importance Copy link Outline I. Of things; weight, concernment1. mōmentum (that which inclines things one way or the other)2. pondus, ĕris, n. (weight)3. discrīmen, ĭnis, n. (critical i.)4. prĕtium (of that which answers a purpose)5. căput, ĭtis, n. (that which is of primary i.)6. expr. of importance by adj.II. Of persons or bodies of men; influence, consideration1. amplĭtūdo (distinguished and influential position)2. dignĭtas (esp. of a personal nature)3. pondus, ĕris, n. (weight)4. auctōrĭtas5. grăvĭtas (weight, consideration6. expr. of importance by grăvis, amplus, etc. • importance: I. Of things; weight, concernment: 1. mōmentum (that which inclines things one way or the other): to be of great i. (to a particular object): magno m. (dat.) esse ad ..., Cic. Inv. 2, 26, 77: or gen., Cic. Fin. 4, 17, 47: also, absol., to think a thing of small i., aliquid levi momento aestimare., Caes. B. G. 7, 39. 2. pondus, ĕris, n. (weight): to be of i., p. habere, Cic.: to make trifles of too much i., nugis addere p., Hor. Ep. 1, 9, 42: often joined with momentum: to be of very great i., maximi esse momenti et p., Cic. Vat. 4, init. 3. discrīmen, ĭnis, n. (critical i.): I shall not make of much i., haud in magno d. ponam, Liv. pref. med.: measures of the highest i., consilia magni d., Liv. 31, 32. 4. prĕtium (of that which answers a purpose): it was of i. to Germanicus, Germanico p. fuit, Tac. Ann. 1, 57 (where p. operae [curae, Plin. Ep.] would have been the more usual expr.: cf. Liv. pref., facturusne operae p. sim, whether the end is of sufficient i. to repay the labour). 5. căput, ĭtis, n. (that which is of primary i.): freedom from care is of the very first i. for a good life, c. est ad bene vivendum securitas, Cic. Am. 13, 45. 6. expr. of importance by adj.: grăvis, amplus, etc.: v. important. Phr.: to be of i.: (1.) rēfert, tŭlit, 3, irr. (impers.): of what i. is it? quid refert? the person to whom, expr. by possess. prons. meâ, tuâ, etc. (to me, to you, etc.), and gen. of a subs. (L. G. § 283): the degree of i. is expr. by the genitives tanti, quanti, etc.; by the neuters multum, tantum, quantum, etc.; also by the adverbs magnopere, vehementer, etc. (N.B.--The gen. of a subs. is rare with refert.) (2.) intĕrest, fuit (impers.): same constr. as preced.: v. L. G. l. c. (3.) condūcit, xit, 3 (it is of advantage: usu. with dat.): v. to conduce. (4.) ŏpus est: v. necessary. II. Of persons or bodies of men; influence, consideration: 1. amplĭtūdo (distinguished and influential position): highest i. (or distinction), summa a., Cic. Br. 81, 281. Join: amplitudo ac dignitas [civitatis], Cic. de Or. 2, 29, 164; nobilitas et a., Cic. R. Am. 1, 3. 2. dignĭtas (esp. of a personal nature): v. dignity. 3. pondus, ĕris, n. (weight): people of i., qui p. habent, Cic. Att. 11, 6, ad init. 4. auctōrĭtas: v. influence. 5. grăvĭtas (weight, consideration: rare in this sense): extent and i. of a people, amplitudo gravitasque civitatis, Caes. B. G. 4, 3. 6. expr. of importance by grăvis, amplus, etc.: v. important, influential. Phr.: to be a person of great i., plurimum pollere, Cic. (v. weight, influence); more familiarly, esse aliquid, Plin. Ep. 1, 23, 2: Juv.: to say something of i., dicere aliquid, Cic. Tusc. 1, 10, 20: so, to deem anything of no i., aliquid nihil putare, Cic. Sext. 53, 114: to be of great i., magni esse (v. important, 2): of little i., lĕvis (v. unimportant): to deem oneself a person of so much i., tantum sibi sumere, arrogare, Cic. Pl. 1, 3: to make out a thing to be of more i. than it is, aliquid amplificare atque augere (v. to exaggerate): to deem anything of the first i., aliquid antiquissimum (primum) putare (v. important, 3): to assign the place of i. to anything, alicui rei primas (partes) dare, Cic. de Or. 3, 56, 213.