I. To draw, stretch, spread, or place before (cf. obtego; not freq. till after the Aug. per.).
A. Lit.
1. Proque viro nebulam et ventos obtendere inanes, Verg. A. 10, 82: “sudarium ante faciem,” Suet. Ner. 48.—Poet.: “obtentā nocte,” i. e. in dark night, Verg. G. 1, 248.—
2. Pass., with mid. force: “oculis membrana obtenditur,” spreads over, Plin. 11, 37, 55, § 153: “Britannia Germaniae obtenditur,” lies over against Germany, Tac. Agr. 10.—
B. Trop., to pretend, allege, plead as an excuse: “matris preces obtendens,” Tac. A. 3, 17: “ad ea Drusus cum arbitrium senatūs obtenderet,” id. ib. 1, 26: “valetudinem corporis, aetatem liberūm, nubilem filiam,” id. ib. 3, 35: “suae imbecillitati sanitatis appellationem obtendunt,” Quint. 12, 10, 15: rationem turpitudini, Plin. Ep. 8, 6, 15: “qui delictis suis excusationem carnis obtendet,” Lact. 4, 24, 10: “quid poterimus obtendere,” plead what excuse, Vulg. Gen. 44, 16.—
II. Transf., to cover, hide, conceal.
A. Lit.: “obtendunt limina silvis,” Stat. Th. 2, 248: “lucem pulvere,” Sil. 10, 228: “diem nube atrā,” Tac. H. 3, 56.—
B. Trop., to hide, conceal, envelop: “quasi velis quibusdam obtenditur uniuscujusque natura,” Cic. Q. Fr. 1, 1, 5, § 15.—
2. To spread over, make a cover for: “Vitellius curis luxum obtendebat,” i. e. sought a refuge from, Tac. H. 3, 36 init.