I.to divide, distribute (class.; cf.: divido, impertio, dispenso, participo, communico).
I. Lit.: “argentum,” Ter. Ad. 3, 3, 17: “partiendum sibi ac latius distribuendum exercitum putavit,” Caes. B. G. 3, 10 fin.: “distribuisti partes Italiae,” Cic. Cat. 1, 4, 9; cf. id. ib. 3, 4, 8: “reliquum populum distribuit in quinque classes,” Cic. Rep. 2, 22; cf. id. Leg. 3, 3, 7; Ov. F. 6, 84: “copias in tres partes,” Caes. B. G. 6, 32, 3; id. B. C. 1, 55, 2: “pueros in classes,” Quint. 1, 2, 23: “orbem in duodecim partes,” Cic. Tusc. 1, 28 et saep.: “milites circum familias conventus Campani,” Caes. B. C. 1, 14 fin.; cf.: “gladiatorias familias Capuam et in cetera municipia,” Sall. C. 30 fin.: “Numidas in hiberna in proximis Thessalis urbibus,” Liv. 42, 67: “legiones et auxilia provinciatim,” Suet. Aug. 49: “milites in legiones,” Caes. B. C. 3, 4, 2; cf. Front. Strat. 4, 1, 43: “gladiatores binos singulis patribus familiarum,” distributed among them, apportioned to them, Cic. Att. 7, 14, 2: “naves quaestori, legatis, praefectis, equitibus,” Caes. B. G. 4, 22, 3 and 5: “equos Germanis,” id. ib. 7, 65 fin.: “pecunias exercitui,” id. B. C. 1, 39, 3 al.; cf. “also: pecuniam in judices,” Cic. Clu. 27, 74: “naves in legiones,” Tac. A. 2, 8: “pecus viritim,” Caes. B. G. 7, 71, 7: “capita singula ex captivis toto exercitu praedae nomine,” id. ib. 7, 89 fin.: “Poenorum arma inter suos,” Front. Strat. 4, 7, 12 et saep. Rarely of the distributing of a service among several: “alterum (genus) emendi, quod praeterea civitatibus aequaliter esset distributum,” Cic. Verr. 2, 3, 70 Zumpt. —
II. Of abstract objects: “quae observata sunt in usu ac tractatione dicendi, haec partibus distributa sunt,” Cic. de Or. 1, 23, 109; Quint. 9, 3, 93; cf. id. 9, 1, 34: “meministis me ita distribuisse initio causam,” Cic. Rosc. Am. 42: “vitae opera hac (honesti) regulā,” Sen. Ben. 7, 2.—Hence, distrĭ-būte , adv., orderly, methodically (very rare): “neque distincte neque distribute scribere,” Cic. Tusc. 2, 3, 7: “distributius tractare,” id. Inv. 2, 59, 177.