ad-mĭnistro, āvi, ātum, 1, v. a.
I Lit., to be near as an aid , to attend upon , to assist , to serve (ministrum esse ad aliquam rem): conductam esse eam, quae hic administraret ad rem divinam tibi, Plaut. Ep. 3, 3, 37: omnia per sacerdotes administrabuntur, Vulg. Num. 18, 7: David in sua generatione cum administrasset, ib. Act. 13, 36: mel ad principia convivii et in secundam mensam administratur, is served up , Varr. R. R. 3, 16, 5.—Hence, with esp. ref. to the object,
II Fig., to take charge of , to manage , guide , administer , execute , accomplish , do , perform , etc. (the most usual signif. of this word; very freq. in Cic. and the histt.): a nobis omnia populi R. semper et belli adjumenta et pacis ornamenta administrata sunt, Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 47; so, provinciam, to govern , id. ib. 2, 4, 64: leges et judicia, id. Div. in Caecil. 22, 69: rem publicam, id. Off. 1, 25; so Liv. 6, 6, 11; cf. Drak. Liv. 6, 6, 11: bellum, Cic. Imp. Pomp. 2; id. Div. 2, 36 (a military t. t.); cf. with exercitus, id. Inv. 1, 34, 58; Herz. ad Caes. B. G. 2, 20, and Cortius ad Sall. J. 92, 9; Caes. B. G. 5, 50; id. B. C. 1, 25, 26; Nep. Chabr. 2; id. Eum. 5 al.: rem familiarem, Cic. Inv. 1, 25: negotium alicujus, id. Fam. 13, 11: neque ab uno omnia imperia administrari poterant, be issued , given , Caes. B. G. 2, 22: classem, id. B. C. 3, 18: navem, to guide , steer , id. ib. 3, 14: legionarii, qui dextram partem operis administrabant, i. e. who conducted the siege on the right side , id. ib. 2, 8: illustriores legationes, Nep. Dion. 1: oppida et fines alicujus, Sall. J. 22; cf. also Suet. Caes. 76; id. Tib. 8; id. Vitell. 5; id. Vesp. 4; so absol. (the acc. must be supplied from that which precedes): neque administrandi (sc. navigium) neque repellendi facultas dabatur, Auct. B. Alex. 21: milites neque pro opere consistere neque inter vineas sine periculo administrare poterant, nor ... pursue their work without peril , Sall. J. 92, 9: si celeriter administraverint (sc. hoc opus), Vitr. 1, 5, p. 19 Rod. (others translate administrare in this place, to put the hand to , to render service , to do one's duty , etc.).—Unus.: virtutem, innocentiam, diligentiam alicujus, to employ , Cato ap. Cic. Fam. 15, 5.