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dictĭo , ōnis, f. 2. dico,
I.a saying, speaking, uttering, delivery.
I. In gen.
A. (Good prose, for the most part only in jurid. and rhetor. lang.) Sententiae, Cic. Inv. 2, 4: testimonii, i. e. the right of giving testimony, *Ter. Ph. 2, 1, 63: “causae,” a defending, pleading, Cic. Quint. 10, 35; id. Sest. 17 fin.; * Caes. B. G. 1, 4, 2; Liv. 7, 5 al.: “multae ovium et boum,” Cic. Rep. 2, 9 fin.—
B. Kinds of delivery, style, diction: “seposuisse a ceteris dictionibus eam partem dicendi, quae, etc.,” id. de Or. 1, 6, 22; so, “oratoriae,” id. ib. 2, 67, 270: “subitae,” id. ib. 1, 33, 152: et vero fuit in hoc (Crasso) popularis dictio excellens; “Antonii genus dicendi multo aptius, etc.,” id. Brut. 44, 165: “extemporales,” Quint. 2, 4, 27: “discipulorum,” declamation, id. 2, 2, 6 al.: “saeptuosa dictione, opp. aperte dicere,” Pac. Com. Frag. v. 5 Rib.— Hence,
C. The use of a word or phrase, a mode of expression, Quint. 9, 1, 17; 9, 1, 4; Gell. 7, 9, 13; 11, 3, 5.—
D. A word, = verbum, vocabulum (late Lat.), Prisc. II. p. 51, 10 al.—
II. Esp.
A. (Cf. dictum, B. 4.) An oracular response, prediction (rare; not in Cic.): flexa, non falsa autumare dictio Delphis solet, Pac. ap. Non. 237, 4 (Rib. Trag. v. 308); Att. ap. Auct. Her. 2, 26, 42; Liv. 8, 24, 2.—
B. The art of speaking, oratory: “dictioni operam dare,” Cic. Tusc. 2, 3, 9.
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.

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hide References (13 total)
  • Cross-references in general dictionaries from this page (13):
    • Caesar, Gallic War, 1.4.2
    • Cicero, For Sestius, 17
    • Cicero, On Oratory, 1.6
    • Livy, The History of Rome, Book 8, 24
    • Livy, The History of Rome, Book 7, 5
    • Cicero, De Republica, 2.9
    • Cicero, Tusculanae Disputationes, 2.3
    • Quintilian, Institutio Oratoria, Book 2, 2.6
    • Quintilian, Institutio Oratoria, Book 2, 4.27
    • Quintilian, Institutio Oratoria, Book 9, 1.17
    • Quintilian, Institutio Oratoria, Book 9, 1.4
    • Cicero, Brutus, 44.165
    • Cicero, De Inventione, 2.4
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