LATIN DICTIONARYLexicon Latīnum
verbthird conjugation, irregular short imperative

dūcō

dūcō (present infinitive dūcere, perfect active dūxī, supine ductum)
Classical[ˈduː.koː]Ecclesiastical[ˈduː.ko]
№ 133 of the 1,000 commonest wordsMille Verba core vocabulary

Meaning

  1. to lead, guide, conduct, lead away
    cui dea ‘dūc!’ inquit ‘scīstī, quā cōgere possēs’To which the goddess replies: ‘‘Lead on! You have understood how you are able to compel me.’’ (A humble farmer named Celeus and his young daughter have spoken kindly to an old woman, and have invited her to visit their cottage, unaware that their guest is the goddess Ceres in disguise.)8 CE, Ovidius, Fasti 4.527
  2. broadlyto take
    In vestrās potuistī dūcere sēdēs.You could have taken (me) to your home.c. 84 BCE – 54 BCE, Catullus, Carmina 64
  3. to draw, pull
  4. to think, consider, regard, calculate, count, reckon
    Ad eās rēs cōnficiendās biennium sibi satis esse dūxērunt; in tertium annum profectiōnem lēge cōnfirmant.They reckoned that a two-year period was enough for them to accomplish those things; by law, they confirmed the departure for the third year.c. 52 BCE, Julius Caesar, Commentarii de bello Gallico 1.3
  5. to lead (a wife in marriage), to marry, to take (as one’s wife)
    Propter dīvitiās meās, licuit uxōrem dōtātam genere summō dūcere.By reason of my wealth, I could have married a dowered wife of the best family.c. 206 BCE, Plautus, Miles Gloriosus 3.1.83–84
    Hodiē uxōrem dūcis?Are you to be married today? (Colloquial use of present tense for the future.)166 BCE, Publius Terentius Afer, Andria 321
  6. vulgarto lead a prostitute (scortum) home to have sex; to have sex with a prostitute
    Near-synonyms: comprimō, coeō, amō, futuō
  7. to prolong, to protract
  8. transitiveto march, command, lead (e.g., an army)
  9. to march (said of soldiers, lit. "be led")
    Diū mīlitēs dūcēbantur.For a long time, the soldiers were marching.
  10. to forge (rare)

Latīnē defined in Latin in our graded readers

prīmus eō et aliī mē sequuntur; exercitum dūcere.
dūcō -ere dūxī — in Mille Verba, ch. Via et Iter
leads
dūcit — in Seneca, ch. IV

Conjugation conjugation 3 irregular

active indicative
formpresentimperfectfutureperfectpluperfectfut. perfect
1st sg.dūcōdūcēbamdūcamdūxīdūxeramdūxerō
2nd sg.dūcisdūcēbāsdūcēsdūxistī
dūxtī		dūxerāsdūxeris
3rd sg.dūcitdūcēbatdūcetdūxitdūxeratdūxerit
1st pl.dūcimusdūcēbāmusdūcēmusdūximusdūxerāmusdūxerimus
2nd pl.dūcitisdūcēbātisdūcētisdūxistisdūxerātisdūxeritis
3rd pl.dūcuntdūcēbantdūcentdūxērunt
dūxēre		dūxerantdūxerint
active subjunctive
active subjunctive
formpresentimperfectperfectpluperfect
1st sg.dūcamdūceremdūxerimdūxissem
2nd sg.dūcāsdūcerēsdūxerīsdūxissēs
3rd sg.dūcatdūceretdūxeritdūxisset
1st pl.dūcāmusdūcerēmusdūxerīmusdūxissēmus
2nd pl.dūcātisdūcerētisdūxerītisdūxissētis
3rd pl.dūcantdūcerentdūxerintdūxissent
passive indicative
passive indicative
formpresentimperfectfuture
1st sg.dūcordūcēbardūcar
2nd sg.dūceris
dūcere		dūcēbāris
dūcēbāre		dūcēris
dūcēre
3rd sg.dūciturdūcēbāturdūcētur
1st pl.dūcimurdūcēbāmurdūcēmur
2nd pl.dūciminīdūcēbāminīdūcēminī
3rd pl.dūcunturdūcēbanturdūcentur
passive subjunctive
passive subjunctive
formpresentimperfect
1st sg.dūcardūcerer
2nd sg.dūcāris
dūcāre		dūcerēris
dūcerēre
3rd sg.dūcāturdūcerētur
1st pl.dūcāmurdūcerēmur
2nd pl.dūcāminīdūcerēminī
3rd pl.dūcanturdūcerentur
imperative
imperative
formactivepassive
pres. 2nd sg.dūc
dūce		dūcere
pres. 2nd pl.dūcitedūciminī
fut. 2nd sg.dūcitōdūcitor
fut. 3rd sg.dūcitōdūcitor
fut. 2nd pl.dūcitōte—
fut. 3rd pl.dūcuntōdūcuntor
infinitives & participles
infinitives & participles
formactivepassive
present infinitivedūceredūcī
perfect infinitivedūxisseductum esse
future infinitiveductūrum esseductum īrī
present participledūcēns
dūcente, dūcentem, dūcentēs, dūcentī, dūcentia, dūcentibus, dūcentis, dūcentīs, dūcentium		—
perfect participle—ductus
future participleductūrus
ductūra, ductūrā, ductūrae, ductūram, ductūrārum, ductūrās, ductūre, ductūrī, ductūrīs, ductūrō, ductūrōrum, ductūrōs, ductūrum		dūcendus
dūcundus, dūcunda, dūcundā, dūcundae, dūcundam, dūcundārum, dūcundās, dūcunde, dūcundī, dūcundīs, dūcundō, dūcundōrum, dūcundōs, dūcundum
gerunddūcendī, dūcendō, dūcendumsupineductum, ductū

