I. (Very rare and mostly poet.) Going round, encompassing; poet., embracing, twining round: “lascivis hederis ambitiosior,” Hor. C. 1, 36, 20 (cf.: “undique ambientibus ramis,” Curt. 4, 7, 16).—Of a river, making circuits, having many windings: “Jordanes amnis ambitiosus,” Plin. 5, 15, 15, § 71.— Of oratorical ornament, excessive, superfluous: “vir bonus ambitiosa recidet Ornamenta,” Hor. A. P. 447.—
II. Transf.
A. That asks for a thing fawningly; esp., that solicits the favor, good-will, etc., of any one, in a good and bad sense, honor-loving, ambitious, courting favor; vain, vainglorious, conceited, etc.: “qui ita sit ambitiosus, ut omnes vos nosque cotidie persalutet,” Cic. Fl. 18: “homo minime ambitiosus, minime in rogando molestus,” id. Fam. 13, 1: “ne forte me in Graecos tam ambitiosum factum esse mirere,” desirous of the favor of the Greeks, id. Q. Fr. 1, 2, 2: “pro nostris ut sis ambitiosa malis, Ov P. 3, 1, 84: pro nato caerula mater Ambitiosa suo fuit,” i.e. begs fawningly of Vulcan for weapons for her son, id. M. 13, 289: “malis artibus ambitiosus,” seeking to ingratiate one's self, Tac. H. 2, 57: “salubris magis princeps quam ambitiosus,” Suet. Aug. 42 al.—
B. Pass., that is willingly solicited or entreated, ambitious; much sought, honored, admired: “ambitiosus et qui ambit et qui ambitur,” Gell. 9, 12: “turba caelestes ambitiosa sumus,” Ov. F. 5, 298: “sexus muliebris saevus, ambitiosus, potestatis avidus,” Tac. A. 3, 33: si locuples hostis est, avari; “si pauper, ambitiosi,” id. Agr. 30: “nota quidem sed non ambitiosa domus,” not sought after, Ov. Tr. 1, 9, 18 Jahn: ambitiosae pulchritudinis scortum. Just. 30, 2. —
C. Of things, vain, ostentatious: “amicitiae,” founded merely on the desire to please, interested, Cic. Att. 1, 18: “rogationes,” id. Fam. 6, 12; so id. ib. 6, 6: “gloriandi genus,” Quint. 11, 1, 22: “preces,” urgent, Tac. H. 2, 49: “sententiae,” Suet. Dom. 8: mors, ambitious, i. e. to obtain fame, Tac. Agr. 42: “medicina ars,” boastful, Plin. 29, 1, 8, § 20: “et quaesitorum pelago terrāque ciborum Ambitiosa fames,” Luc. 4, 376: “atria,” splendid, gorgeous, Mart. 12, 69: “ambitiosis utilia praeferre,” Quint. 1, 2, 27: “ambitiosius id existimans quam domi suae majestas postularet,” more condescending, submissive, Suet. Aug. 25.—
D. In rhet.: orator ambitiosus, who seeks to rouse attention by obsolete or unusual expressions: “antigerio nemo nisi ambitiosus utetur,” Quint. 8, 3, 26.—Hence, adv.: ambĭtĭōsē , ambitiously, ostentatiously, etc.: “de triumpho ambitiose agere,” Cic. Att. 15, 1: “ambitiose regnum petere,” Liv. 1, 35: amicitias ambitiose colere, Tac. H. 1, 10 al.—Comp., Cic. Fam. 3, 7.—Sup., Quint. 6, 3, 68.