I.a grasping at something, a reaching after.
I. Lit.: “adpetitio solis,” Cic. Div. 1, 23, 46.—
II. Trop.
A. In gen., a passionate longing or striving for something, strong desire or inclination (most freq. in Cic.): aliter adpetitio (eam enim esse volumus ὁρμήν), quā ad agendum impellimur et id adpetimus, quod est visum, moveri non potest, Cic. Ac. 2, 8, 24; so id. Fin. 3, 7, 23; id. N. D. 3, 13, 33: “alieni,” id. Off. 3, 6, 30: “societatis,” Sen. Ep. 9.—*
B. Esp., a desire for food, an appetite (cf. abstinentia), Gell. 16, 3, 2.