Phrases from Meissner's Latin Phrase-Book

gloria duci
to be guided by ambition.
tempus ducere
to spend time.
ducere uxorem
to marry (of the man).
fossam ducere
to make a ditch, a fosse.
manu ducere aliquem
to lead some one by the hand.
aera spiritu ducere
to breathe the air.
raptim agmen ducere
to lead the army with forced marches.
hinc sermo ductus est
the conversation began in this way.
21 more phrases
via fert, ducit aliquo
a road leads somewhere.
spe duci, niti, teneri
to cherish a hope.
animam, spiritum ducere
to breathe, live.
aquam ducere per hortum
to bring a stream of water through the garden.
aliquid e vita ductum est
a thing is taken from life.
diem ex die ducere, differre
to put off from one day to another.
inani, falsa spe duci, induci
to be misled by a vain hope.
verbum ductum esse a...putare
to derive a word from... (used of an etymologist).
ducere aliquam in matrimonium
to marry (of the man).
aetatem in litteris ducere, agere
to devote one's life to science, study.
aliquid laudi alicui ducere, dare
to consider a thing creditable to a man.
bellum ducere, trahere, extrahere
to protract, prolong a war.
originem ab aliquo trahere, ducere
to trace one's descent from some one.
aquae ductus (plur. aquarum ductus)
a conduit; an aqueduct.
vocabulum, verbum, nomen ducere ab, ex...
to form, derive a word from... (used of the man who first creates the word).
per triumphum (in triumpho) aliquem ducere
to lead some one in triumph.
funus alicui facere, ducere (Cluent. 9. 28)
to carry out the funeral obsequies.
initium facere, ducere, sumere (alicuius rei)
to commence a thing.
aliquid infra se ducere or infra se positum arbitrari
to consider a thing beneath one's dignity.
aliquid alienum (a) dignitate sua or merely a se ducere
to consider a thing beneath one's dignity.
argumentum ducere, sumere ex aliqua re or petere ab aliqua re
to derive an argument from a thing.

