I.act. experiero, Varr. L. L. 8, 9, 24 dub.), 4, v. dep. a. [ex- and root per-; Sanscr. par-, pi-parmi, conduct; Gr. περάω, pass through; πόρος, passage; πεῖρα, experience; Lat. porta, portus, peritus, periculum; Germ. fahren, erfahren; Eng. fare, ferry], to try a thing; viz., either by way of testing or of attempting it.
I. To try, prove, put to the test.
A. In tempp. praes. constr. with the acc., a rel. clause, or absol.
(α).
With acc.: “habuisse aiunt domi (venenum), vimque ejus esse expertum in servo quodam ad eam rem ipsam parato,” Cic. Cael. 24, 58: “taciturnitatem nostram,” id. Brut. 65, 231: “amorem alicujus,” id. Att. 16, 16, C, 1: “his persuaserant, uti eandem belli fortunam experirentur,” Caes. B. G. 2, 16, 3: “judicium discipulorum,” Quint. 2, 5, 12: “in quo totas vires suas eloquentia experiretur,” id. 10, 1, 109: “imperium,” Liv. 2, 59, 4: “cervi cornua ad arbores subinde experientes,” Plin. 8, 32, 50, § 117 et saep.— “With a personal object: vin' me experiri?” make trial of me, Plaut. Merc. 4, 4, 29: “hanc experiamur,” Ter. Hec. 5, 2, 12 Ruhnk.: “tum se denique errasse sentiunt, cum eos (amicos) gravis aliquis casus experiri cogit,” Cic. Lael. 22, 84: “in periclitandis experiendisque pueris,” id. Div. 2, 46, 97.—So with se. reflex., to make trial of one's powers in any thing: “se heroo (versu),” Plin. Ep. 7, 4, 3 variis se studiorum generibus, id. ib. 9, 29, 1: “se in foro,” Quint. 12, 11, 16.—
(β).
With a rel.-clause, ut, etc.: vosne velit an me regnare era quidve ferat Fors, Virtute experiamur, Enn. ap. Cic. Off. 1, 12, 38 (Ann. v. 204, ed. Vahl.): “lubet experiri, quo evasuru'st denique,” Plaut. Trin. 4, 2, 93: “experiri libet, quantum audeatis,” Liv. 25, 38, 11; cf. Nep. Alcib. 1, 1: “in me ipso experior, ut exalbescam, etc.,” Cic. de Or. 1, 26, 121; cf. with si: “expertique simul, si tela artusque sequantur,” Val. Fl. 5, 562.—
(γ).
Absol.: “experiendo magis quam discendo cognovi,” Cic. Fam. 1, 7, 10: “judicare difficile est sane nisi expertum: experiendum autem est in ipsa amicitia: ita praecurrit amicitia judicium tollitque experiendi potestatem,” id. Lael. 17, 62.—
B. In the tempp. perf., to have tried, tested, experienced, i. e. to find or know by experience: “benignitatem tuam me experto praedicas,” Plaut. Merc. 2, 2, 18: “omnia quae dico de Plancio, dico expertus in nobis,” Cic. Planc. 9, 22: “experti scire debemus, etc.,” id. Mil. 26, 69: “illud tibi expertus promitto,” id. Fam. 13, 9, 3: “dicam tibi, Catule, non tam doctus, quam, id quod est majus, expertus,” id. de Or. 2, 17, 72: “puellae jam virum expertae,” Hor. C. 3, 14, 11; 4, 4, 3; cf. Quint. 6, 5, 7: “mala captivitatis,” Sulp. Sev. 2, 22, 5: “id opera expertus sum esse ita,” Plaut. Bacch. 3, 2, 3: “expertus sum prodesse,” Quint. 2, 4, 13: “expertus, juvenem praelongos habuisse sermones,” id. 10, 3, 32: “ut frequenter experti sumus,” id. 1, 12, 11.— “Rarely in other tenses: et exorabile numen Fortasse experiar,” may find, Juv. 13, 103.—
C. To make trial of, in a hostile sense, to measure strength with, to contend with: “ut interire quam Romanos non experiri mallet,” Nep. Ham. 4, 3: “maritimis moribus mecum experitur,” Plaut. Cist. 2, 1, 11: “ipsi duces cominus invicem experti,” Flor. 3, 21, 7; 4, 10, 1; cf.: “hos cum Suevi, multis saepe bellis experti, finibus expellere non potuissent,” Caes. B. G. 4, 3, 4: “Turnum in armis,” Verg. A. 7, 434.
