(verb) : am-plector (old form amploctor, Prisc. p. 552, 39 P.), exus, 3, (
* Act. form amplecto, Liv. And. Od. ap. Diom. p. 379 P.; cf. Prisc. p. 797 P.; Struve, 114.—In pass., Plaut. Mil. 2, 6, 27; Lucil. ap. Prisc. p. 791 P.).
* Lit., to wind or twine round a person or thing (aliquem, πλέκεσθαι ἀμφίτινα; hence with reference to the other object; cf. adimo), to surround, encompass, encircle; of living beings, to embrace (class. in prose and poetry): genua amplectens, Liv. And. Od. ap. Diom. p. 379 P. (as transl. of Hom. Od. 6, 142: γούνων λαβών): amplectimur tibi genua,Plaut. Rud. 1, 5, 16; so id. Cist. 2, 3, 25: exsanguem (patrem) amplexus,Tac. H. 3, 25: effigiem Augusti amplecti,id. A. 4, 67: magnam Herculis aram,id. ib. 12, 24: serpens arboris amplectens stirpem,Lucr. 5, 34: quorum tellus amplectitur ossa,id. 1, 135: manibus saxa,to grasp,Liv. 5, 47: munimento amplecti,id. 35, 28; so id. 41, 5 et saep.: amplectitur intra se insulam,Plin. 5, 1, 1, § 3: amplexa jugerum soli quercus,id. 16, 31, 56, § 130: et molli circum est ansas amplexus acantho,Verg. E. 3, 45: urbes amplecti muro,Hor. A. P. 209 et saep.: visne ego te ac tute me amplectare?Plaut. Most. 1, 4, 9; * Ter. And. 2, 5, 19: ille me amplexus atque osculans flere prohibebat,Cic. Somn. Scip. 3 (id. Rep. 6, 14, where Orell. reads complexus).
* Of space, to embrace: spatium amplexus ad vim remigii,Tac. A. 12, 56: quattuor milia passuum ambitu amplexus est,id. ib. 4, 49: domus naturae amplectens pontum terrasque jacentes,Manil. 1, 536.
* Trop.
* To embrace in mind or knowledge, i. e. to comprehend, to understand: animo rei magnitudinem amplecti,Cic. de Or. 1, 5, 19: Quas (artes) si quis unus complexus omnes,id. ib. 1, 17, 76: quae si judex non amplectetur omnia consilio, non animo ac mente circumspiciet,id. Font. 7; also simply to reflect upon, to consider: cogitationem toto pectore amplecti,id. Att. 12, 35.
* In discourse, to comprehend, i.e. to discuss, to handle, treat: quod ego argumentum pluribus verbis amplecterer,Cic. Rosc. Com. 12: actio verbis causam et rationem juris amplectitur,id. Caecin. 14, 40: omnes res per scripturam amplecti,id. Inv. 2, 50: non ego cuncta meis amplecti versibus opto, Verg. G. 2, 42: totius Ponti forma breviter amplectenda est, ut facilius partes noscantur,Plin. 4, 12, 24, § 75.—Also of a name, to comprehend under: quod idem interdum virtutis nomine amplectimur,Cic. Tusc. 2, 13, 30; cf.: si quis universam et propriam oratoris vim definire complectique vult,to define the peculiar function of the orator and include the whole of it,id. de Or. 1, 15, 64; so of a law, to include: sed neque haec (verba) in principem aut principis parentem, quos lex majestatis amplectitur,Tac. A. 4, 34.
* Of study, learning, to include, embrace: neque eam tamen scientiam, quam adjungis oratori, complexus es, but yet have notincluded in your attainments that knowledge which, etc., Cic. de Or. 1, 17, 77: Quod si tantam rerum maximarum arte suā rhetorici illi doctores complecterentur,id. ib. 1, 19, 86.
* To embrace in heart, i.e. to love, favor, cherish: quem mihi videtur amplecti res publica,Cic. Cat. 4, 3: nimis amplecti plebem videbatur,id. Mil. 72: aliquem amicissime,id. Fam. 6, 6 fin.; Sall. J. 7, 6: hoc se amplectitur uno, i. e. se amat,esteems himself,Hor. S. 1, 2, 53: qui tanto amore possessiones suas amplexi tenebant,Cic. Sull. 20; opp. repudiare,id. de Or. 1, 24; opp. removere,id. Cat. 4, 7: amplecti virtutem,id. Phil. 10, 4: nobilitatem et dignitates hominum amplecti,id. Fam. 4, 8: mens hominis amplectitur maxime cognitionem, delights in understanding, id. Ac. pr. 2, 10, 31: (episcopum) amplectentem eum fidelem sermonem, * Vulg. Tit. 1, 9: amplexus civitates (sc. animo), having fixed his mind on, i. e. intending to attack, seize, Tac. Agr. 25: causam rei publicae amplecti,Cic. Sest. 93; and so playfully of one who robs the State treasury: rem publicam nimium amplecti,id. Fl. 18.
* In circumlocution: magnam Brigantium partem aut victoriā amplexus est aut bello, embraced in conquest, i. e. conquered, Tac. Agr. 17.

s. TLL