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.

possum, pŏtŭi, posse, v. n. irreg. (old forms, potis sum, for possum, Plaut. Poen. 5, 2, 26; id. Curc. 5, 3, 23; so, potis est, id. Ps. 1, 1, 41: potis sunt, for possunt, id. Poen. 1, 2, 17: POTISIT, S. C. de Bacchan.: potisset, for posset, and potisse, for posse, Lucil. ap. Non. 484, 32, and 445, 29: potesse, for posse, very freq., Plaut. Aul. 2, 4, 30; id. Cist. 1, 1, 32; id. Truc. 1, 1, 73; id. Ep. 2, 2, 43; id. Bacch. 3, 6, 30 al.; Lucr. 1, 665; 2, 225; 1010: possiem, Plaut. Bacch. 4, 5, 2; id. Stich. 3, 2, 25: potis sis, id. Poen. 4, 2, 53: potis siem, id. Merc. 2, 2, 59: possies, Enn. ap. Gell. 2, 29 fin., or Sat. v. 38 Vahl.; Plaut. As. 4, 2, 10; id. Aul. 4, 10, 17; id. Most. 2, 2, 34; 3, 2, 147; id. Men. 5, 9, 45: possiet, id. Cist. 1, 3, 37; id. Bacch. 3, 1, 3; id. Most. 1, 1, 13 al.; cf. Brix ad Plaut. Mil. 884; Fleck. Krit. Misc. p. 45 sq.
In pass.: potestur, Enn. ap. Diom. p. 380 P. (Ann. v. 594 Vahl.): Pac. ap. Non. 508, 29; Quadrig. ap. id. 508, 30; Lucr. 3, 1010: poteratur, Cael. ap. Non. 508, 27: possitur, Lex. Servil. p. 59 Haubold; Scaurus ap. Diom. p. 381 P.: possetur, Quadrig. ap. Non. 508, 18) [potis-sum].

  1. I. In gen., to be able, have power; I (thou, he, etc.) can (syn. queo): quantum valeam, quantumque possim, Cic. Fam. 6, 5, 1: consilio, quantum potero, labore plus paene quam potero exeubabo, id. Phil. 6, 7, 18: ut, quoad possem et liceret, a senis latere nunquam discederem, id. Lael. 1, 1: timor igitur ab iis aegritudinem potuit repellere, ratio non poterit? id. Tuse. 3, 27, 66.
    With sup.: Caesari te commendavi et tradidi, ut gravissime diligentissimeque potui, as earnestly and warmly as I possibly could, Cic. Fam. 7, 17, 2: potest fieri, it may be, is possible: potest fieri, ut fallar, id. ib. 13, 73, 2: non possum quin, I can not but: non possum quin exclamem, ut ait ille in Trinummo (Plaut. Trin. 3, 2, 79; cf. id. Mil. 2, 2, 107); Cic. de Or. 2, 10, 39: ut nihil ad te dem litterarum, facere non possum, I cannot help writing to you, id. Att. 8, 14, 1: facere non potui quin tibi sententiam declararem meam, id. Fam. 6, 13, 1; cf.: non possum non: aequitatem tuam non potui non probare, id. ib. 1, 9, 26: non possum te non accusare, id. ib. 5, 14, 2: is non potest eam (mortem) non timere, id. Fin. 3, 8, 29.
    Absol.: potest (sc. fieri), it may be, is possible: potest, ut alii ita arbitrentur, Plaut. Ps. 2, 2, 38: non, non sic futurum est; non potest, Ter. Phorm. 2, 1, 73; Plaut. Mil. 3, 1, 100 Brix; cf. id. Trin. 3, 3, 3: quae (mala) si potest singula consolando levare, etc., Cic. Fin. 5, 28, 84: nos dignitatem, ut potest, retinebimus, id. Fam. 1, 2, 4.
    Quantum or ut potest, as much or as far as possible: ibo atque arcessam medicum, quantum potest, Plaut. Men. 5, 2; id. Most. 3, 2, 71; Ter. Eun. 5, 1, 20: nos in senatu dignitatem nostram, ut potest in tantā hominum perfidiā, retinebimus, Cic. Fam. 1, 2, 4.
    In urgent questions: possum scire, quo profectus, cujus sis, aut quid veneris? may I know? can I learn? pray, will you tell me? Plaut. Am. 1, 1, 190: possumne ego hodie ex te exsculpere Verum? Ter. Eun. 4, 4, 44.
