Liv. 7, 33, 3; Hor. A. P. 273 et saep.; cf. also, dicterium.
      3. 3. Poetry, verse (abstr. and concr.): dicti studiosus, Enn. ap. Cic. Brut. 18, 71: rerum naturam expandere dictis, Lucr. 1, 126; 5, 56: Ennius hirsuta cingat sua dicta corona, Prop. 4 (5), 1, 61.
      4. 4. A prediction, prophecy, Lucr. 1, 103; Verg. A. 2, 115; Val. Fl. 2, 326 al.; cf. dictio.
      5. 5. An order, command: dicto paruit consul, Liv. 9, 41; cf. Verg. A. 3, 189; Ov. M. 8, 815: haec dicta dedit, Liv. 3, 61; cf. id. 7, 33; 8, 34; 22, 25 al.: dicto audientem esse and dicto audire alicui, v. audio.
      6. 6. A promise, assurance: illi dixerant sese dedituros … Cares, tamen, non dicto capti, etc., Nep. Milt. 2, 5; Fur. ap. Macr. S. 6, 1, 34.

dicto, āvi, ātum, 1, v. freq. a. [2. dico], to say often; to pronounce, declare, or assert repeatedly.

  1. I. In gen. (very rare): rogarem te, ut diceres pro me tu idem, qui illis orationem dictavisses, Cic. Fin. 4, 22 fin.: mercemur servum qui dictet nomina, Hor. Ep. 1, 6, 50; cf. Gell. 4, 1, 2.
    Far more freq. and class.,
  2. II. In partic.
    1. A. To dictate to one for writing: quod non modo Tironi dictare, sed ne ipse quidem audere scribere, Cic. Att. 13, 9; 7, 13 b. fin.; 2, 23; Quint. 2, 4, 12; 10, 3, 18; Plin. Ep. 9, 36, 2; Hor. Ep. 1, 10, 49 et saep. So of the dictating of teachers (common for want of books): memini quae mihi parvo Orbilium dictare, Hor. Ep. 2, 1, 71; cf. id. Sat. 1, 10, 75.
      1. 2. Transf. As the practice of dictating came, in the course of time, to be very general (v. Gesner upon Quint. 10, 3, 18), dictare, since the Aug. per., acquired the signif. to express in written language, make, compose: elegidia, Pers. 1, 52; so, ducentos versus, Hor. S. 1, 4, 10: carmina (for which, shortly before and after, scribere), id. Ep. 2, 1, 110: codicillos, to draw up, make, Suet. Tib. 22; cf. testamentum, id. Ner. 32; hence also, summas, i. e. to dispose of by will, Dig. 32, 95; and in the pass.: non unus tibi rivalis dictabitur heres, appointed, designated, Juv. 6, 218; so, actionem, to draw up a declaration, Suet. Rhet. 2; and among jurists in gen., to bring an action, go to law, Dig. 15, 1, 50; also, judicium, ib. 9, 4, 22; 49, 9, 3 al.
    2. B. To prescribe, recommend, order, dictate (cf. 2. dico, no. I. B. 10; in this sense the primitive of dictator, although no ante-Aug. examples occur): sportulam, Quint. 11, 3, 131: dictataque jurant Sacramenta deis, Sil. 10, 448.
      1. 2. Transf., of abstract subjects: ita videtur ratio dictare, Quint. 3, 4, 11; cf. Dig. 1, 2, § 11: quibus sordet omne, quod natura dictavit, Quint. 8 prooem. § 26; so with acc., id. 1, 3, 16; 2, 15, 6; Plin. 26, 4, 9, § 20.
        Hence, dictāta, ōrum, n. (acc. to no. II. A.).
    1. A. Things dictated by the master to his scholars, i. e. lessons, exercises, rules, Cic. Q. Fr. 3, 1, 4; id. Fin. 4, 4, 10; id. N. D. 1, 26; id. Tusc. 2, 11, 96; Hor. Ep. 1, 1, 55; 1, 18, 13; Pers. 1, 29 al.
      Also, in gen.,
    2. B. Precepts, rules, e. g. for gladiators, Suet. Caes. 26; for mimes, Juv. 5, 122.