Lewis Short
(v. a.P. a.adv.) : ob-servo, āvi, ātum, 1 (archaic
* Fut. perf. observasso, Plaut. Mil. 2, 3, 57), v. a.
* In gen., to watch, note, heed, observe a thing; to take notice of, pay attention to (class.; syn.: animadverto, attendo): ne me observare possis, quid rerum geram,Plaut. Aul. 1, 1, 14: quid ille faciat, ne id observes,id. Men. 5, 2, 38: fetus,to watch for, seek to catch,Verg. G. 4, 512: lupus observavit, dum dormitarent canes,watched, waited,Plaut. Trin. 1, 2, 133: occupationem alicujus, et aucupari tempus,to watch in order to take advantage of,Cic. Rosc. Am. 8, 22: si iniquitates observaveris, Domine,Vulg. Psa. 129, 3: tempus epistulae alicui reddendae, to watch or wait for, Cic. Fam. 11, 16, 1: et insidiari,to be on the watch,id. Or. 62, 210: observavit sedulo, ut praetor indiceret, etc., took care that, etc., Suet. Claud. 22.—So pass. impers.: observatum est, ne quotiens introiret urbem, supplicium de quoquam sumeretur,Suet. Aug. 57 fin.: observans Acerroniae necem,observing, perceiving,Tac. A. 14, 6: postquam poëta sensit, scripturam suam Ab iniquis observari,to be scrutinized,Ter. Ad. prol. 1: sese,to keep a close watch over one's self,Cic. Brut. 82, 283.
* In partic.
* To watch, guard, keep any thing: januam,Plaut. As. 2, 2, 7: fores,id. Mil. 2, 3, 57: greges,Ov. M. 1, 513: draconem, auriferam obtutu observantem arborem, Poët. ap. Cic. Tusc. 2, 9, 22; Sen. Hippol. 223.
* To observe, respect, regard, attend to, heed, keep, comply with a law, precept, recommendation, etc.: leges,Cic. Off. 2, 11, 40: censoriam animadversionem,id. Clu. 42, 117: praeceptum diligentissime,Caes. B. G. 5, 35: imperium,Sall. J. 80, 2: foedus,Sil. 17, 78: centesimas,to adhere to,Cic. Att. 5, 21, 11: commendationes,to attend to, regard,id. Fam. 13, 27, 1: auspicia,Tac. G. 9: diem concilii,Liv. 1, 50, 6: ordines,to keep in the ranks,Sall. J. 51, 1.—Pass.: id ab omnibus,Just. 21, 4, 5.
* To pay attention or respect to; to respect, regard, esteem, honor one (syn.: veneror, revereor): tribules suos,Cic. Planc. 18, 45: regem,Verg. G. 4, 210: me, ut alterum patrem, et observat, et diligit,Cic. Fam. 5, 8, 4: et colere aliquem,id. Att. 2, 19, 5: aliquem perofficiose et amanter,id. ib. 9, 20, 3: clarissimus et nobis observandus vir,Front. Ep. ad Anton. p. 4.
* Observare se a quā re = se abstinere, Vulg. Judic. 13, 12.
* To observe, notice, perceive (eccl. Lat.): Amasa non observavit gladium,Vulg. 2 Reg. 20, 10.—Hence
* Ob-servans, antis, P. a.
* Watchful, regardful, observant.—Comp.: observantior aequi Fit populus,Claud. IV. Cons. Hon. 296.—Sup.: observantissimus omnium officiorum,Plin. Ep. 7, 30, 1; 10, 11, 1: observantissima lex suorum itinerum, App. de Mundo, 33 fin.
* Attentive, respectful: homo tui observans,Cic. Quint. 11, 39; Charis. 77 P.: observantissimus mei homo,Cic. Q. Fr. 1, 2, 3, § 11; id. Fam. 13, 3 init. —Hence, adv.: observanter, carefully, sedulously (post-class.): sequi,Macr. Somn. Scip. 1, 1, § 7; App. Mag. p. 320, 11.—Comp.: observantius,Amm. 23, 6, 79.—Sup.: aliquid observantissime vitare,Gell. 10, 21.
* Reverentially: ad precandum accedere,Lact. 5, 19, 26.
* Observātē, adv., observantly, carefully, perspicaciously (postclass.): observate curioseque animadvertit M. Tullius,Gell. 2, 17, 1.
Charlton T. Lewis, Charles Short, A Latin Dictionary