  2. II. In partic.
    1. A. To be able, to have influence or efficacy, to avail.
      1. 1. With neutr. acc. used adverbially (class.; cf. polleo): vocat me, quae in me plus potest, Plaut. Truc. 4, 2, 42: plus potest qui plus valet, id. ib. 4, 3, 38: qui tum et poterant per vim et scelus plurimum, et quod poterant, id audebant, Cic. Quint. 21, 69: quid ergo? hoc pueri possunt, viri non poterunt? id. Tusc. 2, 14, 34: qui apud me et amicitiā, et beneficiis, et dignitate plurimum possunt, id. Rosc. Am. 1, 4: plus aliquanto apud te pecuniae cupiditas, quam judicii metus potuit, id. Verr. 2, 3, 57, § 131; id. de Or. 2, 42, 180: quid aristolochia ad morsus serpentum possit, id. Div. 1, 10, 16: quoniam multum potest provisio animi ad minuendum dolorem, id. Tusc. 3, 14, 30: ad beate vivendum satis posse virtutem, id. ib. 5, 5, 12: multum posse ad salutem alterius … parum potuisse ad exitium, Cic. Opp. ap. Amm. 30, 8, 7.
      2. 2. In gen., and without neutr. acc. (late Lat.): posse litteras ejus ad perniciem, non posse ad salutem, App. Mag. 79, p. 324.
    2. B. Posse aliquem, to be able to embrace one (poet.), Mart. 3, 32.
    3. C. Posse as subst. (poet.): posse loqui, the power of speech, Ov. M. 2, 483: posse moveri = facultatem se movendi, id. ib. 11, 177.
    4. D. Freq. in elliptical sentences: quod vi non poterant, fraude assequi temptant, Curt. 5, 10, 8: Ismenias, etsi publicis non poterat, privatis tamen viribus adjuvabat, Just. 5, 9, 8: ut auxilium quod misericordiā non poterat, jure cognationis obtineret, id. 28, 1, 9: ut collegam vi, si aliter non possent, de foro abducerent, Liv. 2, 56.
    5. E. In apodosis of conditional sentences, analogous to the auxiliaries of the Engl. potential mood (v. Roby, § 1520; Zumpt, § 519).
      1. 1. Indic.: ille potuit exspectatior venire, qui te nuntiaret mortuom (= si quis nuntiaret, etc.), Plaut. Most. 1, 2, 12: nec vero ipsam amicitiam tueri possumus, nisi aeque amicos et nosmet ipsos diligamus, Cic. Fin. 1, 20, 67: Pompeius munitiones Caesaris prohibere non poterat, nisi praelio decertare vellet, Caes. B. C. 3, 44: consul esse qui potui, nisi eum vitae cursum tenuissem, Cic. Rep. 1, 6, 10: (res publica) poterat esse perpetua, si patriis viveretur institutis, id. ib. 3, 29, 41: deleri totus exercitus potuit, si fugientis persecuti victores essent, Liv. 32, 12, 6: nisi felicitas in socordiam vertisset exuere jugum potuerunt, Tac. Agr. 31.
      2. 2. Subj.: qui denique ex bestiis fructus, nisi homines adjuvarent, percipi posset, Cic. Off. 2, 4, 14; cf.: ventum quidem erat eo, ut, si hostem similem antiquis Macedonum regibus habuisset consul, magna clades accipi potuerit, Liv. 44, 4, 9.
        So when the condition is implied, or is contained in an adverbial clause: quae res egestati et aeri alieno tuo praeter mortem Caesaris subvenire potuisset? Cic. Phil. 2, 14, 36: quis opifex praeter naturam … tantam sollertiam persequi potuisset in sensibus? id. N. D. 2, 57, 142; id. Tusc. 4, 19, 44: plurima proferre possemus, sed modus adhibendus est, Nep. Epam. 4, 6: possem hic Ciceronis respondere verbis, sed, etc., Quint. 2, 21, 14.
        Hence, pŏtens, entis (gen. plur. potentum, Verg. A. 12, 519; Claud. Laud. Stil. 2, 114), P. a.
    1. A. In gen., able, mighty, powerful, potent (class.): amplae atque potentes civitates, Cic. Inv. 2, 56, 169: familiae clarae ac potentes, Liv. 23, 4: amici magni et potentes, Suet. Aug. 56: ne quis ex plebe contra potentiorem auxilii egeret, Caes. B. G. 6, 10: duo potentissimi reges, Cic. Imp. Pomp. 2, 4: potentissimus et clarissimus civis, id. Planc. 21, 51.
