ob-sto, stĭti, ātum (obstaturus, Front. Aquaed. 123; Quint. 2, 11, 1; Stat. Th. 7, 247; gen. plur. obstantum, Sil. 5, 277), 1, v. n., to stand before or against any thing.
I In gen. (very rare): soli luna obstitit, Enn. ap. Cic. Rep. 1, 16, 25 (Ann. v. 167 Vahl.); cf.: montibus obstipis obstantibus, id. ap. Paul. ex Fest. p. 193 Müll. (Ann. v. 407 ib.): dominae niveis a vultibus obstas, Stat. S. 1, 2, 23; so, summis a postibus, id. Th. 4, 17: obviam, to stand in the way , Plaut. Stich. 2, 1, 14.—
II In partic., to stand against or in the way of a person or thing; to withstand, thwart, hinder, oppose, obstruct (the class. signif. of the word; syn.: obsisto, adversor, officio).—Constr. with dat., absol. , with quin, quominus, cur , or ne.
α With dat.: quae tardis mora noctibus obstet, Verg. A. 1, 746: alicui, Plaut. Mil. 4, 2, 6: cur mihi te offers ac meis commodis officis et obstas? Cic. Rosc. Am. 38, 112; cf. id. ib. 2, 6: vita cetera eorum huic sceleri obstat, their former life stands opposed to this crime, secures them against the suspicion of this crime , Sall. C. 52, 31: di omnes quibus obstitit Ilium, was an offence to , Verg. A. 6, 64: nam sic labentibus (aedibus) obstat vilicus, i. e. keeps from falling , Juv. 3, 194; cf. v. 243.—For the dat. in with acc. is found: in laudem vetustorum invidia non obstat, Sen. Ben. 7, 8, 2.—
β Absol. : me obstare, illos obsequi, Enn. ap. Cic. Div. 1, 31, 66: restitant, occurrunt, obstant, id. ap. Non. 147, 9 (Sat. v. 5 ib.): obstando magis quam pugnando castra tutabantur, Liv. 40 25: exercitus hostium duo obstant, block up the way , Sall. C. 58, 6; Plaut. Trin. 1, 1, 15: si omnia removentur, quae obstant et impediunt, Cic. Ac. 2 ( Luc. ), 7, 19.—
γ With quin : quibus non humana ulla, neque divina obstant, quin socios amicos trahant, exscindant, Sall. H. 4, 61, 17 Dietsch.—
δ With quominus : quid obstat, quominus sit beatus? Cic. N. D. 1, 34, 95: ne quid divini humanive obstet, quominus justum piumque de integro ineatur bellum, Liv. 9, 8, 6.—
ε With cur : quid obstat, cur non (verae nuptiae) fiant? Ter. And. 103.—
ζ With ne : Histiaeus Milesius, ne res conficeretur, obstitit, Nep. Milt. 3, 5: cum ibi quoque religio obstaret, ne non posset nisi ab consule dici dictator, Liv. 4, 31, 4: ne id, quod placebat, decerneret in tantae nobilitatis viris, ambitio obstabat, id. 5, 36, 9.—
b Impers. pass. : nec, si non obstatur, propterea etiam permittitur, Cic. Phil. 13, 6, 14: indignatur amans Obstari animae, Ov. M. 11, 788.—
c Part. pres. in plur. as subst.: obstantia , ĭum, n.: obstantia silvarum amoliri, hinderances, obstructions , Tac. A. 1, 50.