mīlĭto, āvi, ātum, 1, v. n. [miles], to be a soldier, to perform military service, to serve as a soldier (syn.: stipendium mereo; class.).
I Lit.: in cujus exercitu Catonis filius tiro militabat, Cic. Off. 1, 11, 36: sub signis alicujus, Liv. 23, 42: adversus aliquem, Suet. Caes. 68: apud Persas, Curt. 6, 5, 7: vobiscum, id. 8, 8, 11: si inter vigiles Romae Sex annis militaverit, Ulp. Fragm. 3, 5.—
II Transf.
1 To make war, wage war, war against; pass. , with a homogeneous subject: libenter hoc et omne militabitur Bellum, Hor. Epod. 1, 23. —
2 Of other than military service: at confidentia militia illa militatur multo magis quam pondere, Plaut. Pers. 2, 2, 50; Ov. H. 7, 32: vixi puellis nuper idoneus, Et militavi non sine gloriā, Hor. C. 3, 26, 1: prima stipendia Veneri militabant, Ap. Met. 9, 20, 5; militat in silvis catulus, Hor. Ep. 1, 2, 67.—Of an inanim. subject: aries machina est, quae muros frangere militat, serves , Tert. Pall. 1; cf.: carnalia desideria, quae militant adversus animam, Vulg. 1 Pet. 2, 11.