oppĕrĭor (obp-), pĕrītus and pertus, 4 (arch. forms, fut. opperibor, Plaut. Truc. 1, 2, 107 al.; inf. opperirier, id. ib. 2, 3, 5; v. infra; Ter. Eun. 890), v. dep. n. and a. [kindred with experior, from perior, whence peritus].
I Neutr. , to wait (class.; syn.: exspecto, praestolor): opperiri exspectare, Fest. p. 187 Müll.: pol, quamquam domi cupio, opperiar, Plaut. Trin. 4, 1, 23: vel sex mensis opperibor, id. Ps. 1, 3, 89: non quis parumper durare opperirier? id. Truc. 2, 3, 5: aut ibidem opperiar, aut, etc., Cic. Att. 3, 10, 1: ego in Arcano opperior, dum ista cognosco, id. ib. 10, 3, 1: unam praeterea horam ne oppertus sies, wait a whole hour , Ter. Phorm. 514.—Followed by ut with subj.: simul opperiens, ut terrestris copiae traicerentur, Liv. 42, 48, 10; Tac. A. 15, 68; Tiro ap. Gell. 6, 3, 42.—
II Act. , to wait for , await , expect a person or thing.
α With a personal object : servom, quem ego me jusseram hic opperiri, Plaut. Aul. 4, 7, 18: abi intro: ibi me opperire, Ter. And. 523: hostem, Verg. A. 10, 771: imperatorem, Tac. A. 4, 66.—
β With an inanim. object: seni non otium erat, id sum opperitus, Plaut. Most. 3, 2, 101: tempora sua, Liv. 1, 56, 8: tempus dextrum, to wait for the right time , Sil. 5, 85.