dūco, xi, ctum, 3 (
I. imp. duc; but duce, Plaut. Ep. 3, 3, 18; id. Most. 1, 4, 11; id. Poen. 5, 4, 59; id. Rud. 2, 3, 55; id. Trin. 2, 2, 103; id. Truc. 2, 5, 26.—Perf. sync.: duxti, Varr. ap. Non. 283, 32; Cat. 91, 9; Prop. 1, 3, 27), v. a. cf. Goth. tiuh-an; O. H. Germ. zieh-an, to draw; Germ. -zog, in Herzog, commander, duke, to lead, conduct, draw, bring forward, in all senses; very freq. passing over into the signif. of the compounds abducere, deducere, adducere, producere, etc., and of the synonyms agere, trahere, movere, etc. (very freq.).
I. Lit.
A. In gen.: quo sequar? quo ducis nunc me? Plaut. Bacch. 3, 3, 2: duc hos intro, id. Am. 2, 2, 224; id. Aul. 2, 6, 13: duc ac demonstra mihi, id. Cist. 2, 3, 36: suas secum mulierculas sunt in castra ducturi, Cic. Cat. 2, 10 fin.; cf. Caes. B. G. 5, 5 fin. et saep.: (difficile iter) vix qua singuli carri ducerentur, id. ib. 1, 6, 1; cf. plaustra, Ov. Tr. 3, 10, 34: aquam ducere, Cato ap. Charis. p. 192 P.; so, aquam per fundum ejus, Cic. Q. Fr. 3, 1, 2, § 4: spiritum naribus, Varr. R. R. 2, 3, 5: so, spiritum per siccas fauces, Sen. Ben. 3, 8; cf.: aërem spiritu, Cic. N. D. 2, 6 fin.: animam spiritu, id. ib. 2, 54, 136; and in gen.: spiritum, for to live, id. Fam. 10, 1; cf.: vitam et spiritum, id. de Imp. Pomp. 12, 33: tura naribus, to inhale, Hor. C. 4, 1, 22: sucos nectaris, to drink in full draughts, to quaff, id. ib. 3, 3, 34; cf. pocula, id. ib. 1, 17, 22; and: Liberum, id. ib. 4, 12, 14.—Poet.: jucunda oblivia vitae (referring to the waters of Lethe), Hor. S. 2, 6, 62 (cf. Verg. A. 6, 714 sq.) et saep.: mucronem, to draw from the scabbard, Verg. A. 12, 378; cf.: ferrum vaginā, Ov. F. 4, 929: ensem vagina, Sil. 8, 342; but: ensem duxerat faber, had beaten out, forged, Tib. 1, 3, 48: sortem, Cic. Div. 2, 33; Verg. A. 6, 22; hence, also transf. of that which is drawn by lot, Cic. Div. 1, 18, 34; id. Rep. 1, 34; Suet. Caes. 12; Tac. A. 1, 54; 3, 28 al.: pondus aratri, to draw, Ov. M. 7, 119: remos, to row, id. ib. 1, 294; cf. id. ib. 4, 353: numerosa brachia, in dancing, id. Am. 2, 4, 29: lanas, to spin, id. ib. 4, 34; cf. stamina, id. ib. 4, 221: ubera, to milk, id. ib. 9, 358: frena manu, to guide, govern, id. ib. 15, 518: vela, to haul (= navigare), Prop. 1, 6, 2: manus, of swimming, id. 3, 20, 2: ilia, to draw the flanks together, become broken-winded, Hor. Ep. 1, 1, 9: os, to draw awry, to make wry faces, Cic. Or. 25 fin.; Quint. 9, 3, 101; cf. vultum, Ov. M. 2, 774; id. P. 4, 8, 13; Mart. 1, 41 et saep.: non equus impiger Curru ducet Achaico Victorem, to draw along, Hor. C. 4, 3, 5; cf. id. Ep. 1, 1, 93.—Absol.: sibi quisque ducere, trahere, rapere, to take to one's self, appropriate, Sall. J. 41, 5.—
B. Esp.
1. To lead, conduct, as a way or road: via ducit (te), in urbem? Verg. E. 9, 1; cf. Plin. Ep. 7, 5; Verg. A. 1, 401; Ov. F. 2, 679: Brundisium Minuci melius via ducat an Appi, Hor. Ep. 1, 18, 20: via ad undas, Ov. M. 3, 602: via ad infernas sedes, id. ib. 4, 433; cf.: iter ad urbem, id. ib. 437; Curt. 3, 28, 19; Sen. Prov. 6, 7; id. Vit. Beat. 1; Plin. 18, 11, 29, § 111; Quint. 5, 9, 14; Liv. 5, 40, 8 al.—
2. Se, in colloq. lang., to betake one's self, go: jam me ad regem recta ducam, Plaut. Am. 4, 3, 8; id. Aul. 4, 8, 8; id. Bacch. 4, 2, 11; Ter. Hec. 4, 1, 7: Balbus duxit se a Gadibus, Asin. ap. Cic. Fam. 10, 32, 1.—
