previous next
intentĭo , ōnis, f. intendo,
I.a stretching out, straining, tension.
I. Lit.: “corporis,” Cic. Tusc. 1, 10, 20: “nervorum,” Col. 6, 6: “vocis,” Plin. 28, 4, 14, § 53: “aëris,” Gell. 5, 16, 2: “intentionem aëris ostendent tibi inflata, ... quid enim est vox nisi intentio aëris?” Sen. Q. N. 2, 6, 3: “et remissio motus,” Gell. 18, 10: “vultus,” Tac. A. 16, 34.—
B. Increase, augmentation: “doloris,” Sen. Ep. 78, 7: “ve particula tum intentionem significat, tum minutionem,” Gell. 16, 5, 5.—
II. Trop., a directing of the mind towards any thing.
A. Exertion, effort: “animus intentione sua depellit pressum omnem ponderum, opp. remissio,” Cic. Tusc. 2, 23, 54: “animi,” id. ib. 2, 27, 65: “cogitationum,” id. ib. 4, 2; id. Inv. 2, 14, 46: “tantum curae intentionisque,” Plin. Ep. 2, 10, 5: “ut libertatem revoces,” id. Pan. 78 med.: “ad intentiones capiendas habiliores,” Gell. 15, 2, 5.—
B. Attention, application to any thing: “lusūs,” to play, Liv. 4, 17: “intentionem alicui accommodare,” Sen. Ep. 113, 3: “avocare ab intentione operis destinati,” Quint. 10, 3, 23: “rerum,” id. 6, 3, 1: “rei familiaris,” Plin. Ep. 1, 3, 2.—
C. A design, purpose, intention: “haec intentio tua ut libertatem revoces,” Plin. Pan. 78: “defuncti,” Dig. 34, 1, 10; Ambros. de Jos. Patriarch. 11, 52; Aug. c. Mendac. 18.—
D. A charge, accusation: “intentio adversariorum,” Cic. Inv. 2, 43, 125: “judiciale genus officiis constat duobus, intentionis ac depulsionis,” Quint. 3, 9, 11; 7, 1, 9.— Hence,
2. Esp., law t. t., that part of the formula or instruction given by the prætor to the court, setting forth the judgment or relief prayed for by a plaintiff in his complaint (cf. Sanders, Inst. of Just. introd. p. 65 sqq.): “intentio est ea pars formulae qua actor desiderium suum concludit,” Gai. Inst. 4, 41; 44 sq.; “53 sq.: cum petitor intentionem suam perdiderit,” Dig. 10, 4, 9, § 6: quod intentionis vestrae proprias afferre debeatis probationes, Vet. Consult. 6, 14 Huschke.—
E. The first or major premise in a syllogism: “ita erit prima intentio, secunda assumptio, tertia conexio,” Quint. 5, 14, 6.
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 (20 total)
  • Cross-references in general dictionaries from this page (20):
    • Tacitus, Annales, 16.34
    • Pliny the Elder, Naturalis Historia, 28.53
    • Pliny the Younger, Epistulae, 1.3.2
    • Pliny the Younger, Epistulae, 2.10.5
    • Livy, The History of Rome, Book 4, 17
    • Cicero, Tusculanae Disputationes, 1.10
    • Cicero, Tusculanae Disputationes, 2.23
    • Quintilian, Institutio Oratoria, Book 5, 14.6
    • Quintilian, Institutio Oratoria, Book 6, 3.1
    • Quintilian, Institutio Oratoria, Book 7, 1.9
    • Quintilian, Institutio Oratoria, Book 10, 3.23
    • Gellius, Noctes Atticae, 15.2.5
    • Gellius, Noctes Atticae, 16.5.5
    • Gellius, Noctes Atticae, 5.16.2
    • Gellius, Noctes Atticae, 18.10
    • Seneca, Epistulae, 113.3
    • Seneca, Epistulae, 78.7
    • Columella, Res Rustica, 6.6
    • Cicero, De Inventione, 2.14
    • Cicero, De Inventione, 2.43
hide Display Preferences
Greek Display:
Arabic Display:
View by Default:
Browse Bar: