manceps (noun M) : manus-capio
* A purchaser of any thing at a public auction, a renter, farmer, contractor, etc. (syn.: redemtor, exactor).
* Lit.: manceps dicitur, qui quid a populo emit conducitve, quia manu sublata significat se auctorem emptionis esse: qui idem praes dicitur, Paul. ex Fest. p. 151 Müll.: postremo ne in praedae quidem societate mancipem aut praedem ... reperire potuisti,Cic. Dom. 18, 48: si res abiret ab eo mancipe, quem ipse apposuisset,contractor for building,Cic. Verr. 2, 1, 54, § 141: hominis studiosissimi nobilitatis manceps fit Chrysogonus,the purchaser,id. Rosc. Am. 8, 21: mancipes a civitatibus pro frumento pecuniam exegerunt,the contractors with the government, farmers,id. Div. in Caecil. 10, 33; id. Dom. 10, 25: nullius rei neque praes neque manceps,Nep. Att. 6, 3: aliquis praevalens annonam flagellet,i. e. a forestaller, speculator,Plin. 33, 13, 57, § 164: sutrinae,a keeper of a stall,id. 10, 43, 60, § 122; Plin. Ep. 3, 19: operarum,one who hires laborers to let them out again,Suet. Vesp. 1; itinera fraude mancipum et incuria magistratuum interrupta,a farmer of the revenue, farmer-general,Tac. A. 3, 31: VIAE APPIAE,Inscr. Orell. 3221.
* Transf.
* A surety, bondsman, bail, = praes: ego mancipem te nihil moror,Plaut. Curc. 4, 2, 29.—*
* One who hires people to applaud: conducti et redempti mancipes,Plin. Ep. 2, 14, 4.—*
* The owner, proprietor, or possessor of a thing: deus et manceps divinitatis,Tert. Apol. 11.
* A master, chief: carceris, i. e. jailer, Prud. στεφ. 5, 345; Tert. de Spect. 10.

s. TLL