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. promptus (promtus), ūs, m. [promo, prop. a taking forth; hence],

  1. I. An exposing to view, a being visible, visibility; only in the phrase in promptu (esse, habere, ponere, etc.), public, open, visible, manifest, before the eyes: ut (decorum) non reconditā quādam ratione cernatur, sed sit in promptu, Cic. Off. 1, 27, 95; so (opp. reconditiora) id. Ac. 2, 4, 10; (opp. interiora) id. Div. 2, 60, 124: aliquid ponere in promptu (opp. contegere atque abdere), id. Off. 1, 35, 126: ingenium in promptu habere, to display, Sall. C. 7, 1: iram in promptu gerere, Plaut. Ps. 1, 5, 33: in promptu scrinia Brutus habet, Ov. P. 1, 1, 24: in promptu gerunt ova, Col. 8, 11, 8: in promptu est, with a subject-clause, it is clear, plain, evident: omnibus in promptu manifestumque esse videmus, etc., Lucr. 2, 149; 246; 868.
  2. II. Readiness; only in the phrase in promptu esse, habere, to be at hand, to have ready: ea dicam, quae mihi sunt in promptu, Cic. Ac. 1, 2, 4; Liv. 25, 29 fin.: in promptu habere, quantum natura hominis pecudibus antecedat, Cic. Off. 1, 30, 105.
  3. III. Ease, facility; only in the phrase in promptu esse, to be easy, Sall. Or. ad Caes. 2: quadrupedes In promptu regere est, Ov. M. 2, 84: quam quae comprendere dictis In promptu mihi sit, id. ib. 13, 161.