Lewis & Short

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ob-tĭnĕo (opt-), tĭnŭi, tentum, 2 (old perf. OPTENVI, fifth Epit. of the Scipios; inf. pass. obtinerier, Plaut. Am. 3, 2, 19; id. Most. 3, 2, 154), v. a. and n. [teneo].

  1. I. Act.
    1. * A. To take hold of, hold: obtine aures, amabo, Plaut. Cas. 3, 5, 16.
    2. B. To hold, have, occupy, possess; to preserve, keep, maintain, etc. (class.).
      1. 1. In gen.: sancte Apollo, qui umbilicum certum terrarum obtines, Poët. ap. Cic. Div. 2, 56, 115 (Trag. Rel. p. 201 Rib.): suam quisque domum tum obtinebat, Cic. Phil. 2, 19, 48: armis Galliam atque Italiam, Liv. 30, 19: cum imperio Hispaniam citeriorem, to have as his province, to be governor in it, Cic. Fam. 1, 9, 2: Galliam et Italiam, Liv. 30, 19: Africam, Nep. Timol. 2, 4; cf.: ex quā insulā nummus nullus, me obtinente, erogabitur, during my administration, Cic. Att. 5, 21, 7: QVEI AERARIVM PROVINCIAM OBTINEBIT, who will have the administration of the public treasure, Lex Thor. § 20 Rudorff. p. 168; Lex de Scribis ap. Haubold, p. 85: necessitudinem cum publicanis, Cic. Q. Fr. 1, 1, 12, § 35: vitam et famam, to preserve, id. Rosc. Am. 17, 49: auctoritatem suam, to maintain, id. ib. 48, 139: principatum, Caes. B. G. 1, 3: regnum, id. ib. 1, 7: jus, to assert, maintain, Tac. A. 1, 32: causam, Caes. B. G. 7, 37, 4: noctem insequentem eadem caligo obtinuit, occupied, took up, prevailed during, Liv. 29, 27: quae (fama) plerosque obtinet, Sall. J. 17, 7: proverbii locum obtinet, i. e. is become proverbial, Cic. Tusc. 4, 16, 36: parentis gravitatem, id. Sull. 6, 19: numerum deorum, to be numbered among, id. N. D. 3, 20, 51; so, aliquem numerum, id. Brut. 47, 175; cf. id. Off. 2, 12, 43: summam opinionem m scholis, Quint. 10, 5, 18: admirationem, to be admired, Plin. 34, 2, 2, § 2: patriae nomen, id. 15, 18, 19, § 69: firmitudinem animi, i. e. exhibited, Plaut. As. 2, 2, 54: pontem, would not yield, Liv. 2, 10: silentiam, to maintain, id. 1, 16.
        With inf., to persist in: earumque artem et disciplinam obtineat colere, Plaut. Mil. 2, 2, 30.
      2. 2. In partic., of speech, to assert, maintain, i. e. to show, prove, demonstrate: possumus hoc teste … quod dicimus, obtinere? Cic. Verr. 2, 3, 71, § 168: duas contrarias sententias, id. Fin. 4, 28, 78: diu pugnare in iis, quae obtinere non possis, Quint. 6, 4, 15: recta apud turpes, id. 3, 8, 38: quaedam (leges) an obtineri possint, id. 2, 4, 39; 6, 1, 7: quod orator praecipue sibi obtinendum intellegit, id. 3, 6, 9 Spald. N. cr. (al. proponendum); cf. id. 12, 10, 53: si defecerint omnia, tum videndum erit, an obtineri possit, ne illud quidem recte factum, id. 5, 13, 24; 2, 5, 18.
    3. C. To get possession of; to gain, acquire, obtain something (syn.: assequor, adipiscor, impetro; class.): quanta instrumenta habeat (homo) ad obtinendam adipiscendamque sapientiam, Cic. Leg. 1, 22, 59: impetrare et obtinere, Gell. 12, 14, 6; Cic. Fam. 1, 8, 5: malas causas semper obtinuit, in optimā concidit, gained, id. Att. 7, 25, 1; cf. id. Rosc. Com. 4, 10: jus suum contra aliquem, id. Quint. 9, 34: Romani si rem obtinuerint, if they gained the victory, Caes. B. G. 7, 85: voluimus quaedam; obtenta non sunt, Cic. Balb. 27, 61: apud eum causam obtinuit, Caes. B. G. 7, 37: aditu regis obtento, Just. 21, 6, 5.
      Hence, to conquer, overcome (eccl. Lat.): melius est ut pugnemus contra eos in campestribus, et obtinebimus eos, Vulg. 3 Reg. 20, 23; 20, 25; id. Judith, 1, 5.
  2. II. Neutr. (cf. teneo, II.), to maintain itself; to hold, prevail, last, stand, continue, obtain (not in Cic.): quod et plures tradidere auctores et fama obtinuit, Liv. 21, 46, 10; cf. with a subject-clause: pro vero antea obtinebat, regna atque imperia Fortunam dono dare, Sall. Rep. Ordin. init.: non ipsos quoque fuisse pastores obtinebit, quod? etc., Varr. R. R. 2, 1, 9: si dissentirent, sententia plurium obtineret, would prevail, Dig. 42, 1, 36: quod merito obtinuit, ib. 2, 4, 4.
    Absol.: obtinuit (sc. consuetudo), Dig. 1, 13, 1.
    With de: quia de intercalando non obtinuerat, Cael. ap. Cic. Fam. 8, 6, 5.
    With ut or ne: his obtinuit, ut praeferretur candidato, Liv. 35, 10; Suet. Claud. 41: obtinuit, ne reus fieret, id. Caes. 23.
    With quin, Suet. Tib. 31.