I.a measuring, measure (class.).
I. Lit.: “mensuram facere alicujus, Ov A. A. 3, 265: agere,” to measure, survey, Plin. Ep. 10, 28, 5: “inire. Col 5, 3: res (quae) pondere numero mensura constant,” Gai. Inst. 2, 196.—
II. Transf., a measure, by which any thing is measured: “majore mensurā reddere,” Cic. Off. 1, 15, 48: “qui modus mensurae medimnus appellatur,” kind of measure, Nep. Att. 2, 6: “mensuras et pondera invenit Phidon Argivus, aut Palamedes,” Plin. 7, 56, 57, § 198: “ex aquā, i. e. clepsydra,” Caes. B. G. 5, 13: “quicquid sub aurium mensuram aliquam cadit, numerus vocatur,” Cic. Or 20, 67: “de mensura jus dicere,” Juv. 10, 101. —
B. Trop., measure, quantity, proportion, capacity, power, extent, degree, etc.: “dare alicui mensuram bibendi,” to prescribe how much one may drink, Ov. A. A. 1, 589: “nostri orbis,” Tac. Agr. 12: “beneficii,” Plin. Ep. 10, 12, 2: “qui tanti mensuram nominis imples,” i. e. who answerest to its meaning, art worthy of it, Ov. P. 1, 2, 1: “ficti crescit,” measure, size, id. M. 12, 57: sui, one's own measure, i. e. capacity, Juv. 11, 35: “sed deerat pisci patinae mensura,” was too small, Juv. 4, 72: nuribus Argolicis fui Mensura voti, I was the measure of their wishes, i. e. they desired to have as much as I possessed, Sen. Herc. Oet. 400: “submittere se ad mensuram discentis,” to accommodate one's self to the capacity of the learner, Quint. 2, 3, 7: legati, character, standing. Tac. H. 1, 52: “mensura tamen quae sufficiat census,” how large a fortune, Juv. 14. 316.—In painting: “Apelles cedebat Asclepiodoro de mensuris, hoc est quanto quid a quoque distare deberet,” the degree of prominence, and relative distances, of parts of a picture, Plin. 35, 10, 36, § 80.—In gram.: “mensurae verborum,” the quantities of their syllables, Quint. 10, 1, 10.
