dē-sum, fŭi, esse (ee in deest, deesse, deerit, etc., in the poets per synaeresin as one syll., Lucr. 1, 44; Cat. 64, 151; Verg. G. 2, 233; id. A. 7, 262; 10, 378; Hor. Ep. 1, 12, 24; Ov. M. 15, 354 et saep.; praes. subj., desiet, Cato R. R. 8; perf., defuerunt, trisyl., Ov. M. 6, 585; fut. inf., commonly defuturum esse, as Cic. Div. in Caecil. 1, 2, etc.; also defore, id. Fam. 13, 63; Caes. B. G. 5, 56; Sil. 9, 248; imperf. subj., deforent, Ambros. Hexaem. 3, 13), v. n., to be away, be absent; to fail, be wanting (for syn. cf.: absum, deficio, descisco, negligo; freq. in all periods).
I In gen.
α Absol. : non ratio, verum argentum deerat, Ter. Phorm. 299: frigore enim desunt ignes ventique calore Deficiunt, Lucr. 6, 360: cf. id. 3, 455; Cato R. R. 8: omnia deerant, quae, etc., Caes. B. G. 4, 29 fin. : semper paullum ad summam felicitatem defuisse, id. ib. 6, 43, 5: ibi numquam causas seditionum et certaminis defore, Liv. 45, 18: quod non desit habentem, etc., Hor. Ep. 2, 2, 52 et saep.: non desunt qui, for sunt qui, Quint. 4, 5, 11; 8, 3, 85; Plin. 2, 109, 112, § 248.—
β With dat. (so most freq.): metuo mihi in monendo ne defuerit oratio, Plaut. Bacch. 1, 1, 3 and 4: cui nihil desit, quod, etc., Cic. Rep. 1, 17; cf. id. Lael. 14, 51: sive deest naturae quippiam, sive abundat atque affluit, id. Div. 1, 29, 61: quantum alteri sententiae deesset animi, tantum alteri superesse, Caes. B. C. 2, 31; so, opp. superesse, Cic. Fam. 13, 63; cf. opp. superare, Sall. C. 20, 11: neu desint epulis rosae, Hor. Od. 1, 36, 15; id. Ep. 1, 1, 58 et saep.: hoc unum ad pristinam fortunam Caesari defuit, Caes. B. G. 4, 26 fin. ; cf. id. B. C. 3, 2, 2; 3, 96, 2. —
γ With in : ut neque in Antonio deesset hic ornatus orationis, neque in Crasso redundaret, Cic. de Or. 3, 4 fin. ; id. Rep. 2, 33: in C. Laenio commendando, id. Fam. 13, 63 al.—
δ With inf. (poet. and in postAug. prose): et mihi non desunt turpes pendere corollae, Prop. 1, 16, 7; Sil. 6, 10; Tac. H. 4, 1 al.—
ε With quominus : duas sibi res, quominus in vulgus et in foro diceret, defuisse, Cic. Rep. 3, 30 fin. (ap. Non. 262, 23); Tac. A. 14, 39.—
ζ With quin : nihil contumeliarum defuit, quin subiret, Suet. Ner. 45.—
η With ut : non defuit, ut, etc., Capitol. Gord. III. 31.—
II Pregn., to fail, be wanting in one's duty , as in rendering assistance, etc.; not to assist or serve, to desert one, to neglect a person or thing.
α With dat.: tantum enitor, ut neque amicis neque etiam alienioribus opera, consilio, labore desim, Cic. Fam. 1, 9, 17; cf. id. Mur. 4 fin. : ne tibi desis, that you be not wanting to yourself, neglect not your own advantage , id. Rosc. Am. 36, 104; id. Fam. 5, 12, 2; cf. Hor. S. 1, 9, 56; 2, 1, 17; 1, 4, 134: senatu reique publicae, Caes. B. C. 1, 1, 3 sq.: communi saluti nulla in re, id. B. G. 5, 33, 2: Timotheo de fama dimicanti, Nep. Timo th. 4, 3: huic rei, Caes. B. C. 3, 93, 2: negotio, id. ib. 2, 41, 3: decori vestro, Cic. Rep. 6, 24: officio et dignitati meae, id. Att. 7, 17, 4; Liv. 3, 50: tempori, id. 21, 27; cf.: occasioni temporis, Caes. B. C. 3, 79 et saep.—
β Without dat.: non deest reipublicae consilium ... nos, nos, dico aperte, consules desumus, Cic. Cat. 1, 1 fin. ; id. Rep. 3, 21: qui non deerat in causis, id. Brut. 34, 130: nec deerat Ptolemaeus, Tac. H. 1, 22 fin. —
B To fall short of, miss, fail to obtain : ne quis desit gratiae Dei, Vulg. Heb. 12, 15.