dēfīnĭo, īvi, ītum, 4, v. a.
I To bound, to set bounds to; to limit, terminate, define (for syn. v. decerno—freq. in Cic.).
A Lit.: ejus fundi extremam partem oleae directo ordine definiunt, Cic. Caecin. 8, 22; cf. id. Rep. 2, 6: orbes caeli aspectum nostrum definiunt, id. Div. 2, 44; cf. id. N. D. 2, 40: orbem terrarum (loca), id. Balb. 28, 64; imperium populi R., id. Sest. 31, 67 al. —
B Trop.
1 To designate by limiting; to limit, define, determine; to explain (cf. circumscribo, no. II. A.): genus universum brevi circumscribi et definiri potest, Cic. Sest. 45, 97; cf. id. de Or. 1, 16, 70: universam et propriam oratoris vim, id. ib. 1, 15: definienda res erit verbis et breviter describenda, id. Inv. 1, 8 fin. ; cf. Cic. Rep. 1, 24; 2, 31 fin. : omitto innumerabiles viros, etc.... unum hoc definio, tantam esse necessitatem virtutis, etc., this only I declare , etc., id. ib. 1, 1 fin. : probe definitur a Stoicis fortitudo , cum eam virtutem esse dicunt propugnantem pro aequitate , id. Off. 1, 19; 1, 27, 96; id. Fin. 2, 2 et saep.: nec uno modo definitur res eadem, Quint. 7, 3, 16; Tac. A. 6, 28 et saep.: aedes sibi optimas, hortos, etc., Cic. Phil. 8, 3, 9; cf.: ut suus cuique locus erat definitus, Caes. B. G. 7, 81, 4: tempus adeundi, id. ib. 7, 83, 5: cf.: ante quem diem iturus sit, id. B. C. 1, 11, 2: annos, Quint. 12, 6, 1: consulatum in annos, Caes. B. C. 3, 82, 4; cf.: potestatem in quinquennium, Cic. Agr. 2, 13: ut quam vitam ingrediar, definias, id. Ac. 2 ( Luc. ), 36; cf. id. Quint. 27: non remittam: definitum est, it is determined, decided , Plaut. Cist. 2, 1, 43; Cic. Fat. 5, 9; Vulg. 1 Reg. 20, 33.—
2 In opposition to breadth or laxity (cf. circumscribo, no. II. 2), to limit within certain bounds, to restrict, confine : non vagabitur oratio mea longius atque eis fere ipsis definietur viris, qui, etc., Cic. de Or. 3, 3: quae sententia definit amicitiam paribus officiis ac voluntatibus, Cic. Lael. 16, 58; cf. id. de Or. 3, 28, 109: ex perduellium numero definitus, included in the definition of , Off. 3, 29, 107 (dub.). —
II To terminate, finish (very rare; perh. only in the foll. places): ut totam hujus generis orationem concludam atque definiam, Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 52 Zumpt; id. Or. 19 fin. : definito juvene, ended , i. e. slain , Apul. M. 8, p. 203, 20.
VII —Hence, dēfīnītus , a, um, P. a. (according to no. I. B. 1), definite, limited, distinct, precise; plain, perspicuous (rare, but good prose): quaestionum duo sunt genera: alterum infinitum, alterum definitum. Definitum est, quod ὑπόθεσιν Graeci, nos causam, etc., Cic. Top. 21; so opp. generales, Quint. 7, 2, 1: certum esse in caelo ac definitum locum, ubi, etc., Cic. Rep. 6, 13; so with certus, id. Fam. 3, 8; Quint. 7, 10, 7: quaestiones, Cic. Top. 24 fin.—Adv. : dē-fīnītē , definitely, precisely, distinctly , etc., Cic. Balb. 14; de Or. 2, 27, 118; Plin. Pan. 88, 6; Gell. 1, 257 al.— Comp. and sup. do not occur.