3. A legal t. t., to take, lead away, drag, carry off a person before court, to prison, to punishment, etc.: POST. DEINDE. MANVS. INIECTIO. ESTO. IN. IVS. DVCITO, XII. Tab. ap. Gell. 20, 1, 45; so, in jus, Liv. 2, 27: illos duci in carcerem jubent, Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 30: aliquem in carcerem, Suet. Caes. 20: in vincula, id. ib. 79: ad mortem, Cic. Cat. 1, 1, 1; Nep. Phoc. 4, 3; and absol.: ducite, ubi capiat, etc., Plaut. Capt. 3, 5, 65; Sen. de Ira, 1, 16, 14; Suet. Calig. 27; Plin. Ep. 10, 97, 3 al.: NI. IVDICATVM. FACIT. AVT. QVIS. ENDO. EM. IVRE. VINDICIT. SECVM. DVCITO. VINCITO, etc., XII. Tab. ap. Gell. 20, 1, 45: decreta ejus modi: SI PETIT DUCAS. C. Fuficium duci jussit petitorem, to be imprisoned, Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 12, § 31; so of a debtor (addictus) who is led off as a slave, Novat. ap. Cic. de Or. 2, 63, 255; Plaut. Bacch. 5, 2, 87; Cic. Fl. 20 fin.; Liv. 6, 14 sq.; cf. id. 2, 23 med.; cf. prov.: stultitiast venatum ducere invitas canes, Plaut. Stich. 1, 2, 83. —
4. Uxorem, to lead a wife home, i. e. to marry: bona uxor si ea deducta est, etc. ... Verum egon eam ducam domum, Quae, etc.? Plaut. Mil. 3, 1, 91: uxorem domum, id. Aul. 2, 1, 40; Ter. Ph. 2, 1, 68: filiam Orgetorigis in matrimonium, Caes. B. G. 1, 9, 3; cf. Liv. 4, 4: eum uxorem ducturum esse aliam, Plaut. Cist. 1, 1, 105: uxorem (or aliquam, filiam alicujus, etc.), id. Aul. 2, 1, 48; id. Cas. prol. 69 et saep.; Ter. And. 1, 1, 128; 2, 1, 21 et saep.; Cic. Sest. 3; Caes. B. G. 1, 53, 4; id. B. C. 3, 110, 2; Verg. E. 8, 29; Vulg. Marc. 10, 11 et saep.—Absol.: si tu negaris ducere, Ter. And. 2, 3, 5; 2, 3, 9; id. Phorm. 2, 3, 76; Liv. 4, 4 al.: jugum ducere cum infidelibus, i. e. to be yoked in marriage, Vulg. 2 Cor. 6, 14.—Rarely for nubere: si ignorans statum Erotis ut liberum duxisti, isque postea servus est judicatus, etc., Imp. Antonin. ap. Cod. Just. 5, 18, 3.—In the comic poets, of taking home prostitutes, Plaut. Most. 1, 1, 35; 4, 2, 44; id. Men. 1, 2, 15; id. Stich. 5, 4, 48; id. Truc. 3, 2, 10 et saep.—
5. In milit. lang.
a. Said of a commander, to lead, to cause to move, to march his army in any direction: locis apertis exercitum ducere, Caes. B. G. 1, 41, 4; cf. id. B. C. 1, 64 fin.; 1, 68, 1: exercitum ab Allobrogibus in Segusianos, id. B. G. 1, 10 fin.: exercitum in fines Suessionum, id. ib. 2, 12, 1; cf. id. ib. 4, 38, 3; 5, 18, 1: exercitum (legiones, etc.) in Bellovacos, id. ib. 2, 13, 1; 5, 24, 2 et saep.; cf. Tac. A. 2, 57: cohortes ad eam partem munitionum, quae, etc., Caes. B. C. 3, 62, 2: exercitum Uticam, id. ib. 2, 26, 1: reliquas copias contra Labienum, id. B. G. 7, 61 fin. et saep.—In pass., of the soldiers, to march, move: quam in partem aut quo consilio ducerentur, Caes. B. G. 1, 40, 2.—And in act., absol., of the general himself, to march, move (a favorite expression of Liv.; not in Caes. or Sall.): (Mettus) ducit, quam proxime ad hostem potest, Liv. 1, 23; 1, 27; 9, 35; 22, 18 et saep.—Hence,