          1. (β) With gen.: quanta sit humani ingenii vis, quam potens efficiendi quae velit, Quint. 12, 11, 10.
          2. (γ) With abl.: Roma potens opibus, Ov. F. 4, 255: pecuniā et orbitate, Tac. H. 1, 73.
          3. (δ) With inf.: compensare potens, Dig. 16, 2, 10.
    2. B. In partic.
      1. 1. Having power over, ruling over, master of a thing; with gen.: dum liber, dum mei potens sum, as long as I am my own master, Liv. 26, 13, 14: sanus mentisque potens, in his right mind, Ov. Tr. 2, 139: potens mei non eram, Curt. 4, 13, 23: potentes rerum suarum atque urbis, having made themselves masters of, Liv. 23, 16, 6; so, facere aliquem potentem alicujus rei, to make one master of any thing, to give one the power over a thing: consilii, id. 8, 13, 14: imperii, id. 22, 42, 12: diva potens Cypri, that reigns over Cyprus, i.e. Venus, Hor. C. 1, 3, 1: Naïadum potens (Bacchus), id. ib. 3, 25, 14: silvarum potens Diana, id. C. S. 1: diva potens uteri, i.e. Lucina, Ov. M. 9, 315: rerum omnium potens Juppiter, Tac. H. 4, 84: lyrae Musa potens, that presides over lyric poetry, Hor. C. 1, 6, 10: irae, master of his anger, Curt. 4, 2, 5: mariti, ruling her husband, Tac. A. 14, 60: animal potens leti, that can kill, deadly, Luc. 6, 485; cf. id. 5, 199 Corte ad loc.
      2. 2. Fit for, capable of any thing; with gen.: potens regni, Liv. 24, 2: hostes neque pugnae, neque fugae satis potentes caeduntur, unable either to fight or flee, id. 8, 39.
      3. 3. Partaking of, having attained a thing; with gen. (poet.): pacis potentes, Plaut. Poen. 5, 4, 9: voti, Ov. M. 8, 80: jussi, having fulfilled the command, id. ib. 4, 509.
      4. 4. Strong, mighty, powerful, efficacious, potent (mostly poet. and in post-Aug. prose): fortuna in res bellicas potens, Liv. 9, 17: herba potens ad opem, Ov. H. 5, 147: verba, id. Am. 3, 11, 31: herba potens adversus ranas, Plin. 25, 10, 81, § 130: passum ex uvis contra haemorrhoida potens, id. 23, 1, 12, § 15.
        Comp.: nihil esse potentius auro, Ov. Am. 3, 8, 29: quaedam ad efficiendum potentiora, Quint. 6, 1, 26.
        Sup.: potentissimae cantharides, Plin. 29, 4, 30, § 94: argumenta, Quint. 6, 4, 22.
        Hence, adv.: pŏtenter, strongly, mightily, powerfully, effectually (poet. and in post-Aug. prose): se ipsam potenter atque efficaciter defendere, Val. Max. 1, 1, 1: dicere, Quint. 12, 10, 72.
        Comp.: aurum … perrumpere amat saxa potentius Ictu fulmineo, Hor. C. 3, 16, 9; Quint. 6, 4, 18.
    3. B. According to one’s ability or powers (poet.): lecta potenter res, Hor. A. P. 40.

pŏtis (in the positive rarely declined, and in the neutr. pŏte), adj. (comp. pŏ-tĭor, ius; sup. pŏtissĭmus, a, um; class. only in the comp.) [Sanscr. patis, lord; Gr. πόσις, husband; δεσ-πότης, lord; Lat. compotis (compos) potiri].

  1. I. Posit., able, capable; possible (mostly ante-class. and poet.): divi qui potes pro illo quod Samothraces θεοὶ δυνατοί, Varr L. L. 5, § 58 Müll.; Macr. S. 3, 4: nisi qui colaphos perpeti Potis parasitus, Plaut. Capt. 1, 1, 21.
