con-tŭĕor, ŭĭtus, 2 (ante-class. and poet.; access. form pres. contŭor, Plaut. As. 2, 3, 23; Stat. Ach. 1, 131: contuimur, Lucr. 4, 35; inf. contui, Plaut. As. 1, 1, 111; 3, 1, 20; id. Most. 3, 2, 152; Pompon. ap. Non. p. 470, 31; cf. tueor and intueor; and in act. form contuo, Enn. ap. Macr. S. 6, 2, or Fragm. v. 95 Vahl.), v. a.
I To look on, gaze upon, behold, survey, to consider attentively (syn. conspicio; rare but class.; most freq. in Cic.).
A Lit.: occepi contui, conspicio coleatam cuspidem, Pompon. 1. 1.: totam terram contueri ejusque situm, formam, etc., Cic. Tusc. 1, 20, 45: hanc sedem et aeternam domum, id. Rep. 6, 23, 25: os, id. Sull. 27, 74: te duobus oculis, id. N. D. 3, 3, 8: aliquid, id. de Or. 3, 59, 221: longinqua (opp. prope admota non cernere), Plin. 11, 37, 54, § 142 sq.; Suet. Aug. 94; id novum Agesilaus contuens, beholding this novelty , Nep. Chabr. 1, 2.— Absol. : alicui acrius contuenti voltum summittere, Suet. Aug. 79; so Plin. 29, 6, 38, § 132.—Of a place personified: Acrocorinthus utraque maria contuens. Mel. 2, 3, 7; cf. Cic. Dom. 57, 146. —
B Trop., to take into view, to weigh , ponder maturely, to observe (rare): quod bene propositum si plane contueare, Ac videas plane, Lucr. 6, 653: a contuendis malis avocare aliquem, Cic. Tusc. 3, 16, 35.—
b With the access. idea of carefulness, to see to, take care of, preserve carefully : pecus sic contuendum, ne, Varr. R. R. 2, 5, 16.—
II Inchoat. (cf. conspicio, II.), to get sight of, perceive, descry (very rare): si volturios forte possis contui, Plaut. Most. 3, 2, 152: figuras miras simulacraque in somnis, Lucr. 4, 35.