ground (subs.) Copy link Outline I. Lit.1. hŭmus, i, f.2. sŏlum (the level g.)3. terraII. A place for an engagement, etc.III. Position, advantage1. hostem commŏveo, 2 (to force troops from the ground)2. prōfĭcio, fēci, fectum, 3 (to make progress)3. serpo, psi, ptum, 3 (in non-milit. sense4. percrēbresco, incrēbresco, 3 (of customs, rumour, etc.1. inclīno, pedem rĕfĕro (of troops)2. obsŏlesco, lēvi, lētum, 3IV. Region, sphere of actionV. The basis or groundwork of a picture or tuneVI. Reason or basis of action1. causa2. rătio, ōnis, f.3. lŏcus • ground (subs.): I. Lit.: the earth, soil: 1. hŭmus, i, f.: the g. dyed with blood, h. infecta sanguine, Sall.: Acestes raises his friend from the g., Acestes ab h. tollit amicum, Virg.: humo is also used without prep.: Virg. Aen. 3, 3: to sit on the g., humo sedere, Ov. Met. 4, 261: but see infr.: Punic g., Punica h., Ov. Esp. on or to the g., hŭmī: to lie upon the g., h. jacere, Cic.: a place sunk about 12 feet in the g., locus circiter xii. pedes h. depressus, Sall. Cat. 55: to fling one's body upon the g., h. corpus abjicere, Curt. 10, 5, med.: to fall to the g., h. procumbere, Virg. Aen. 5, 481. 2. sŏlum (the level g.): to level everything with the g., solo omnia aequare, Liv. 24, 47, fin.; to be burnt to the g., ad s. exuri, Liv. 30, 26, med.: Cic. 3. terra: to fall to the g., ad t. accidere, Pl.: to fall to the g. from on horseback, decidere in t. ex equo, Nep. Eum. 4: to pick up stones from the g., saxa de t. tollere, Cic. Caec. 21, 60. II. A place for an engagement, etc.: lŏcus: to give the enemy battle on very disadvantageous g., iniquissimo (nostris) l. proelium committere, Caes.: to clear the g. for an encampment, l. purgare ad castra, Liv. 21, 27, init. III. Position, advantage: in phr. to gain or lose g.: (i). to gain g.: 1. hostem commŏveo, 2 (to force troops from the ground): it chanced that Junius was the first to gain g. of the enemy, prior forte Junius commovit h., Liv. 9, 40, med. 2. prōfĭcio, fēci, fectum, 3 (to make progress): to gain no g. in the siege of a town, nihil in oppugnatione oppidi p., Caes. B. G. 7, 20, fin.: Cic.: to gain much g., multum pr., Nep. Eum. 10. 3. serpo, psi, ptum, 3 (in non-milit. sense: to make gradual, insidious, progress: of things not persons): the custom of wrong-doing easily gains g., facile s. peccandi consuetudo, Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 22, init.: the rumour gains g., s. rumor, Cic. Mur. 21, fin.: Liv. 4. percrēbresco, incrēbresco, 3 (of customs, rumour, etc.: to gain prevalence): v. to spread. (ii). to lose g.: 1. inclīno, pedem rĕfĕro (of troops): v. to give way, fall back. 2. obsŏlesco, lēvi, lētum, 3: (of things) to become less prevalent or important: this is the only branch of revenue which does not lose g. in time of war, hoc unum vectigal in bello non obs., Cic. Agr. 1, 7, 21: one was distinguished in war, but lost g. ("fell into the background") in peace, enituit aliquis in bello, sed obsolevit in pace, Plin. Pan. 4: see also to decline, decay. IV. Region, sphere of action: lŏcus: this is dangerous g. (fig.), anceps hic et lubricus l. est, Plin. Ep. 1, 8, 6: that g. has been cleared by me in five books, perpurgatus est is l. a nobis quinque libris, Cic. Div. 2, 1, init. V. The basis or groundwork of a picture or tune: *quasi fundamentum tabulae s. cantus. VI. Reason or basis of action: 1. causa: you have the g.s of my opinion, habes causam opinionis meae, Cic.: v. reason. 2. rătio, ōnis, f.: to defend our own side by various arguments and g.s, nostra confirmare argumentis ac r., Cic. de Or. 2, 19, 80. Join: consilii causa ratioque, Cic. Div. Verr. init. 3. lŏcus: esp. in pl., when it denotes the grounds of proof: Cic. Top. 2, 7, sq.