(v. a.P. a.P. a.) : con-tendo, di, tum, 3, v. a. and n.
* To stretch, stretch out vigorously, to draw tight, strain.
* Lit. (rare and mostly poet.): arcum,Verg. A. 12, 815; Ov. M. 6, 286; id. R. Am. 435: tormenta, Sisen. ap. Non. p. 258, 27; Cic. Tusc. 2, 24, 57: muscipula, Lucil. ap. Non. p. 181, 31: tenacia vincla,Verg. G. 4, 412: ilia risu,Ov. A. A. 3, 285: pontem in alto, Enn. ap. Varr. L. L. 7, § 21 Müll. (Ann. v. 358 Vahl.): oculi contendunt se,Lucr. 4, 810.— Of stringed instruments, to tune by stretching the strings: ut in fidibus pluribus, si nulla earum ita contenta nervis sit, ut concentum servare possit,Cic. Fin. 4, 27, 75; cf. infra, P. a.
* Meton.
* Trop. (freq. in prose and poetry); act., to strain eagerly, to stretch, exert, to direct one's mental powers to something, to pursue or strive for earnestly; or neutr., to exert one's self, to strive zealously for something, etc.
* Of places, neutr., to stretch, reach, extend: haec patulum vallis contendit in orbem,Calp. Ecl. 7, 30: Cappadocum gens usque ad Cyrresticam ejus regionem parte suā, quae vocatur Cataonia, contendit,Plin. 6, 8, 8, § 24.
* In gen.
* Act.
* In partic.
* Neutr.: quantum coniti animo potes, quantum labore contendere ... tantum fac ut efficias,Cic. Off. 3, 2, 6.— With ut: quántum potero voce contendam, ut populus hoc Romanus exaudiat,Cic. Lig. 3, 6; so, remis, ut eam partem insulae caperet,Caes. B. G. 5, 8 et saep.: contende quaeso atque elabora, ut, etc.,Cic. Q. Fr. 1, 1, 14, § 42.—Absol.: vociferarer et, quantum maxime possem, contenderem,Cic. Fl. 16, 38 al.: non possis oculo quantum contendere Lynceus (= collineare),to aim at,Hor. Ep. 1, 1, 28.
* Lit., stretched, strained, tense, tight: qui jam contento, jam laxo fune laborat,Hor. S. 2, 7, 20: acies oculorum,Lucr. 1, 325; cf.: contentis oculis prosequi aliquem,Suet. Tib. 7: contentis corporibus facilius feruntur onera (opp. remissa),Cic. Tusc. 2, 23, 54; cf.: contentā cervice trahunt plaustra (boves),Verg. G. 3, 536: Placideiani contento poplite miror Proelia,with the knee stiffly bent,Hor. S. 2, 7, 97.
* Trop., eager, intent: contenta mens fuit in eā ratione,Lucr. 4, 965; cf. Ov. M. 15, 515: et contentā voce atrociter dicere et summissā leniter,Cic. Or. 17, 56: ad tribunatum contento studio cursuque veniamus,id. Sest. 6, 13.—Sup.: contentissimā voce clamitans,App. M. 4, p. 147.—Adv.: con-tentē, earnestly, with great exertion, vehemently: pro se dicere ... mittere contentius,Cic. Tusc. 2, 24, 57; cf.: acriter atque contente pro suis decretis propugnare,Gell. 18, 1, 2: contentissime clamitare, App. Flor. n. 8: contentius ambulare,Cic. Tusc. 5, 34, 97: ornamentis iisdem uti fere licebit, alias contentius, alias summissius,id. de Or. 3, 55, 212: aliquid curiose atque contente lectitare,Gell. 3, 3, 1.
* (Neutr.) To measure or try one's strength with, with weapons, by words, in action, etc.; to strive, dispute, fight, contend against, vie with; constr. with cum aliquo, contra or adversus aliquem, the dat., inter se, or absol.
