percontor (percunct-), ātus, 1 (inf. percontarier, Plaut. Am. 2, 2, 78; id. As. 2, 2, 76; id. Cas. 3, 3, 8; id. Most. 4, 2, 47 al.), v. dep. a. and n. [per and root cunc-; Sanscr. canc- (canka, hesitation); cf. ὄκνος for κόκνος],
I to ask particularly , to question strictly , to inquire , interrogate , investigate (class.; syn.: interrogo, sciscitor).—Constr.: aliquem de aliquā re , aliquem and interrog.clause , aliquem alone; also, aliquid ab (rarely ex ) aliquo and absol.; also aliquem aliquid : cocum percontabatur, possent, etc., Plaut. Capt. 4, 4, 9: percontari hanc paucis hic volt, id. Pers. 4, 4, 49: percontarier, utrum, etc., id. Bacch. 4, 1, 4: me infit percontarier, ecquem noverim Demaenetum, id. As. 2, 2, 76: dum percontor portitores, ecquae navis venerit, id. Stich. 2, 2, 42: percontare te perpetuisne malis voluptatibus perfruens ... degere aetatem, Cic. Fin. 2, 35, 118: singulos percontari, cum quā sit aliqui deprensus, Cael. ap. Cic. Fam. 8, 7, 2: Porum percontatur an verum esset, Curt. 9, 2, 5: spadonem ... num quid velit dicere, id. 5, 11, 4: Caesarem an, etc., Tac. A. 12, 5; 4, 17; id. H. 4, 82; Just. 11, 7, 6: nutricem, quid hoc rei sit, Liv. 3, 48, 4: tu numquam mihi percontanti aut quaerenti aliquid defuisti, Cic. de Or. 1, 21, 97; 2, 71: percontando atque interrogando elicere alicujus opinionem, Cic. Fin. 2, 1, 2: percontari ab aliquo, id. Ac. 1, 1, 2: ab adversariis percontabitur, quid, etc., Auct. Her. 2, 15, 22; Varr. R. R. 3, 12, 1: ab eo percontaretur, Curt. 6, 7, 27: cum percontaretur ex aniculā quādam, quanti aliquid venderet, Cic. Brut. 46, 72; cf. id. Div. 2, 36, 76: ex his scribis percontamini quid velint, etc., id. Verr. 2, 3, 79, § 183: aliquem ex aliquo, to ask a person respecting another , Plaut. As. 2, 4, 95: aliquem de aliquā re, Cic. Rep. 6, 9, 9: peritos de ascensu Haemi, Liv. 40, 21, 3: pauca percunctatus de statu civitatis, Sall. C. 40, 2: aliquem aliquid, Plaut. Ps. 1, 5, 47; id. Aul. 2, 2, 33; Liv. 39, 12, 1: quae percunctare eum magistratus vellent, id. 39, 49, 12; Tac. A. 15, 60; Curt. 5, 11, 8: meum si quis te percontabitur aevum, Hor. Ep. 1, 20, 26.—
II To find out by inquiry , Ap. Met. 1, 24, 4.