I.to attend, wait upon, serve, esp. at table, to serve up, pour out, hand food or drink (syn.: servio, appareo, praebeo, suggero; class.).
I. Lit.
(α).
With dat.: “Acastum retine, quo commodius tibi ministretur,” Cic. Fam. 16, 14, 2: “cui matronam ministrasse compererat,” Suet. Aug. 45.—
II. Transf., to take care of, manage, govern, direct; and, in gen., to provide, furnish, supply, give, afford: “ministrare (naves) velis, of the steersman,” Verg. A. 6, 302: “naves nec velis ministrantur, nec, etc.,” Tac. G. 44: “ministrare victum alicui,” Varr. R. R. 3, 17, 6: “viros et arma alicui,” Tac. H. 4, 12: “prolem,” to give, present, produce, Tib. 2, 2, 21: “ministrabant ei de facultatibus suis,” Vulg. Luc. 8, 3: “faces furiis Clodianis,” Cic. Pis. 11, 26: “equus terga ministrat (for mounting),” Val. Fl. 6, 216: “jussa medicorum,” to execute, Ov. H. 20, 133.—Also of inanim. subjects: “sarmentum colibus sucum ministrat,” Varr. R. R. 1, 31, 2: (vinum) verba ministrat, Hor. Ep. 1, 15, 20: “luna ministrat equis,” serves them, lights them on their way, Prop. 3, 14, 15: “reges ministrabunt tibi,” Vulg. Isa. 60, 10; id. Act. 20, 34.