* Neutr. (so most freq.): in Italiam magnis itineribus,Caes. B. G. 1, 10; cf.: huc magnis itineribus,id. ib. 1, 38 fin.: huc magno cursu,id. ib. 3, 19: inde in Italiam,id. ib. 1, 33: in fines Sigambrorum,id. ib. 4, 18: in castra,id. ib. 4, 37: ex eo loco ad flumen,id. ib. 2, 9: ad Rhenum finesque Germanorum,id. ib. 1, 27 fin.: ad oppidum Noviodunum,id. ib. 2, 12: ad castra,id. ib. 2, 19 fin.; 3, 24 fin.: ad hostes,id. ib. 5, 9: ad Amanum,Cic. Att. 5, 20, 3: Tarentum ad Heraclidem Ponticum, Varr. ap. Non. p. 260, 19: Lacedaemonem,Nep. Cim. 3, 3: domum,Caes. B. G. 2, 24 fin. et saep.: ad ultimum animo,Cic. Mur. 31, 65; cf.: magna spectare atque ad ea rectis studiis contendere,id. Off. 2, 13, 44: ad summam laudem gloriamque maximis laboribus et periculis,id. Phil. 14, 12, 32: ad salutem,Caes. B. G. 3, 3 fin.
* (Act.) To place together in comparison, to compare, contrast; constr. with cum, ad, the dat., or acc. only.
* Contra aliquem: contra populum Romanum armis,Caes. B. G. 2, 13: tauri pro vitulis contra leones summā vi impetuque contendunt,Cic. Fin. 3, 20, 66: contra vim gravitatemque morbi,id. Phil. 9, 7, 15: nihil contra naturam universam,id. Off. 1, 31, 110; Cat. 64, 101.—*
* (Act.) To demand, ask, solicit, entreat, beg earnestly, to seek to gain: cum a me peteret et summe contenderet, ut suum propinquum defenderem,Cic. Quint. 24, 77: verecundius a te, si quae magna res mihi petenda esset, contenderem,id. Fam. 2, 6, 1; so, ab aliquo,Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 53, § 131; id. de Or. 1, 36, 166; id. Rosc. Am. 1, 4; id. Fam. 13, 7, 3; cf.: a magistris de proferendo die,id. ib. 12, 30, 5; id. Q. Fr. 3, 1, 5, § 15: ne quid contra aequitatem,id. Off. 2, 20, 71: omni opere, ut, etc.,Suet. Dom. 2: magno opere, ne, etc.,id. Aug. 27; id. Vit. 3: pertinaciter,id. Caes. 1.
* (Act.) To assert, affirm earnestly, to maintain or contend energetically.
* With cum: tuam iram contra cum ira Liberi, Naev. ap. Non. p. 259, 7; Caecil. ib. p. 259, 1: id cum defensione nostrā,Cic. Rosc. Am. 33, 93: rationem meam cum tuā ratione,id. N. D. 3, 4, 10; Tac. A. 4, 32 al.: suam vitam mecum, Licinius, Macer. ap. Non. p. 259, 3.—*
* With ad: ut vim contendas tuam ad majestatem viri, Att. ap. Non. p. 259, 5 (Trag. Rel. v. 648 Rib.).
* With dat.: Thestiadas Ledae, Lucil. ap. Non. p. 258, 30: vellera potantia Aquinatem fucum Sidonio ostro,Hor. Ep. 1, 10, 26; Aus. Grat. Act. 14 al.
* With acc. only: anulum, Plaut. Fragm. ap. Non. p. 258, 29: ipsas causas, quae inter se confligunt,Cic. Cat. 2, 11, 25: leges,id. Inv. 2, 49, 145: suam quaeque nobilitatem, formam, opes,Tac. A. 12, 1: vetera et praesentia,id. ib. 13, 3.
* With acc. and inf.: sic ego hoc contendo, me tibi ipsi adversario cujuscumque tribus rationem poposceris redditurum,Cic. Planc. 19, 48; id. Sest. 50, 107; id. Arch. 7, 15: apud eos contendit falsa esse delata,Nep. Them. 7, 2; id. Epam. 8, 1: illud pro me majoribusque meis contendere ausim, nihil nos ... scientes fuisse,Liv. 6, 40, 5; Quint. prooem. § 11; 1, 2, 25; Suet. Calig. 15; id. Dom. 6; Lucr. 5, 1343; Cat. 44, 4; Ov. M. 2, 855; Hor. Ep. 1, 16, 37 al.
* Absol. (very rare): si manantia corpuscula iter claudunt, ut Asclepiades contendit,Cels. 1, praef. § 28.—Hence, contentus, a, um, P. a.

s. TLL