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forsĭtan , adv. contr. from fors sit an; v. fors, A.; cf. also: forsan, fortan, and fortassean,
I.perhaps, peradventure.
I. Usually in principal clauses.
A. With subj. (class. and freq.; “only so in Cicero): si altera illaec magis instabit, forsitan nos reiciat,” Ter. Phorm. 4, 5, 5: “longiorem orationem causa forsitan postulet, tua certe natura breviorem,” Cic. Lig. 12, 38 (al. fortasse postulat, v. Halm. ad loc.): “forsitan quaeratis, qui iste terror sit, etc.,” id. Rosc. Am. 2, 5; Verg. G. 2, 288: “forsitan quispiam dixerit: Nonne, etc.,” Cic. Off. 3, 6, 29 (for which: “fortasse dixerit quispiam,” id. de Sen. 3, 8): “forsitan occurrat illud, etc.,” id. de Or. 3, 9, 34: “major ars aliqua forsitan esset requirenda,” id. ib. 2, 45, 189; “1, 15, 67: illud forsitan quaerendum sit, num, etc.,” id. Off. 1, 45, 159: “haec ipsa forsitan fuerint non necessaria,” id. Brut. 13, 52: “forsitan meliores illi accusatores habendi sint,” Cic. Verr. 2, 1, 38, § 58: “nimium forsitan haec illi mirentur atque efferant,” id. ib. 2, 4, 56, § 124.—With sed: “quae forsitan vobis parvae esse videantur: sed, etc.,” Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 21 fin.; id. Att. 12, 18, 1; so with subj., Liv. 3, 25, 9: “quae forsitan laus sit, verum tamen,” Cic. Brut. 8, 33: “forsitan dicatis,” Liv. 31, 31, 19: “matrem insimulare forsitan fas non sit,” id. 39, 10, 4; 31, 38, 4; 40, 15, 4; Quint. 2, 16, 11.—
B. With indic. (mostly poet. and in post-Aug. prose; “not in Cic.): forsitan et publica, sua certe liberata fide, in castra redierunt,” Liv. 9, 11, 13; 22, 23, 5; cf. Sall. J. 106, 3: “incipies forsitan justus esse rex,” Curt. 7, 4, 17: “forsitan non periculosius est tacere quam dicere,” id. 7, 1, 37; 4, 14, 20; Liv. 21, 40: forsitan haec aliquis, nam sunt quoque, parva vocabit, Ov. R. Am. 419: “forsitan ventos timebas,” id. F. 2, 97.—
II. In dependent clauses (rare), with ut: “neque id facio, ut quibusdam forsitan videor, etc.,” Cic. Fam. 1, 8, 2.—With quam: “videor jam liberius loqui debere quam forsitan ipsi velint,” Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 4, § 11.—With quod: decrevi ad te scribere, quod forsitan minus ea perspicias, Serv. ap. Cic. Fam. 4, 5, 1.—With cum: “minime consentaneum est, cum bello tuo forsitan vix sufficias,” Liv. 10, 18, 3 (but not in Lucr. 5, 610, where the correct read. is forsitan e rosea, etc.; v. Lachm. p. 302).
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 (30 total)
  • Cross-references in general dictionaries from this page (30):
    • Cicero, Letters to his Friends, 1.8.2
    • Cicero, Letters to his Friends, 4.5.1
    • Cicero, Letters to Atticus, 12.18.1
    • Cicero, For Sextus Roscius of Ameria, 2.5
    • Cicero, Against Verres, 2.1.58
    • Cicero, Against Verres, 2.2.11
    • Cicero, Against Verres, 2.4.46
    • Cicero, For Ligarius, 12.38
    • Vergil, Georgics, 2.288
    • Cicero, On Oratory, 3.9
    • Lucretius, De Rerum Natura, 5.610
    • Livy, The History of Rome, Book 22, 23
    • Livy, The History of Rome, Book 9, 11
    • Livy, The History of Rome, Book 10, 18.3
    • Livy, The History of Rome, Book 31, 31
    • Livy, The History of Rome, Book 31, 38
    • Livy, The History of Rome, Book 40, 15.4
    • Livy, The History of Rome, Book 21, 40
    • Livy, The History of Rome, Book 3, 25.9
    • Livy, The History of Rome, Book 39, 10
    • Cicero, De Officiis, 1.45
    • Cicero, De Officiis, 3.6
    • Quintilian, Institutio Oratoria, Book 2, 16.11
    • Sallust, Bellum Iugurthinum, 106
    • Curtius, Historiarum Alexandri Magni, 4.14.20
    • Curtius, Historiarum Alexandri Magni, 7.1.37
    • Curtius, Historiarum Alexandri Magni, 7.4.17
    • Cicero, Brutus, 13.52
    • Cicero, Brutus, 8.33
    • Ovid, Fasti, 2
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