b. In gen., to lead, command an army or (more freq.) a division: qua in legatione duxit exercitum, Cic. Mur. 9, 20; so, exercitum, Nep. Eum. 13, 1; id. Epam. 7, 3: qui superiore anno primum pilum duxerat, Caes. B. G. 5, 35, 6; 6, 38, 1; id. B. C. 3, 91, 1: ordinem, id. ib. 1, 13, 4; 3, 104, 3; Suet. Vesp. 1: partem exercitūs, Sall. J. 55, 4 et saep.—Rarely, to lead a division in front, in advance: consuetudine sua Caesar sex legiones expeditas ducebat: post eas ... inde, etc., Caes. B. G. 2, 19, 2; hence also, to march in front, take the lead, said of the division that forms the van: pars equitum et auxiliariae cohortes ducebant, mox prima legio, etc., Tac. A. 1, 51; cf. id. ib. 1, 64 fin.—
(b). Transf. beyond the milit. sphere, to lead, to be leader, head, chief, first in any thing: accedit etiam, quod familiam ducit, Cic. Fam. 7, 5 fin. Manut.; so, familiam, id. Phil. 5, 11, 30; id. Fin. 4, 16, 45: ordines, id. Phil. 1, 8, 20: classem (discipulorum), Quint. 1, 2, 24 Spald.: funus, Hor. Epod. 8, 12: toros, Ov. F. 6, 668 et saep.—
c. To conduct as prisoners in a triumph: per triumphum, Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 26, § 67: in triumpho, Plin. 7, 43, 45, § 139, v. triumphus.—
6. With the accessory idea of creation, formation, to produce, form, construct, make, fashion, shape, dispose (cf.: struo, pono, condo, fundo): parietem per vestibulum alicujus, to erect, Cic. Mil. 27 fin.; cf. muros, Hor. C. 4, 6, 23: vallum ex castris ad aquam, Caes. B. C. 1, 73, 2: fossam, id. B. G. 7, 72, 1; 7, 73, 2: arcum, Ov. M. 3, 160: lateres de terra, Vitr. 2, 3: vivos vultus de marmore (with excudere spirantia aera), Verg. A. 6, 849; cf. id. ib. 7, 634; Hor. Ep. 2, 1, 240; Varr. ap. Non. 283, 32; Plin. 7, 37, 38, § 125; Quint. 10, 3, 18 Spald.; Juv. 7, 237; hence, poet. also: epos, Hor. S. 1, 10, 44: carmen, Ov. Tr. 1, 11, 18; 3, 14, 32: versus, id. ib. 5, 12, 63 et saep.: liniam ex colore, Plin. 35, 10, 36, § 81; Quint. 2, 6, 2; cf. orbem, id. 11, 3, 118: alvum, to bring forth by clysters, Cels. 2, 12; 4, 4 et saep.: alapam alicui, qs. to fetch one a box on the ear, Phaedr. 5, 3, 2; cf. colaphum, Quint. 6, 3, 83 Spald.: pugnum, Dig. 47, 10, 4 et saep.; so esp. of processions, dances, etc.: funus, Cic. Quint. 15 fin.; Ov. M. 14, 746; Verg. G. 4, 256; cf. exsequias, Plin. 8, 42, 64, § 154: pompam, Ov. H. 12, 152; id. F. 6, 405; id. M. 13, 699: choros, Tib. 2, 1, 56; Hor. C. 1, 4, 5; 4, 7, 6 et saep.; cf. choreas, Ov. M. 8, 582; 14, 520.—
7. To receive, admit, take any thing (not ante-Aug.): cicatricem, Ov. Tr. 3, 11, 66; Liv. 29, 32, 12: rimam, Ov. M. 4, 65: situm, to grow rusty, Quint. 1, 2, 18: formam, Ov. M. 1, 402: colorem, id. ib. 3, 485; cf. pallorem, to grow pale, id. ib. 8, 760: nomina, Hor. C. 3, 27, 76: notam, id. ib. 4, 2, 59 et saep.
II. Trop.
A. In gen., to lead, guide, draw, conduct: progredimur quo ducit quemque voluntas, Lucr. 2, 258; cf. Hor. Ep. 1, 3, 27; 1, 6, 57: ad strepitum citharae cessatum ducere curam, id. ib. 1, 2, 31: Liber vota bonos ducit ad exitus, id. C. 4, 8, 34; cf. Quint. 12, 1, 26: per quaedam parva sane ducant (futurum oratorem), id. 1, 10, 5; cf. id. 1, 1, 27; 1, 5, 58.—Prov.: ducunt volentem fata, nolentem trahunt, Sen. Ep. 107.—
B. In partic.