II. To undertake, to attempt, to make trial of, undergo, experience a thing.
A. In gen.: “qui desperatione debilitati experiri id nolent, quod se assequi posse diffidant. Sed par est omnes omnia experiri, qui, etc.,” Cic. Or. 1, 4; cf.: “istuc primum experiar,” Plaut. Truc. 2, 7, 47: “omnia experiri certum est, priusquam pereo,” Ter. And. 2, 1, 11: “omnia prius quam, etc.,” Caes. B. G. 7, 78, 1: “extrema omnia,” Sall. C. 26, 5; cf. “also: sese omnia de pace expertum,” Caes. B. C. 3, 57, 2: “libertatem,” i. e. to make use of, enjoy, Sall. J. 31, 5: “late fusum opus est et multiplex, etc. ... dicere experiar,” Quint. 2, 13, 17: “quod quoniam me saepius rogas, aggrediar, non tam perficiundi spe quam experiundi voluntate,” Cic. Or. 1, 2.—With ut and subj.: “nunc si vel periculose experiundum erit, experiar certe, ut hinc avolem,” Cic. Att. 9, 10, 3: “experiri, ut sine armis propinquum ad officium reduceret,” Nep. Dat. 2, 3.—
B. In partic., jurid. t. t., to try or test by law, to go to law: “aut intra parietes aut summo jure experietur,” Cic. Quint. 11, 38; cf.: “in jus vocare est juris experiundi causa vocare,” Dig. 2, 4, 1; 47, 8, 4: “a me diem petivit: ego experiri non potui: latitavit,” Cic. Quint. 23, 75; Liv. 40, 29, 11: “sua propria bona malaque, cum causae dicendae data facultas sit, tum se experturum,” Liv. 3, 56, 10: “postulare ut judicium populi Romani experiri (liceat),” id. ib.—Hence,
1. expĕrĭens , entis, P. a. (acc. to II.), experienced, enterprising, active, industrious (class.): “homo gnavus et industrius, experientissimus ac diligentissimus arator,” Cic. Verr. 2, 3, 21, § 53: “promptus homo et experiens,” id. ib. 2, 4, 17, § “37: vir fortis et experiens,” id. Clu. 8, 23: “vir acer et experiens,” Liv. 6, 34, 4: “comes experientis Ulixei,” Ov. M. 14, 159: “ingenium,” id. Am. 1, 9, 32. —With gen.: “genus experiens laborum,” inured to, patient of, Ov. M. 1, 414: “rei militaris experientissimi duces,” Arn. 2, 38 init.; cf. Vulg. 2 Macc. 8, 9.—Comp. appears not to occur.—
2. expertus , a, um, P. a. (acc. to I.), in pass. signif., tried, proved, known by experience (freq. after the Aug. per.): “vir acer et pro causa plebis expertae virtutis,” Liv. 3, 44, 3: “per omnia expertus,” id. 1, 34, 12: “indignitates homines expertos,” id. 24, 22, 2: “dulcedo libertatis,” id. 1, 17, 3: “industria,” Suet. Vesp. 4: “artes,” Tac. A. 3, 17: saevitia, Prop. 1, 3, 18: “confidens ostento sibi expertissimo,” Suet. Tib. 19.—With gen.: “expertos belli juvenes,” Verg. A. 10, 173; cf. Tac. H. 4, 76.—Comp. and adv. appear not to occur.
