I.the quality of being audax, boldness, in a good, but oftener in a bad sense (syn.: fortitudo, audentia, animus, virtus).
I. In a good sense, daring, intrepidity, courage, valor: “audacia in bello,” Sall. C. 9, 3: “audacia pro muro habetur,” id. ib. 58, 17: “frangere audaciam,” Liv. 25, 38, 6: “ipso miraculo audaciae obstupefecit hostes,” id. 2, 10: “nox aliis in audaciam, aliis ad formidinem opportuna,” Tac. A. 4, 51: “unam in audaciā spem salutis (esse),” id. H. 4, 49; “so Just. praef. 2, 9 al.: in audaces non est audacia tuta,” Ov. M. 10. 544: “Quod si deficiant vires, audacia certe Laus erit,” Prop. 3, 1, 5: “sumpsisset cor ejus audaciam,” Vulg. 2 Par. 17, 6 al.—
II. In a bad sense, daring, audacity, presumption, temerity, insolence, impudence: “O hominis inpudentem audaciam,” Plaut. Men. 5, 1, 13, and Ter. Heaut. 2, 3, 72, Phaedr. 3, 5, 9: “conpositis mendaciis Advenisti, audaciai columen,” shamelessness, impudence, Plaut. Am. 1, 1, 211: “Tantāne adfectum quemquam esse hominem audaciā!” Ter. Phorm. 5, 8, 84: “audacia non contrarium (fidentiae), sed appositum est ac propinquum et tamen vitium est,” Cic. Inv. 2, 54, 165: “animus paratus ad periculum, si suā cupiditate, non utilitate communi inpellitur, audaciae potius nomen habeat quam fortitudinis,” id. Off. 1, 19, 63: “incredibili importunitate et audaciā,” Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 30: “audaciā et impudentiā fretus,” id. Fl. 15; so id. Caecin. 1; id. Phil. 10, 5; 13, 13 fin.; id. Clu. 65; id. Inv. 1, 33 al.; Sall. C. 23, 2; 52, 11; 61, 1; id. J. 7, 5; 14, 11 al.; Liv. 28, 22; 44, 6 al.; Tac. A. 11, 26; id. H. 3, 66; 3, 73 al.; Suet. Vesp. 8; Curt. 6, 11; 8, 13; Vulg. Sap. 12, 17 et saep. —In plur. (abstr. for concr.), daring deeds, = audacter facta: “quantas audacias, quam incredibiles furores reperietis,” Cic. Sull. 27 fin.: audacias Cato pluraliter dixit, Paul. ex Fest. p. 27 Müll.; Cic. Verr. 2, 3, 89; id. Cat. 2, 5, 10; id. Att. 9, 7: “quam (formam vitae) postea celebrem miseriae temporum et audaciae temporum fecerunt,” Tac. A. 1, 74.—In a milder signif. freedom, boldness: “licentia vel potius audacia,” Cic. Lig. 8: “vitare audaciam in translationibus,” Suet. Gram. 10 fin.