prō-mĕrĕo, ŭi, ĭtum, 2, v. a., and prō-mĕrĕor, ĭtus, 2, v. dep. a.
I To deserve , be deserving of , merit , in a good or bad sense (class.)
A In gen.: retineri nequeo, quin dicam ea, quae promeres, Plaut. Trin. 3, 2, 15; id. Am. 5, 2, 12: quid mali sum promeritus, id. ib. 2, 1, 20: ita velim me promerentem ames, Ter. Ad. 681: reus levius punitus quam sit ille promeritus, Cic. Inv. 2, 28, 83: poenam, Ov. Tr. 1, 2, 63.—In a good sense: promeruisti, ut ne quid ores, quin impetres, Plaut. Men. 5, 9, 41: promerenti optime hoccine pretii redditur, id. As. 1, 2, 2; deorum indulgentiam, Plin. Pan. 74, 5: amorem, Suet. Calig. 3: omnium voluntatem, id. Tit. 1 dies qui primus videre Promeruit nasci mundum, Sedul. 5, 318.—
B Esp., to deserve of one any thing (good or bad); constr. usu. with de or absol. , rarely with acc.: numquam referre gratiam possum satis, proinde ut tu promeritus de me, Plaut. Capt. 5, 1, 12: paratiores erunt ad bene de multis promerendum, Cic. Off 2, 15, 53.—
II Transf., to acquire , gain , earn , get , win homines tenues unum habent in nostrum ordinem aut promerendi aut proferendi beneficii losum, Cic. Mur. 34, 70 socios, Suet. Aug. 3: principem, Plin. Pan. 62: ego te numquam negabo Promeritam, Verg. A. 4, 335: per hostias deos laevos, i. e. to render favorable , to propitiate , Arn. 7, 229; cf. pass. : talibus enim hostiis promeretur Deus, is won , conciliated , Vulg. Heb. 13, 6.
V —Hence, prō-mĕrĭtum , i, n , desert (good or evil), merit. —In good sense, Pac. ap. Non. 307, 10 (Trag. Rel. p. 79 Rib.); Lucr. 2, 651; Cic. Red. ad Quir. 4, 8; Ov. F 4, 394.—In bad sense, Plaut. Trin. 5, 2, 49; Auct. B. Afr. 90.