ambĭtĭōsus, a, um, adj. [ambitio].
I (Very rare and mostly poet.) Going round , encompassing; poet., embracing , twining round : lascivis hederis ambitiosior, Hor. C. 1, 36, 20 (cf.: undique ambientibus ramis, Curt. 4, 7, 16).—Of a river, making circuits , having many windings : Jordanes amnis ambitiosus, Plin. 5, 15, 15, § 71.— Of oratorical ornament, excessive , superfluous : vir bonus ambitiosa recidet Ornamenta, Hor. A. P. 447.—
II Transf.
A That asks for a thing fawningly; esp., that solicits the favor , good-will , etc., of any one , in a good and bad sense, honor-loving , ambitious , courting favor; vain , vainglorious , conceited , etc.: qui ita sit ambitiosus, ut omnes vos nosque cotidie persalutet, Cic. Fl. 18: homo minime ambitiosus, minime in rogando molestus, id. Fam. 13, 1: ne forte me in Graecos tam ambitiosum factum esse mirere, desirous of the favor of the Greeks , id. Q. Fr. 1, 2, 2: pro nostris ut sis ambitiosa malis, Ov. P. 3, 1, 84: pro nato caerula mater Ambitiosa suo fuit, i.e. begs fawningly of Vulcan for weapons for her son , id. M. 13, 289: malis artibus ambitiosus, seeking to ingratiate one's self , Tac. H. 2, 57: salubris magis princeps quam ambitiosus, Suet. Aug. 42 al.—
B Pass. , that is willingly solicited or entreated , ambitious; much sought , honored , admired : ambitiosus et qui ambit et qui ambitur, Gell. 9, 12: turba caelestes ambitiosa sumus, Ov. F. 5, 298: sexus muliebris saevus, ambitiosus, potestatis avidus, Tac. A. 3, 33: si locuples hostis est, avari; si pauper, ambitiosi, id. Agr. 30: nota quidem sed non ambitiosa domus, not sought after , Ov. Tr. 1, 9, 18 Jahn: ambitiosae pulchritudinis scortum. Just. 30, 2. —
C Of things, vain , ostentatious : amicitiae, founded merely on the desire to please , interested , Cic. Att. 1, 18: rogationes, id. Fam. 6, 12; so id. ib. 6, 6: gloriandi genus, Quint. 11, 1, 22: preces, urgent , Tac. H. 2, 49: sententiae, Suet. Dom. 8: mors, ambitious , i. e. to obtain fame , Tac. Agr. 42: medicina ars, boastful , Plin. 29, 1, 8, § 20: et quaesitorum pelago terrāque ciborum Ambitiosa fames, Luc. 4, 376: atria, splendid , gorgeous , Mart. 12, 69: ambitiosis utilia praeferre, Quint. 1, 2, 27: ambitiosius id existimans quam domi suae majestas postularet, more condescending , submissive , Suet. Aug. 25.—
D In rhet.: orator ambitiosus, who seeks to rouse attention by obsolete or unusual expressions : antigerio nemo nisi ambitiosus utetur, Quint. 8, 3, 26.—Hence, adv.: ambĭtĭōsē , ambitiously , ostentatiously , etc.: de triumpho ambitiose agere, Cic. Att. 15, 1: ambitiose regnum petere, Liv. 1, 35: amicitias ambitiose colere, Tac. H. 1, 10 al.— Comp. , Cic. Fam. 3, 7.— Sup. , Quint. 6, 3, 68.