meaning (subs.) Copy link Outline I. Signification1. signĭfĭcātio2. vis, vim, vi, f. (force, import)3. sententia (general sense)4. pŏtestas (rare)5. nōtio6. very oft. expr. by signĭfĭco, văleo, etc.II. Drift, scope of a speaker, etc.III. Expression • meaning (subs.): I. Signification: 1. signĭfĭcātio: m. of a word, s. verbi, Varr. L. L. 9, 29, 40: to use the same word with a different m., easdem voces diversa s. ponere, Quint. 9, 3, 69: Cic. 2. vis, vim, vi, f. (force, import): the m., nature, and different kinds of words, vis, natura, genera verborum, Cic. Or. 32, 115: what is the (real) m. of these few words, quae vis insit in his paucis verbis, id. Fam. 6, 2 (where significatio could not be used): Quint. 3. sententia (general sense): it has this m., in my opinion, id habet hanc, ut opinor, s., Cic. Off. 3, 3, 13: in the very idea of law, there lies the m. ..., in ipso nomine legis inesse vim et sententiam ..., id. Leg. 2, 5, 11. 4. pŏtestas (rare): the various m.s of words, verborum multiplices p., Auct. Her. 4, 54, init. 5. nōtio: v. notion, idea (II.). 6. very oft. expr. by signĭfĭco, văleo, etc.: the m. of the word carere is this, carere hoc significat, Cic. Tusc. 1, 36, 88: to have the same m. (of words), idem valere, id. Fin. 2, 4, 13: I don't understand the m. of these words, *quid sibi haec verba velint, parum intelligo: v. to mean (II.). Phr.: the expression fides bona has a very wide m., fidei bonae nomen latissime manat, Cic. Off. 3, 17, 70. II. Drift, scope of a speaker, etc.: expr. by specto, vŏlo (with dat. of pron. refl.), văleo: what is the m. of all this speech, quorsum haec omnis spectat oratio? Cic. Ph. 7, 9, init.: this had a very different m. from what they wished to appear, hoc longe alio spectabat atque videri volebant, Nep. Them. 6: what is your m. (or aim), quid sibi vis? (v. to mean, II.): cf. Nep. Them. 3, id responsum quo valeret quum intelligeret nemo (what was its m.; what it pointed to): see also drift (III.). III. Expression: q. v.