I.to measure, mete (lands, corn); also, to measure or mete out, to deal out, distribute by measure (class.).
I. Lit.: “metiri agrum,” Cic. Fam. 9, 17, 2: “frumentum,” Cic. Verr. 2, 3, 83, § 192: “sol, quem metiri non possunt,” id. Ac. 2, 41, 128: “magnitudinem mundi,” id. Off. 1, 43, 154: nummos, to measure one's money, i. e. to have a great abundance of it, Hor. S. 1, 1, 95: “nummos modio,” Petr. S. 37: “se ad candelabrum,” id. ib. 75: “pedes syllabis,” to measure by syllables, Cic. Or. 57, 194: “frumentum militibus metiri,” Caes. B. G. 1, 16: “cum exercitu frumentum metiri oporteret,” id. ib. 1, 23; “7, 71: Caecubum,” Hor. Epod. 9, 36: “quis mensus est pugillo aquas?” Vulg. Isa. 40, 12: “tantus acervus fuit, ut metientibus dimidium super tres modios explesse, sint quidam auctores,” Liv. 23, 12.—
B. Poet. transf., to measure a distance, i. e. to pass, walk, or sail through or over, to traverse: “Sacram metiente te viam (of the measured pace of a proud person),” Hor. Epod. 4, 7: “aequor curru,” to sail through, Verg. G. 4, 389: “aquas carinā,” Ov. M. 9, 446: “tu, cursu, dea menstruo metiens iter annuom,” to go through complete, Cat. 34, 17: “instabili gressu metitur litora cornix,” Luc. 5, 556.—Also absol.: “quin hic metimur gradibus militariis,” to walk, Plaut. Ps. 4, 4, 11.—
II. Trop., to measure, estimate, judge one thing by another; also simply to measure, estimate, judge of, set a value on a thing.
(α).
With abl. of the standard of comparison, or the means of judgment: “sonantia metiri auribus,” Cic. Or. 68, 227: “oculo latus,” Hor. S. 1, 2, 103: “omnia quaestu,” by profit, Cic. Phil. 2, 43, 111: “qui nihil alterius causa faciet et metietur suis commodis omnia,” id. Leg. 1, 14, 41: “vides igitur, si amicitiam sua caritate metiare, nihil esse praestantius,” id. Fin. 2, 26, 85: “vim eloquentiae sua facultate non rei natura,” id. Opt. Gen. Or. 4, 10: “omnia voluptate,” id. Fam. 7, 12, 2: “studia utilitate,” Quint. 12, 11, 29: “magnos homines virtute, non fortuna,” Nep. Eum. 1: “usum pecuniae non magnitudine, sed ratione,” Cic. Att. 14: “officia utilitate,” Lact. 6, 11, 12: “odium in se aliorum suo in eos metiens odio,” Liv. 3, 54: “pericula suo metu,” Sall. C. 31, 2: “peccata vitiis,” Cic. Par. 3, 1, 20: “aetatem nostram non spatio senectutis, sed tempore adulescentiae,” Quint. 12, 11, 13.—
(β).
With ex (very rare): “fidelitas, quam ego ex mea conscientiā metior,” Cic. Fam. 10, 4, 2: ex eo, quantum cuique satis est, metiuntur homines divitiarum modum, id. Par. 6, 1, 14.—
(γ).
With ad: “nec se metitur ad illum quem dedit haec (paupertas) posuitque modum,” i. e. accommodates herself, Juv. 6, 358.—
(δ).
Absol. (post-Aug.): “metiri ac diligenter aestimare vires suas,” Quint. 6, 1, 45: “pondera sua,” Mart. 12, 100, 8: “sua regna,” Luc. 8, 527. —(ε) With quod: “quanto metiris pretio, quod, etc.,” Juv. 9, 72.—
B. To traverse. go over, pass through: “late Aequora prospectu metior alta meo,” Ov. H. 10, 28: “tot casus, tot avia,” Val. Fl. 5, 476: “jamque duas lucis partes Hyperione menso,” Ov. M. 8, 564.—
C. To measure out, deal to any one, treat one well or ill: “mensurā quā mensi fueritis, remetietur vobis,” Vulg. Luc. 6, 38; cf. id. Matt. 7, 2.!*? In pass. signif., to be measured: “agri glebatim metiebantur,” Lact. Mort. Persec. 23, 2: “an sol pedis unius latitudine metiatur,” Arn. 2, 86.—Part. perf.: mensus , a, um, measured off: “mensa spatia conficere,” Cic. N. D. 2, 27, 69.—As subst.: “bene mensum dabo,” good measure, Sen. Q. N. 4, 4, 1.