I.a judging, judgment, opinion, supposition (class.; in sing. and plur. equally common).
I. Prop.: “re et existimatione jam, lege et pronuntiatione nondum condemnato,” Cic. Clu. 20, 56. non est tibi his solis utendum existimationibus ac judiciis, qui nunc sunt, hominum, sed, etc., id. Q. Fr. 1, 1, 15, § 43: “quod de pietate dixistis, est quidem ista vestra existimatio, sed judicium certe parentis,” i. e. that is your opinion, but the father is the proper judge, id. Cael. 2, 4: “ne respexeris clandestinas existimationes,” Plin. Pan. 62 fin.: “in hoc genere facilior est existimatio quam reprehensio,” Cic. Verr. 2, 3, 82, § 190: “tacitorum existimatione reprehendi,” id. Prov. Cons. 17, 40; cf.: “militis de imperatore,” Liv. 4, 41, 2 Drak.: “communis omnibus,” id. 4, 20, 8 Drak.: “nec illum ante tibi satis facere, quam tu omnium existimationi satis fecisses,” Cic. Verr. 2, 3, 58, § 133; cf.: “vir optimus omnium existimatione,” id. Rep. 3, 17. —
II. Transf., objectively (cf. rumor, B.), reputation, good name, honor, character, credit: “existimatio est dignitatis illaesae status, legibus ac moribus comprobatus, qui ex delicto nostro auctoritate legum aut minuitur aut consumitur, etc.,” Dig. 50, 13, 5: “nihil eum fecisse scientem, quod esset contra aut rem aut existimationem tuam,” Cic. Fam. 5, 20, 1: “homo egens, sordidus, sine honore, sine existimatione, sine censu,” id. Flacc. 22, 52; cf.: “homo fortunā egens, vitā turpis, existimatione damnatus,” id. ib. 15, 35: “judicia summae existimationis et paene dicam capitis,” id. Rosc. Com. 6, 16; cf. id. Att. 1, 1, 4: “nisi quid existimas in ea re violari existimationem tuam,” id. Fam. 13, 73, 2: “existimationem offendere,” id. Planc. 2, 6; id. Fam. 3, 8, 7: “oppugnare,” id. ib. 3, 10, 8: “lacerare,” Suet. Caes. 75: “perdere,” Auct. Her. 4, 10, 14: “existimationi alicujus consulere,” Cic. Q. Fr. 1, 1, 5, § 15: “ad debitorum tuendam existimationem,” i. e. credit, Caes. B. C. 3, 1, 3.
