(verb) : vindĭco (on account of a supposed derivation from venum - dico, also written vendĭco), āvi, ātum, 1 (collat. form, acc. to the 3d conj., VINDICIT, XII. Tab. ap. Gell. 20, 1 fin.), vim - dico, prop. to assert authority, viz. in a case where legal possession of a thing claimed is refused; hence, transf.
* To lay legal claim to a thing, whether as one's own property or for its restoration to a free condition.
* Lit.: IN. IVS. DVCITO. NI IVDICATVM FACIT AVT QVIS ENDO EOM IVRE VINDICIT, i. e. eum in jure vindicat, XII. Tab. ap. Gell. 20, 1, 45; cf., on the form of laying claim to disputed personal property, Gai Inst. 4, 16: vindicare sponsam in libertatem,Liv. 3, 45, 11; cf. id. 3, 48, 5; 3, 46, 7: puellam,id. 3, 46, 3: ita vindicatur Virginia spondentibus propinquis,id. 3, 46, 8.
* Transf., in gen. (freq. and class.; cf. assero).
* To lay claim to as one's own, to make a claim upon, to demand, claim, arrogate, assume, appropriate a thing: omnia non Quiritium sed sapientium jure pro suis vindicare,Cic. Rep. 1, 17, 27: videor id meo jure quodam modo vindicare,id. Off. 1, 1, 2: Homerum ... Chii suum vindicant,id. Arch. 8, 19: ortūs nostri partem patria vindicat,id. Off. 1, 7, 22: maximam partem quasi suo jure Fortuna sibi vindicat,id. Marcell. 2, 6: ceterarum rerum quae sunt in oratore, partem aliquam sibi quisque vindicat,id. Or. 19, 69: quod neque summi imperatores ... sibi umquam vindicare sunt ausi,Quint. 1, prooem. § 14: partem oneris tui mihi vindico,Plin. Ep. 6, 32, 2: majestatem sibi,id. Pan. 42, 1: partis sibi aequas potentiae,Suet. Tib. 50; id. Tit. 5; Sen. Ira, 3, 30, 3; id. Cons. Helv. 3, 9; id. Q. N. 1, 1, 10; Val. Max. 4, 3, 1; 5, 3, ext. 2; cf. Plin. Pan. 8, 2; Val. Max. 4, 5, 3: iniquissima haec bellorum condicio est; prospera omnes sibi vindicant, adversa uni imputantur, Tac. Agr. 27: victoriae majore parte ad se vindicatā,Liv. 44, 14, 8: decus belli ad se,id. 9, 43, 14: tanta tamen universae Galliae consensio fuit libertatis vindicandae, ut, etc.,should be maintained, vindicated,Caes. B. G. 7, 76: Trasimenum pro Tarsimeno multi auctores ... vindicaverunt,have adopted,Quint. 1, 5, 13; so id. 1, 5, 26: vindicet antiquam faciem, vultusque ferinos Detrahat,reassume,Ov. M. 2, 523.—Poet., with inf.: vindicat hoc Pharius dextrā gestare satelles,Luc. 8, 675.
* To place a thing in a free condition.
* In libertatem vindicare, to set free, to free, emancipate: in libertatem rem populi,Cic. Rep. 1, 32, 48: ex dominatu Ti. Gracchi in libertatem rem publicam,id. Brut. 58, 212: rem publicam afflictam et oppressam in veterem dignitatem ac libertatem,i. e. to restore,id. Fam. 2, 5, 2: Galliam in libertatem,Caes. B. G. 7, 1: se et populum Romanum in libertatem,id. B. C. 1, 22.
* With respect to some wrong perpetrated (cf. ulciscor), to avenge, revenge, punish; to take vengeance on any one; make compensation for: omnia quae vindicaris in altero, sibi ipsi vehementer fugienda sunt,Cic. Verr. 2, 3, 2, § 4: maleficium in aliis vindicare,id. Sull. 6, 19: facinus in nullo etiam,Cic. Verr. 2, 3, 84, § 194: dolum malum et legibus,id. Off. 3, 15, 61. acerrime maleficia, id. Rosc. Am. 5, 12: consensionem improborum supplicio omni,id. Lael. 12, 43: eam rem quam vehementer,id. Quint. 7, 28: Ti. Gracchi conatus perditos,id. Off. 1, 30, 109: necem Crassi,Ov. F. 6, 468: offensas ense,id. Tr. 3, 8, 40: fortuita non civium tantummodo sed urbium damna principis munificentia vindicat,Vell. 2, 126, 4.—Impers. pass.: fateor non modo in socios, sed etiam in cives militesque nostros persaepe esse severe ac vehementer vindicatum,Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 50, § 133: vindicandum in eos,Sall. J. 31, 18: vindicatum in eos, qui, etc.,id. C. 9, 4; cf.: in quos (Venetos) eo gravius Caesar vindicandum statuit, quo diligentius, etc.,Caes. B. G. 3, 16.
* Transf. (after the analogy of ulcisci): vindicare se ab (de) aliquo, to revenge one's self upon one: se ab illo,Sen. Ben. 6, 5, 3: se de fortunā praefationibus,Plin. Ep. 4, 11, 14.—Pass.: quantā saevitiā opus erat, ut Sulla de Mario vindicaretur,Flor. 3, 21, 19.