I.v. dep. a.
I. To obtain by service, to gain, earn, merit, deserve.
A. In gen. (rare; “not in Cic.): quid ego emerui mali?” Plaut. Aul. 4, 10, 5: “honores,” Prop. 4 (5), 11, 61. “mihi altior sollicitudo, quale judicium hominum, emererer, accessit,” Quint. 4, prooem. § 1; cf.: “emerendi favoris gratia canunt,” id. 4, 1, 2: pecuniam ex eo quaestu uberem, Gell, 6, 7, 5.—Poet., with inf. clause as object: “Ennius emeruit Contiguus poni, Scipio magne, tibi,” Ov. A. A. 3, 410; cf. id. F. 4, 58.—Pass., in the part. perf.: “emerito caput insere caelo,” Sil. 7, 19; so id. 11, 464; Sid. Carm. 2, 209.—
B. In Tib. and Ov. emerere aliquem, like demereri aliquem, to gain the favor of any one, to deserve well of, to lay under obligation: “viros,” Tib. 1, 9, 60; Ov. Tr. 4, 8, 52; id. Am. 2, 8, 24; id. Her. 6, 138.—Far more frequent,
II. To serve out, complete one's term of service.
A. Prop., in milit. lang.: “spes emerendi stipendia,” Liv. 25, 6; in part. perf.: “emerita stipendia,” Sall. J. 84, 2 Kritz.; Cic. de Sen. 14, 49; Liv. 3, 57; 21, 43 al.: “militia,” Suet. Calig. 44: “arma,” Plin. Pan. 15, 3: “anni,” Ov. Tr. 4, 8, 21; cf. id. F. 3, 43.—As a v. dep.: “stipendia emeritus,” Val. Max. 6, 1, 10.—Hence, subst. ēmĕrĭ-tus , i, m., a soldier who has served out his time, a veteran, an exempt, Tac. A. 1, 28; Suet. Aug. 24; Luc. 1, 344 al.—
B. Transf. beyond the milit. sphere: “annuum tempus (sc. magistratus) emeritum habere,” Cic. Att. 6, 5, 3; cf.: “annuae operae emerentur,” id. ib. 6, 2, 6: “spatium juventae (homo) transit, et emeritis medii quoque temporis annis, etc.,” Ov. M. 15, 226.—In part. perf.: emeritus , a, um (since the Aug. per. in the mid. signif.), that has become unfit for service, worn out: “equi,” Ov. F. 4, 688; cf.: “apes fessae et jam emeritae,” Plin. 11, 11, 11, § 27; so, “palmes,” id. 17, 23, 35, § 206: “aratrum,” Ov. F. 1, 665: “latus (with invalidum),” id. Am. 3, 11, 14: “acus,” Juv. 6, 498: “rogus,” i. e. burned out, extinguished, Prop. 4 (5), 11, 72.