1. To draw, deduce, derive its origin or beginning from, any thing: ab aliqua re totius vitae ducere exordium, Cic. Fin. 5, 7, 18; cf.: exordium a nostra persona, Quint. 3, 8, 8; 4, 1, 7: principium disputationis a principe investigandae veritatis, Cic. N. D. 2, 21 fin.: belli initium a fame, id. Att. 9, 9, 2; cf. Quint. 1, 1, 21: initia causasque omnium ex quatuor temporum mutationibus, Cic. N. D. 2, 19, 49: originem ab Isocrate, Quint. 2, 15, 4; 1, 6, 38; Hor. C. 3, 17, 5 al.: ingressionem non ex oratoriis disputationibus, sed, etc., Cic. Or. 3, 11: honestum ab iis rebus, id. Off. 1, 18, 60; id. Or. 39, 135: nomen ex quo, id. Ac. 11, 41; cf.: nomen a Graeco, Quint. 1, 6, 3; 3, 7, 1; Hor. S. 2, 1, 66 et saep.; cf. also: utrumque (sc. amor et amicitia) ductum (al. dictum) est ab amando, Cic. Lael. 27; id. Fin. 2, 24, 78.—
2. To lead a person, as regards his will or opinions, in any direction; to move, incite, induce, allure, in a good or bad sense (most freq. in the pass.): ita me ad credendum tua ducit oratio, Cic. Tusc. 2, 18: nos ducit scholarum consuetudo, Quint. 4, 2, 28; 5, 11, 19; cf. id. 9, 1, 21: ducit te species, Hor. S. 2, 2, 35 et saep.: declamatores quosdam perversa ducit ambitio, ut, etc., Quint. 10, 7, 21.—In the pass.: si quis statuarum honore aut gloria ducitur, Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 58 fin.: eloquentiae laude, id. Or. 32, 115: quaestu et lucro, id. Tusc. 5, 3, 9: hoc errore ut, etc., id. Off. 1, 41; cf.: litteris eorum et urbanitate, ut, etc., id. Rosc. Am. 41, 120: omnes trahimur et ducimur ad cognitionis et scientiae cupiditatem, id. Off. 1, 6 et saep.—
b. In a bad sense, to cheat, deceive, Plaut. Most. 3, 2, 26; id. Capt. 4, 2, 7; Ter. And. 4, 1, 20; id. Ph. 3, 2, 15; Prop. 2, 17, 1 (3, 8, 1 M.); Ov. H. 19, 13; id. M. 3, 587 (with decipere).—
3. With regard to time, to draw out, extend, protract, prolong: bellum, Caes. B. G. 1, 38, 4; id. B. C. 2, 18, 6; 2, 37, 5 sq.; Cic. Fam. 7, 3, 2; Liv. 22, 25 et saep.; cf.: bellum longius, Caes. B. C. 1, 64, 2; 3, 42, 3: bellum in hiemem, id. ib. 1, 61, 3: eam rem longius, id. B. G. 7, 11, 4; cf.: rem prope in noctem, id. B. C. 3, 51, 7: rem leniter, Liv. 3, 41 et saep. Also transf., of time itself: tempus, Cic. Verr. 2, 1, 11; Nep. Them. 7: diem ex die, Caes. B. G. 1, 16, 4; and of persons who are put off, delayed: ubi se diutius duci intellexit, id. ib. 1, 16, 5.—Less freq. (mostly poet.),
b. In gen., of time, to pass, spend, enjoy: aetatem in litteris, Cic. Fin. 5, 19, 50; so, aetatem, Hor. Ep. 2, 2, 202: vitam, id. Epod. 17, 63; Sen. Ep. 45, 10; cf. Verg. A. 2, 641 (where, shortly before, vitam producere): noctes, Prop. 1, 11, 5; Plin. Ep. 6, 31, 13: somnos, Verg. A. 4, 560.—
4. In mercant. lang., to calculate, compute, reckon: age nunc summam sumptus duc, Lucil. ap. Non. 283, 30: minimum ut sequamur, quoniam XC. medimnūm milia duximus, accedant eo, etc., Cic. Verr. 2, 3, 49; id. Att. 6, 1, 5 and 16; 6, 2, 7; Varr. R. R. 3, 16, 11; Gell. 1, 20, 5.—
b. Transf. beyond the mercant. sphere.
(a). Rationem alicujus, to consider, calculate, care for one's advantage or interest (a favorite expression of Cicero): duxi meam rationem, quam tibi facile me probaturum arbitrabar, Cic. Att. 8, 11 D, § 7; so, suam quoque rationem, to have respect to one's own advantage, Cic. Verr. 2, 1, 48; and: non minorem aratorum quam populi rationem, Suet. Aug. 42 fin.: salutis meae rationem, Cic. Fam. 7, 3: rationem officii, non commodi, id. Sest. 10, 23; cf. id. Rosc. Am. 44, 128: unius cujusque temporis ducta ratio est, id. Div. in Caecil. 4, 16: rationem officii atque existimationis, id. Quint. 16, 53.—
