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.

nanciscor, nactus and nanctus (cf. Mai. ad Cic. Rep. 1, 10, 16; Drak. ad Liv. 24, 31; 25, 30;

  1. I. inf. nanciscier, Plaut. As. 2, 2, 59), 3, v. dep. a. [Sanscr. naç, obtain; Gr. ἐνεκ- in ἤνεγκα, etc.; cf.: ἀνάγκη, necesse] (in pass. signif, nactus, v. infra fin.), to get, obtain, receive a thing (esp. by accident or without one’s co-operation), to meet with, stumble on, light on, find a thing (syn.: offendo, reperio, deprehendo): unde anulum istum nactus? Ter. Hec. 5, 3, 27: quoniam nacti te, inquit, sumus aliquando otiosum, Cic. Fin. 1, 5, 14: nactus sum etiam, qui Xenophontis similem esse se cuperet, id. Or. 9, 32: cum plus otii nactus ero, id. Fam. 3, 7, 1; id. N D. 3, 36, 87: immanes beluas nanciscimur venando, id. ib. 2, 64, 161; id. Fam. 13, 7, 4: eum Philolai commentarios esse nanctum, id. Rep. 1, 10, 16 Mai.: Cato sic abiit a vitā, ut causam moriendi nactum se esse gauderet, id. Tusc. 1, 30, 74: se in silvas abdiderunt, locum nacti, egregie et naturā et opere munitum, Caes. B. G. 5, 9; hence, to possess by birth, to have by nature: maleficam (naturam) nactus est in corpore fingendo, Nep Ages. 8; of evil as well as good fortune: quod sim nactus mali, Ter. And. 5, 6, 3: ex nuptiis tuis si nihil nanciscor mali, id. Phorm. 3, 3, 10.
    Esp., to catch, contract by infection or contagion: nactus est morbum, Nep. Att. 21, 2: febrim, to contract or catch a fever, Suet. Tit. 10: milvo est quoddam bellum quasi naturale cum corvo, ergo alter alterius ubicumque nactus est ova, frangit, Cic. N. D. 2, 49, 125.
  2. II. Transf., to light upon, meet with, reach, find; of inanim. things or living beings: meum quod rete et hami nacti sunt, meum potissimum est, Plaut. Rud. 4, 3, 46: vitis claviculis suis quicquid est nacta, complectitur, Cic. Sen. 15, 52: nactus idoneam ad navigandum tempestatem, Caes. B. G. 4, 23: nactusque silentia ruris Exululat, having reached the quiet country, Ov. M. 1, 232: nactus, as passive, App. M. 7, 15; Hyg. Fab. 1 and 8.