previous next
contentĭo , ōnis, f. contendo (acc. to contendo, II.),
I.an eager stretching, a straining, exertion of the powers of body or mind, tension, effort, a vigorous struggling or striving for something, a struggle after (very freq. and in good prose).
I. In gen.
A. Prop.: “contentio et summissio vocis,” Cic. Off. 1, 41, 146; id. de Or. 1, 61, 261: “vocis,” id. Tusc. 2, 24, 56: “vocis aut lateris,” Plin. 26, 13, 85, § 137 al.: “gravitatis et ponderum,” of gravitation, Cic. N. D. 2, 45, 116: “animi (opp. relaxatio),” id. de Or. 2, 5, 21; cf. id. Arch. 6, 12 et saep.—With gen. of the object: “disputationis,” Cic. de Or. 3, 61, 230: “honorum (with ambitio),” id. Off. 1, 25, 87; cf. “palmae,” Quint. 1, 2, 24: “dignitatis,” id. 4, 5, 12; cf.: “libertatis dignitatisque,” Liv. 4, 6, 11 al.—
B. Transf.
1. Labored, formal speech (opp. talk, conversation): quoniam magna vis orationis est, eaque duplex, altera contentionis, altera sermonis; “contentio disceptationibus tribuatur judiciorum ... sermo in circulis, etc.,” Cic. Off. 1, 37, 132; 2, 14, 48 Heine ad loc.; cf.: sermo est oratio remissa et finitima cottidianae locutioni; “contentio est oratio acris, etc.,” Auct. Her. 3, 13, 23.—*
2. Gregum = admissura, Censor. 5.—
II. In partic.
A. (Acc. to contendo, II. B. 2.) A contest, contention, strife (with weapons or words), a fight, dispute, controversy (so most freq.): “contentiones proeliorum,” Cic. Off. 1, 26, 90; cf.: “magna belli,” id. Sest. 27, 58: “contentiones, quae cum inimicissimis fiunt,” id. Off. 1, 38, 137; so with cum, id. Phil. 2, 3, 7; id. Leg. 3, 11, 25 al.: “cum aliquo de aliquā re,” Quint. 4, 2, 132: “de aliquā re,” Cic. Leg. 3, 10, 24; Liv. 4, 6, 4; Quint. 5, 14, 12 al.: “adversus procuratores,” Tac. Agr. 9: “inter aliquos,” Cic. Sest. 21, 47; Quint. 10, 1, 47; Suet. Claud. 15 et saep.; cf.: “inter aliquos de aliquā re,” Cic. Ac. 2, 43, 132 et saep.: “contentionis cupidiores quam veritatis,” id. de Or. 1, 11, 47; Curt. 8, 4, 33.—
B. (Acc. to contendo, II. B. 3.) A comparison, contrast: “si contentio quaedam et comparatio fiat,” Cic. Off. 1, 17, 57; 1, 43, 152; cf. id. Inv. 1, 12, 17: “quaedam hominum ipsorum,” id. Planc. 2, 5; id. Inv. 2, 39, 114: “fortunarum,” id. Pis. 22, 51.—Hence,
2. T. t.
a. In rhetoric, a contrasting of one thought with another, antithesis, Auct. Her. 4, 15, 21; Cic. de Or. 3, 53, 203; Quint. 9, 1, 31; 9, 2, 2.—
b. In gram., comparison, Varr. L. L. 8, § 75 Müll.
A Latin Dictionary. Founded on Andrews' edition of Freund's Latin dictionary. revised, enlarged, and in great part rewritten by. Charlton T. Lewis, Ph.D. and. Charles Short, LL.D. Oxford. Clarendon Press. 1879.

The National Endowment for the Humanities provided support for entering this text.

hide Dictionary Entry Lookup
Use this tool to search for dictionary entries in all lexica.
Search for in
hide References (34 total)
  • Cross-references in general dictionaries from this page (34):
    • Cicero, Philippics, 2.3.7
    • Cicero, For Archias, 6.12
    • Cicero, Against Piso, 22.51
    • Cicero, For Plancius, 2.5
    • Cicero, For Sestius, 21.47
    • Cicero, For Sestius, 27.58
    • Cicero, On Oratory, 1.11
    • Cicero, On Oratory, 1.61
    • Cicero, On Oratory, 2.5
    • Cicero, On Oratory, 3.53
    • Cicero, On Oratory, 3.61
    • Tacitus, Agricola, 9
    • Suetonius, Divus Claudius, 15
    • Livy, The History of Rome, Book 4, 6.4
    • Livy, The History of Rome, Book 4, 6.11
    • Cicero, De Legibus, 3.10
    • Cicero, De Legibus, 3.11
    • Cicero, de Natura Deorum, 2.45
    • Cicero, Tusculanae Disputationes, 2.24
    • Cicero, De Officiis, 1.17
    • Cicero, De Officiis, 1.25
    • Cicero, De Officiis, 1.26
    • Cicero, De Officiis, 1.37
    • Cicero, De Officiis, 1.38
    • Cicero, De Officiis, 1.41
    • Quintilian, Institutio Oratoria, Book 1, 2.24
    • Quintilian, Institutio Oratoria, Book 4, 2.132
    • Quintilian, Institutio Oratoria, Book 4, 5.12
    • Quintilian, Institutio Oratoria, Book 5, 14.12
    • Quintilian, Institutio Oratoria, Book 9, 1.31
    • Quintilian, Institutio Oratoria, Book 9, 2.2
    • Quintilian, Institutio Oratoria, Book 10, 1.47
    • Cicero, De Inventione, 1.12
    • Cicero, De Inventione, 2.39
hide Display Preferences
Greek Display:
Arabic Display:
View by Default:
Browse Bar: