an
I conj.
I I. Prop., in a disjunctive question introducing the latter clause; in Engl. represented by or and the interrog. form of the clause.—After utrum, in direct questions: utrum has corporis an Pythagorae tibi malis viris ingeni dari?: utrum superbiam prius commemorem an crudelitatem?: utrumne iussi persequemur otium, an, etc., H.—In indirect questions, whether ... or: intellegere utrum pudor an timor valeret, Cs.: quaero, utrum clemens an inhumanissimus videatur: agitamus utrumne ... an, etc., H.—After enclitic -ne in direct questions: vosne Domitium an vos Domitius deseruit? Cs.: uter ... isne, qui ... an ille, qui? etc.—Annon (an non) in the latter clause simply negatives the former: hocine agis an non? T.—Indirect, whether ... or: agitur liberine vivamus an mortem obeamus: quaeso sitne aliqua actio an nulla.—Rarely annon: Roga velitne an non uxorem, T. — After a clause without correl. interrog. particle, in direct questions: ipse percussit an aliis occidendum dedit?: eloquar an sileam? V.—So with -ne pleonast.: obtrectatum esse, Gabinio dicam anne Pompeio, an utrique?—By ellips. of verb, an becomes simply disjunctive between two words: cum Simonides an quis alius polliceretur: cum id constaret, iure an iniuriā eripiendos esse reos, L.—Indirect: vivat an mortuus sit, quis curat?: hoc quaeramus, verum sit an falsum?— With ellips. of verb: neque, recte an perperam (sc. fiat), interpretor, L.; cf. discrimine recte an perperam facti confuso, L.—The former interrog. clause is often implied in a previous affirmation, and the clause with an expects a negative answer: quid enim actum est? an litteris pepercisti? (was it as I have said?), or did you, etc., i. e. you surely did not, etc.: at Pompeii voluntatem a me abalienabat oratio mea. An ille quemquam plus dilexit? or rather: sive vetabat, ‘an hoc inhonestum ... necne sit addubites?’ (where an addubites asks a direct question, and hoc ... sit an indirect question dependent on it), H.: quas Kalendas Iunias expectasti? an eas, ad quas, etc.?: an Scipio Gracchum interfecit, Catilinam ... nos perferemus? or (if what I have said be questioned) while Scipio slew ... are we to tolerate Catiline?—After a question, with num, an introduces a new question, correcting or denying the former, or rather: num iniquom postulo? an ne hoc quidem ego adipiscar ...?or rather am I not even to get, etc., T.: num Homerum coegit obmutescere senectus? an studiorum agitatio vitae aequalis fuit?or was not rather? etc.—Sometimes the former interrog. clause, to be supplied, expects a negative answer, and the clause with an is an implied affirmation: a rebus gerendis senectus abstrahit? Quibus? an iis, etc.: unde ordiar? an eadem attingam, quae, etc.—So often annon? or is it not so? hem quo fretus sim ... annon dixi, etc., T.: annon sensistis triumphatum hodie de vobis esse? or have you not? etc., L. — Ellipt.: cuium pecus? an Meliboei? Meliboeus's, I suppose, V.—
II II. Meton., without disjunctive force.—With expressions of doubt, ignorance, uncertainty, the former interrog. clause is regularly omitted, the latter with an expressing the belief or opinion of the speaker, I know not but, I incline to think, I suspect, perhaps, probably: hau scio an quae dixit sint vera, T.: res nescio an maxima, L.: dubito an Apronio data sit merces: haud sciam an ne opus sit quidem, etc., possibly it may not be desirable: is mortuus est, nescio an antequam, etc.: Qui scis, an, quae iubeam, sine vi faciat, T.—In indirect questions, whether: quaesivi an misisset: quae in discrimine fuerunt, an ulla post hanc diem essent, L.—With an repeated: animo nunc huc nunc fluctuat illuc, an sese mucrone ... Induat ... Fluctibus an iaciat, V.: temptare an sit Corpus an illud ebur, O.