I.an increasing, augmenting; increase, growth, abundance (esp. freq. after the Aug. per.; not in Cic.; syn. incrementum; post-class. augmentum).
I. Lit.: “corporis auctus,” Lucr. 2, 482; 5, 1171: “Hic natura suis refrenat viribus auctum,” id. 2, 1121; 5, 846; 6, 327: “auxilium appellatum ab auctu,” Varr. L. L. 5, § 90 Müll.: “vos (Divi Divaeque) bonis auctibus auxitis,” Liv. 29, 27; 4, 2: “aquarum,” Plin. 4, 12, 24, § 79; Tac. A. 1, 56: “diei,” Plin. 2, 19, 17, § 81.—Poet.: caedere arboris auctum, the abundance of a tree, for a large tree, Lucr. 6, 168; so, “nec lorica tenet distenti corporis auctum,” Luc. 9, 797.—
II. Trop.: “auctus imperii,” Tac. A. 2, 33; so id. H. 4, 63: “hujus viri fastigium tantis auctibus fortuna extulit ut, etc.,” Vell. 2, 40, 4: “bellum cotidiano auctu majus,” id. 2, 129 fin.: immensis auctibus aliquem extollere, Tac. H. 4, 28: “augusta dicantur ab auctu, etc.,” from the increase, enhancement of a prosperous condition, Suet. Aug. 7 fin.
