(verb) : ob-tĭnĕo (opt-), tĭnŭi, tentum, 2 (old
* Perf. OPTENVI, fifth Epit. of the Scipios; inf. pass. obtinerier, Plaut. Am. 3, 2, 19; id. Most. 3, 2, 154), and n. teneo.
* Act. *
* To take hold of, hold: obtine aures, amabo,Plaut. Cas. 3, 5, 16.
* Neutr. (cf. teneo, II.), to maintain itself; to hold, prevail, last, stand, continue, obtain (not in Cic.): quod et plures tradidere auctores et fama obtinuit,Liv. 21, 46, 10; cf. with a subject-clause: pro vero antea obtinebat, regna atque imperia Fortunam dono dare, Sall. Rep. Ordin. init.: non ipsos quoque fuisse pastores obtinebit, quod? etc.,Varr. R. R. 2, 1, 9: si dissentirent, sententia plurium obtineret,would prevail,Dig. 42, 1, 36: quod merito obtinuit,ib. 2, 4, 4.—Absol.: obtinuit (sc. consuetudo),Dig. 1, 13, 1.—With de: quia de intercalando non obtinuerat, Cael. ap. Cic. Fam. 8, 6, 5.—With ut or ne: his obtinuit, ut praeferretur candidato,Liv. 35, 10; Suet. Claud. 41: obtinuit, ne reus fieret,id. Caes. 23.—With quin, Suet. Tib. 31.
* In gen.: sancte Apollo, qui umbilicum certum terrarum obtines, Poët. ap. Cic. Div. 2, 56, 115 (Trag. Rel. p. 201 Rib.): suam quisque domum tum obtinebat,Cic. Phil. 2, 19, 48: armis Galliam atque Italiam,Liv. 30, 19: cum imperio Hispaniam citeriorem,to have as his province, to be governor in it,Cic. Fam. 1, 9, 2: Galliam et Italiam,Liv. 30, 19: Africam,Nep. Timol. 2, 4; cf.: ex quā insulā nummus nullus, me obtinente, erogabitur,during my administration,Cic. Att. 5, 21, 7: QVEI AERARIVM PROVINCIAM OBTINEBIT, who will have the administration of the public treasure, Lex Thor. § 20 Rudorff. p. 168; Lex de Scribis ap. Haubold, p. 85: necessitudinem cum publicanis,Cic. Q. Fr. 1, 1, 12, § 35: vitam et famam,to preserve,id. Rosc. Am. 17, 49: auctoritatem suam,to maintain,id. ib. 48, 139: principatum,Caes. B. G. 1, 3: regnum,id. ib. 1, 7: jus,to assert, maintain,Tac. A. 1, 32: causam,Caes. B. G. 7, 37, 4: noctem insequentem eadem caligo obtinuit,occupied, took up, prevailed during,Liv. 29, 27: quae (fama) plerosque obtinet,Sall. J. 17, 7: proverbii locum obtinet,i. e. is become proverbial,Cic. Tusc. 4, 16, 36: parentis gravitatem,id. Sull. 6, 19: numerum deorum,to be numbered among,id. N. D. 3, 20, 51; so, aliquem numerum,id. Brut. 47, 175; cf. id. Off. 2, 12, 43: summam opinionem m scholis, Quint. 10, 5, 18: admirationem,to be admired,Plin. 34, 2, 2, § 2: patriae nomen,id. 15, 18, 19, § 69: firmitudinem animi,i. e. exhibited,Plaut. As. 2, 2, 54: pontem,would not yield,Liv. 2, 10: silentiam,to maintain,id. 1, 16.—With inf., to persist in: earumque artem et disciplinam obtineat colere,Plaut. Mil. 2, 2, 30.
* To get possession of; to gain, acquire, obtain something (syn.: assequor, adipiscor, impetro; class.): quanta instrumenta habeat (homo) ad obtinendam adipiscendamque sapientiam,Cic. Leg. 1, 22, 59: impetrare et obtinere,Gell. 12, 14, 6; Cic. Fam. 1, 8, 5: malas causas semper obtinuit, in optimā concidit,gained,id. Att. 7, 25, 1; cf. id. Rosc. Com. 4, 10: jus suum contra aliquem,id. Quint. 9, 34: Romani si rem obtinuerint,if they gained the victory,Caes. B. G. 7, 85: voluimus quaedam; obtenta non sunt,Cic. Balb. 27, 61: apud eum causam obtinuit,Caes. B. G. 7, 37: aditu regis obtento,Just. 21, 6, 5.—Hence, to conquer, overcome (eccl. Lat.): melius est ut pugnemus contra eos in campestribus, et obtinebimus eos,Vulg. 3 Reg. 20, 23; 20, 25; id. Judith, 1, 5.

s. TLL