I.v. a., to overcome, conquer; always beyond the circle of milit. lang.
I. With personal objects, to convict of crime or error, refute (very freq. and class.).
(α).
With simple acc.: “quem ego jam hic convincam palam,” Plaut. Am. 2, 2, 147: “hujus si causa non manifestissimis rebus teneretur, tamen eum mores ipsius ac vita convincerent,” Cic. Sull. 25, 71: “verum enim invenire volumus, non tamquam adversarium aliquem convincere,” id. Fin. 1, 5, 13: “Aristonis jam fracta et convicta secta,” id. Leg. 1, 13, 38: “si negem, quo me teste convincas?” id. Phil. 2, 4, 8; Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 47, § 104; Liv. 26, 12, 17; Quint. 1, 6, 10 et saep.—
(β).
With the designation of the crime, error, etc., commonly in the gen., more rarely in the simple abl., or with de, in, or inf.: “teque in isto ipso convinco non inhumanitatis solum, sed etiam amentiae,” Cic. Phil. 2, 4, 9: “haec duo levitatis et infirmitatis plerosque convincunt,” id. Lael. 17, 64: “aliquem summae neglegentiae (with coarguere),” id. Sull. 15, 44: “quae (supplicia) in convictos maleficii servos constituta sunt,” Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 53, § 139: “repetundarum,” Suet. Caes. 43: latrocinii, caedis. id. Tib. 1 al.: “manifestis criminibus,” Cic. Verr. 2, 1, 9, § 26: “multis avaritiae criminibus,” id. Fl. 39, 98: “convicti et condemnati falsis de pugnis,” Plaut. Truc. 2, 6, 5: “scelere convictus,” Suet. Ner. 31; Lact. de Ira, 17, 6; cf.: “istius vita tot vitiis flagitiisque convicta,” Cic. Verr. 1, 4, 10: “in pari peccato,” id. Inv. 2, 10, 32: “in hoc scelere,” id. Sull. 30, 83; so, “in homicidio,” Plin. 18, 3, 3, § 12: “in majore fraude,” Suet. Claud. 15: “in adfectatione imperii,” id. Tit. 9.—With inf.: “aliquid fecisse convinci,” Liv. 45, 10, 14: “convictus pecuniam cepisse,” Tac. A. 4, 31; 13, 44; Suet. Calig. 40; Curt. 9, 8, 9; cf. Sall. C. 52, 36.—
II. With things as objects, to prove something incontestably (esp. as criminal, false, punishable), to show clearly, demonstrate (freq. and class.).
(α).
With acc.: “inauditum facinus ipsius qui commisit voce convinci,” Cic. Quint. 25, 79; so, “peccata argumentis,” id. Part. Or. 33, 116; cf.: “falsum veris convincere rebus,” Lucr. 4, 764: “alios sensus,” id. 4, 495: “haec poëtarum et pictorum portenta,” Cic. Tusc. 1, 6, 11: “orationem (with redargui),” id. Univ. 3 init.: “errores Epicuri,” id. N. D. 2, 1, 3: “falsa,” id. ib. 1, 32, 91: “avaritiam,” Caes. B. G. 1, 40, 12: “furorem,” Ov. M. 13, 58: “quod obicitur,” Quint. 5, 10, 35: “quod (crimen) apud patres convictum,” Tac. A. 14, 40 al.: “convicta (praedia),” proved not to belong to you, Cic. Fl. 32, 79.—
(β).
With acc. and inf.: “nihil te didicisse ... nihil scire convincerent,” Cic. de Or. 1, 10, 42; id. Par. 5, 3, 41; id. N. D. 3, 17, 44; Quint. 2, 15, 14 al.