    Usually in the connection potis or pote est, he, she, or it is able, may, or can: at ea supterfugere potis es pauca, Plaut. Capt. 5, 2, 17: neque sanguis ullo potis est pacto profluens consistere, old poet ap. Cic. Tusc. 2, 16, 38: istam non potis est vis saeva exstinguere venti, Poët. ap. Gell. 19, 9, 12: at non Evandrum potis est vis ulla tenere, Verg. A. 11, 148: quod nunquam potis est sejungi, Lucr. 1, 452: nec potis est cerni, id. 5, 719; Cat. 76, 24: qui potis est? how is it possible? id. 72, 7.
    With plur.: si speres quicquam prodesse potis sunt, Enn. ap. Fest. p. 333 Müll. (Ann. v. 410 Vahl.): duae plus satis dare potis sunt, Plaut. Poen. 1, 2, 17: quid pastores potis sint, Varr. R. R. 2, 2.
    Without est: quis potis ingentes oras evolvere belli? Enn. ap. Diom. p. 381 P. (Ann. v. 178 Vahl.); Verg. A. 3, 671; Hor. C. 3, 17, 13.
    Form pote: si non aliud pote est, Cat. 43, 16. Without est: nec devitari letum pote, Lucr. 3, 1079: viget, veget, utpote plurimum, Varr. ap Non. 2, 876: nec non emptor pote ex empto vendito illum damnare, id. R. R. 2, 2: nec eniti remis pote, Val. Fl. 4, 680; Prop. 2, 1, 46: qui pote? vis dicam? nugaris, Pers. 1, 56: in te dici pote, Id, quod, Cat. 98, 1: nec peccatum a me quisquam pote dicere quicquam, id. 67, 11: hoc facito, sive id non pote sive pote, be it impossible or possible, id. 76, 16: quid pote simplicius? what can be more simple? Mart. 9, 16, 2: nihil pote supra, nothing could exceed it, Ter. Ad. 2, 3, 11; Auct. ap. Cic. Brut. 46, 172; Cic. Att. 13, 38, 1: quantum pote, as soon as possible, id. ib. 4, 13, 1: quam pote, as much as possible (post-class.): aufugiamus istinc quam pote longissime, App. M. 1, p. 107, 9; 2, p. 119, 33.
  2. II. Comp.: pŏtĭor, us, that may be preferred, preferred; better, preferable (class.).
    1. A. Of persons: numquam edepol erit ille potior Harpax, quam ego, Plaut. Ps. 4, 1, 17; 1, 3, 95: quem aequiust potiorem habere quam te? id. Stich. 1, 2, 40: qui plus pollet potiorque est patre, old poet ap. Cic. Tusc. 4, 32, 69; id. Fam. 10, 3, 2: itaque cives potiores quam peregrini, id. Lael. 5, 19: Sosim et Moericum quibus tantam crederem rem, potiores habui, Liv. 26, 31, 4: at tu, qui potior nunc es, happier in love, preferred, Tib. 1, 6, 33 (5, 69): ut in judicio possessionis potior esset, Dig. 18, 1, 34.
    2. B. Of things, better, stronger, preferable, more useful or important: nulla potior serenda, Varr. R. R. 1, 15: sucus, Plin. 36, 22, 43, § 158: novistine locum potiorem rure beato? Hor. Ep. 1, 10, 14: sententia, id. Epod. 16, 17: mors civibus Romanis semper fuit servitute potior, Cic. Phil. 10, 9, 19: illi turpis vita integrā famā potior fuit, Sall. J. 67, 3: nihil mihi potius fuit quam ut Massinissam convenirem, I had nothing more important, nothing more urgent to do, Cic. Rep. 6, 9, 9: illa semper potiora duxisti, quae, etc., id. de Or. 3, 22, 82: semper se rei publicae commoda privatis necessitatibus habuisse potiora, Caes. B. C. 1, 8.
      Subst.: ut probetis potiora, Vulg. Phil. 1, 10: hem, mater mea, tibi rem potiorem video (sc. verbis), I see a fact stronger than words, i. e. a clearer proof, Plaut. Aul. 4, 7, 12.
  3. III. Sup.: pŏtissĭmus, a, um, the chief, principal, most prominent, most important.
    1. A. Of persons (poet. and in post-Aug. prose): item huic ultro fit, ut Meret, potissimus nostrae domi ut sit, Plaut. Men. 2, 3, 9: tantis potissimus umbris, Stat. Th. 4, 627: potissimos libertorum veneno interficere, Tac. A. 14, 65.
    2. B. Of things (class.): utrum potius, aut quid potissimum sit, quaeritur, Cic. Inv. 1, 12, 17: cura, Stat. S. 4, 4, 20: nobilitas, Plin. 14, 2, 4, § 25: opusculum, Plin. Ep. 4, 14, 10: causa, Tac. A. 4, 16.
