I.v. freq. [perh. a union of two roots, that of audio, auris ausis, and of the Sanscr. çru = to hear; v. Bopp, Gloss. p. 396 b.], to hear any person or thing with attention, to listen to, give ear to, ἀκροᾶσθαι (cf. audio init.; in the anteclass. per. freq., but not in Lucr.; in the class. per. rare).
I. In gen.: Ita est cupidus orationis, ut conducat qui auscultet, Cato ap. Gell. 1, 15, 9: “ausculto atque animum adverto sedulo,” Plaut. Stich. 4, 1, 40: “In rem quod sit praevortaris quam re advorsā animo auscultes,” id. Ps. 1, 3, 8; id. Trin. 3, 3, 50; id. Truc. 2, 4, 46: “nimis eum ausculto libens,” id. Poen. 4, 2, 19; id. Aul. 3, 5, 22: “Ausculta paucis, nisi molestumst,” Ter. Ad. 5, 3, 20; id. And. 3, 3, 4 and 5: “jam scies: Ausculta,” id. Phorm. 5, 8 (9), 7: illos ausculto lubens, Afran. ap Non. p. 246, 15: Nec populum auscultare, * Cat. 67, 39: “sermonem,” Vulg. Gen. 4, 23: “verba,” ib. Tob. 9, 1: aures diligenter auscultabunt, ib. Isa, 32, 3.—
II. Esp
A. To listen to something believingly, to give credit to, etc.
a. With acc.: “crimina,” Plaut. Ps. 1, 5, 12.—
b. With dat. of pers.: “cui auscultabant,” gave heed, Vulg. Act. 8, 10.—
B. To listen in secret to something, to overhear: “quid habeat sermonis, auscultabo,” Plaut. Poen. 4, 1, 6: “omnia ego istaec auscultavi ab ostio,” id. Merc. 2, 4, 9.—
C. Of servants, to attend or wait at the door, as in Gr. ὑπακούειν: “ad fores auscultato atque serva has aedīs,” Plaut. Truc. 1, 2, 1: jam dudum ausculto et cupiens tibi dicere servus Pauca, reformido, * Hor. S. 2, 7, 1 Heind.—
D. Alicui or absol., to hear obediently, to obey, heed (cf. audio): “hi auscultare dicuntur, qui auditis parent,” Varr. L. L. 6, § 83 Müll.: “auscultare est obsequi: audire ignoti quod imperant soleo, non auscultare,” Non. p. 246, 9 sq.: magis audiendum quam auscultandum censeo, Pac. ap. Cic. Div. 1, 57, 131: “Age nunc vincito me auscultato filio,” Plaut. Bacch. 4, 8, 14: “Qui mi auscultabunt,” id. As. 1, 1, 50; id. Curc. 2, 1, 8; id. Most. 3, 1, 58; 3, 1, 99; id. Mil. 2, 6, 16; id. Ps. 1, 5, 38; id. Poen. 1, 1, 69; 1, 2, 98; id. Rud. 2, 6, 56; 3, 3, 32; id. Stich. 1, 2, 89: “seni auscultare,” Ter. And. 1, 3, 4: “vin tu homini stulto mi auscultare?” id. Heaut. 3, 3, 24; id. Ad. 3, 3, 66; 5, 8, 12: mihi ausculta: vide, ne tibi desis, * Cic. Rosc. Am. 36, 104.—With acc.: nisi me auscultas, Plaut. Trin. 3, 2, 36 (we should perhaps here, in accordance with the general idiom, read mi; so Ritschl).—In pass. impers.: De. Ad portum ne bitas, dico jam tibi. Ch. Auscultabitur, you shall be obeyed, it shall be done, Plaut. Merc. 2, 3, 127.!*? It is difficult to believe, in the verse of Afranius, videt ludos, hinc auscultavi procul, that auscultare is equivalent to videre, spectare, acc. to Non. p. 246, 16.