(b). In gen., to reckon, consider, hold, account, esteem as any thing (cf. aestimo and existimo; very freq. in prose and poetry): parvi id ducebat, Cic. Fin. 2, 8, 24: pro nihilo aliquid, Plaut. Pers. 4, 4, 85; Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 16 fin.; id. Tusc. 5, 32, 90; cf. Auct. Her. 4, 20, 28: ea pro falsis ducit, Sall. C. 3, 2; cf.: innocentiam pro malevolentia, id. ib. 12, 1: vos eritis judices, Laudin' an vitio duci id factum oportuit, Ter. Ad. prol. 5; so, aliquid honori, Sall. J. 11, 3: aliquid laudi, Nep. praef. § 4: aliquem despicatui, Cic. Fl. 27, 65: nihil praeter virtutem in bonis ducere (for which, shortly after, in bonis habere = numerare), Cic. Fin. 3, 3; aliquem in numero hostium, Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 25 fin.; Caes. B. G. 6, 32, 1; cf. ib. 6, 23, 8; without in, ib. 6, 21, 2; cf.: aliquem loco affinium, Sall. J. 14, 1 Kritz. N. cr.: aliquid testimonii loco, Quint. 5, 9, 10: tutelae nostrae duximus, cum Africo bello urgerentur, Liv. 21, 41; cf.: officii duxit exorare filiae patrem, etc., Suet. Tib. 11: faceret, quod e republica fideque sua duceret, id. ib. 25, 7 et saep.: malum cum amici tuum ducis malum, Plaut. Capt. 1, 2, 48; cf.: Archytas iracundiam seditionem quandam animi vere ducebat, Cic. Rep. 1, 38: eorum, quos idoneos ducebat, consilium habet, Sall. J. 62, 4: nil rectum nisi quod placuit sibi ducunt, Hor. Ep. 2, 1, 83.— With acc. and inf.: sic equidem ducebam animo rebarque futurum, Verg. A. 6, 690: ut omnia tua in te posita esse ducas humanosque casus virtute inferiores putes, Cic. Lael. 2, 7, 19 fin.; id. Rep. 1, 2; 1, 17; 1, 38; 3, 9 (three times); Sall. J. 93, 5; Liv. 22, 14, 6; 22, 59, 5; Caes. B. G. 1, 3, 2; 4, 30, 2; 6, 18 et saep.—Here too probably belongs the much disputed passage: ludos et inania honoris medio rationis atque abundantiae duxit (= ludos publicos cum aliis rebus quae ad inania honoris pertinent, duxit, i. e. existimavit habendos et ponendos in medio rationis atque abundantiae, ut inter rationem, quae plane spernit inania, et abundantiam, quae eadem ostentat, media via incederet), he thought right to manage them in a middle course between reason and profusion, Tac. Agr. 6 fin., v. Dübner and Orell. ad h. l.

Origins

  1. Proto-Indo-European*dewk-
  2. Proto-Indo-European*déwkti
  3. Proto-Italic*doukō
  4. Latindūcō

From Proto-Italic *doukō, from Proto-Indo-European *déwkti, from the root *dewk- (“to draw, pull”). Cognate with English tow.

Descendants
  • English-duce
  • Catalandur
  • Catalandure
  • Catalanduure
  • French-duire
  • German-duzieren
  • Italianducere
  • Italian-durre
  • Occitandúser
  • Occitanduire

Quick answers

What does dūcō mean in Latin?
dūcō, a verb, means “to lead, guide, conduct, lead away; to take; to draw, pull”.
What are the principal parts of dūcō?
dūcō, dūcere, dūxī, ductum (third conjugation, irregular short imperative).
How do you pronounce dūcō?
In classical Latin, [ˈduː.koː]; in ecclesiastical (church) Latin, [ˈduː.ko].
Where does dūcō come from?
Proto-Indo-European *dewk- → Proto-Indo-European *déwkti → Proto-Italic *doukō → Latin dūcō.