      Hence, adv., only in the comp. and sup.
    1. A. Comp.: pŏtĭus, rather, preferably, more (class.; cf.: satius, prius): quo nos vocabis nomine? Ar. Libortos. Le. Non patronos? Ar. Id potius, Plaut. As. 3, 3, 62: sed scin’, quid volo potius, sodes, facias? Ter. Hec. 5, 1, 27; id. And. 5, 3, 2: nec vero imperia expetenda: ac potius non accipienda interdum, Cic. Off. 1, 20, 68.
      With quam, Plaut. Aul. 4, 2, 11: Galliam potius esse Ariovisti quam populi Romani, Caes. B. G. 1, 45.
      When the predicates are compared, the verb in the following clause is always in the subj.: perpessus est omnia potius quam conscios indicaret, rather than, Cic. Tusc. 2, 22, 52: in oratione non vis potius quam delectatio postulatur, Cic. de Or. 2, 78, 317: privabo potius illum debito testimonio quam id cum meā laude communicem, id. Ac. 2, 1, 3: scribam aliquid potius, quam committam ut litterae non reddantur, id. Att. 5, 6, 2: nos potius nostro delicto plectemur, quam res publica nostra peccata luat, Liv. 8, 7, 17: per interregem comitia habenda potius, quam consulum alter a bello avocaretur, id. 22, 23, 10; 9, 14, 16.
      So with quam ut: se miliens morituros potius quam ut tantum dedecoris admitti patiantur, Liv. 4, 2, 8: audeo dicere hoc malo domitos ipsos potius cultores agrorum fore, quam ut armati, etc., id. 2, 34, 11; 6, 28, 8; 9, 14, 7.
      But after verbs of willing, wishing (sometimes of declaring), the inf. is used: dictatore obstinato tollere potius totum e re publicā consulatum, quam promiscuum facere, Liv. 7, 21, 1; 23, 9, 8; 21, 13, 8: v. Weissenb. ad Liv. 2, 15, 2; Fest. s. v. olivitam, p. 202 Müll.; v. Muuml;ll. ad. loc. p. 203, a.
      In an inverted order: quam potius, Verg. Copa, 5: quid mihi negotii est eum istis nugacibus, quam potius potamus mulsum? C. Titius ap. Macr. S. 2, 12.
      Sometimes potius is to be supplied: tacita, bona est mulier semper, quam loquens, Plaut. Rud. 4, 4, 70; id. Men. 5, 1, 26: tamen statuit congredi, quam cum tantis copiis refugere, Nep. Dat. 8, 1.
      Pleon., with words which already express comparison.
      Comp., Ter. Hec. 4, 1, 19: Uticae potius quam Romae esse malle, Cic. Lig. 2, 5: favorabiliores rei potius, quam actores habentur, Dig. 50, 17, 167.
      1. 2. Esp., introducing a repetition of a thought in a corrected or strengthened form: aut potius, vel potius, or rather, or I may better say, etc.: efficiet enim ratio ut … mors aut malum non sit, aut sit bonum potius, Cic. Tusc. 1, 11, 23: quam fuit imbecillus P. Africani filius, quam tenui aut nullā potius valetudine, id. Sen. 11, 35: erravit aut potius insanivit Apronius? id. Verr. 2, 3, 48, § 113: Cato magnus hercule homo, vel potius summus et singularis vir, id. Brut. 85, 293; Dig. 1, 5, 16.
    2. B. Sup.: pŏtissĭmē (pŏtissŭ-), and more freq. pŏtissĭmum (pŏtissŭ-), chiefly, principally, especially, in preference to all others, above all, most of all (class.).
      Form potissime, Cels. 3, 6.
      Form potissimum: responde, quo leto censes me ut peream potissimum? Plaut. Merc. 2, 4, 15; Ter. And. 2, 6, 23: exsistat aliquis et potissimum Caecus ille, Cic. Cael. 14, 33; id. Mur. 2, 4: nos id potissimum consecuti sumus, id. Tusc. 5, 4, 11: tanta erat contentio, qui potissimum ex magno numero conscenderent, ut, Caes. B. C. 2, 43: quid agam? aut quo potissimum infelix accedam? Sall. J. 14, 15; Auct. Her. 3, 2, 2; Lact. 2, 18, 3.