conquīro (-quaero), quīsīvi (arch. form CONQVAESEIVEI in inscrr.: conquisierit, Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 1, § 1; id. Rab. Perd. 5, 15), quīsītum, 3, v. a. [quaero], to seek or search for, to procure, bring together, collect (class.; esp. freq. in the histt.).
I In gen.
A Lit.: naves toto flumine Ibero, Caes. B. C. 1, 61: Lisso Parthinisque et omnibus castellis quod esset frumenti conquiri jussit, id. ib. 3, 42: haec (cornua) studiose conquisita, id. B. G. 6, 28: quam plurimum domiti pecoris ex agris, Sall. J. 75, 4: ea (sc. obsides, arma, servos), Caes. B. G. 1, 27 and 28: socios ad eum interficiendum, Nep. Dion, 8, 3: pecuniam, Liv. 29, 18, 6; cf.: dona ac pecunias acerbe per municipia, Tac. H. 3, 76 fin. : conquirere et comburere vaticinos libros, Liv. 39, 16, 8: desertores de exercitu volonum, id. 25, 22, 3: sacra, id. 25, 7, 5 Duker: virgines sibi undique, Suet. Aug. 71; 83: vulgo amantes, Prop. 1, 2, 23: duces, Curt. 9, 9, 1: fabros undique, Dig. 45, 1, 137, § 3.—
B Trop., to seek after, search for, go in quest of, to make search for (esp. freq. in Cic. and Tac.): conquisita diu dulcique reperta labore carmina, Lucr. 3, 419: suavitates undique, Cic. Off. 3, 33, 117: voluptates, Caes. B. C. 3, 96; cf.: conquirere et comparare voluptatem, Cic. Fin. 1, 13, 42; id. Ac. 2 ( Luc. ), 27, 87: vetera exempla, id. de Or. 3, 8, 29: piacula irae deum, Liv. 40, 37, 2: impedimenta, Tac. A. 1, 47: solacia, id. ib. 12, 68: argumenta, id. ib. 14, 44: causas, id. Or. 15: naturae primas causas, Cic. Univ. 14 med. : omnes artes ad opprimendum eum, Tac. A. 15, 56.—
II Esp. (con intens.), to seek for with earnestness, to search out eagerly or carefully (rare but class.).
A Lit.: Diodorum tota provincia, Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 19, § 39: (Liberam) investigare et conquirere, id. ib. 2, 4, 48, § 106: terrā marique conquiri, Vatin. ap. Cic. Fam. 5, 9, 2: conquirere consulem et sepelire, Liv. 22, 52, 6: eum ad necem, Vell. 2, 41, 2; Nep. Timo l. 3, 1; Suet. Vit. 10.—
B Trop.: aliquid sceleris et flagitii, to seek to commit , Cic. Agr. 2, 35, 96.
VII —Hence, conquīsītus , a, um, P. a. (acc. to II.), sought out, chosen, costly : conquisiti atque electi coloni, Cic. Agr. 2, 35, 96: peregrina et conquisita medicamenta, Cels. 5, 26, 23: figurae (opp. obviae dicenti), * Quint. 9, 3, 5.— Sup. : mensae conquisitissimis epulis exstruebantur, Cic. Tusc. 5, 21, 62.— Comp. prob. not in use.—Adv.: conquīsītē , carefully, with much pains (ante- and post-class., and only in posit. ): conquisite commercata edulia, Afran. ap. Non. p. 28, 30: conquisite admodum scripsit Varro, Gell. 3, 10, 16; cf.: conquisite conscripsimus (corresp. with diligenter), Auct. Her. 2, 31, 50.