I.a securing, establishing, confirming (in good prose, but only in trop. signif.; most freq. in Cic., Caes., and Quint.). *
I. In gen.: “perpetuae libertatis,” Cic. Fam. 12, 8, 1.—
II. Esp.
A. A confirming, fortifying, quieting of a wavering, fearful mind; encouragement, consolation: “animi,” Caes. B. C. 1, 21; Cic. Fam. 6, 6, 1: “Ciceronis,” id. Att. 14, 13, 4: “neque enim confirmatione nostrā egebat virtus tua,” id. Fam. 6, 3, 1.—
B. A confirming, verifying of a fact, assertion, etc.: “perfugae,” Caes. B. G. 3, 18; Cic. Inv. 1, 30, 48; Quint. 2, 17, 12.—Hence,
2. In rhet., an adducing of proofs, Cic. Inv. 1, 24, 34; id. Part. Or. 8, 27; Quint. 4, 3, 1; 4, 4, 1; 4, 2, 79; 5, 14, 6 Spald. al.