“meaning” in Latin

Of a word, significatio (the meaning of a word; opposed to vox; Varr.): significatus (post-Augustan; e.g., VE particula duplicem significatum... habet, Gell.): vis: potestas (the force of a word: potestas, Auct., ad Herenn., 4, 54, in Gell., 1, 3, and 10, 29): sententia (the meaning which a speaker attaches to a word: ☞ for which sensus is unclassical in prose): notio (the meaning one attaches to a word). OBS. Acceptionem nominis pro significatione dubito, an idoneus scriptor dixerit, Ruhnken, ad Muret., iii, 26, ed. Ruhnken. The real and proper meaning (of a word), vera atque propria significatio: the natural and primary meaning of a word, naturalis atque principalis verbi significatio (Quint.): a false meaning, falsa atque aliena verbi significatio: the present meaning (of a word), potestas praesens: the word has this meaning, haec vis subjecta est voci: that is the meaning of the word, haec vis est istius verbi: the proper meaning of the word is this, huic verbo domicilium est proprium in hoc: this word has various or several meanings, hujus vocis potestas multiplex est (general term, after Auct., ad Her., 4, 54, in.); huic verbo sunt migrationes in alienum domicilium multae (has many improper meanings; Cic., ad Div., 16, 17, 1): it is necessary to fix carefully the meaning of the word, carere, illum excutiendum est, quid sit carere: Cic. uses the word in nearly the same meaning, consimiliter Cic. isto verbo utitur: the preposition de has different meanings with one and the same word, de praepositio in uno eodemque verbo diversitatem significationis capit: to be used in rather an unusual (affected, etc.) meaning, doctiuscule positum esse: to have a narrow meaning, angustius valere: to have a more extensive meaning, latius patere (e.g., insania = the word insania latius patet, Cic.): to attach a meaning to a word, sub voce sententiam subjicere; verbo vim, sententiam, notionem subjicere: to know the meaning of words, nosse vim verborum (after Cic.); scire significationem verborum (Quint.): to examine carefully the meaning of words, diligenter examinare verborum pondera: when a word has two or more meanings, cum verbum potest in duas pluresve sententias accipi: not to comprehend the meaning of a word, verbum quid valeat, non videre: to take the meaning that suits one best, eo trahere significationem (scripti, vocis, etc.) quo expediat, aut quo aliquis velit: an opposite meaning of the same word, ejusdem verbi contraria significatio: the same words are used in a different meaning, eaedem voces in diversa significatione ponuntur: many words, as, for instance, hostis, have lost their original meaning, multa verba aliud nunc ostendunt, aliud ante significabant, ut hostis (Varr., L.L., 5, 1, 4). The meaning of carere is “to be without what you would wish to have,” carere... hoc significat, egere eo, quod habere velis (Cic.): what meaning is to be attached to this word? sub hac voce quaenam est subjicienda sententiae? the word “happy,” as applied to a person, has no other meaning than this, that, etc., neque ulla alia huic verbo, cum beatum dicimus, subjecta notio est, nisi, etc. (if it had been “the word virtue,” verbo virtutis would have been the proper term [Vid: under “WORD”]: to have the same meaning, ejusdem esse significationis (after Cic.): ad eundem intellectum ferri (Quint., 10, 1, 11): or vis... eadem est (e.g., videtur vis ordinis et collocationis eadem esse, Cic.).

The drift, purport, of a speech, oracle, etc. (including the object of the speaker), mostly by valere or spectare, with adverb of motion to a point: the meaning of this was, id eo valebat, ut, etc. (Nep.): when no one knew, what the meaning of this oracle was, id responsum quo valeret, cum intelligent nemo (Nep.): the meaning of this was that she was bribed by Philip, hoc eo spectabat, ut eam [Pythiam] a Philippo corruptam diceret.

Object with which anything is said or done, consilium: animus: mens: voluntas, or by circumlocution with sibi velle; spectare aliquid or ad aliquid; sequi aliquid; in animo habere aliquid. (animo) intendere aliquid, etc. What is your meaning in doing this? quid tibi vis? quae tua mens? my meaning is, etc., mens mea haec est; eo pertinent or valent mea consilia (of plans): what is the meaning of those statues? quid istae sibi statuae volunt? I did not clearly understand the meaning of the law, or of those words, nee satis intellexi, quid sibi lex, aut quid ista verba vellent (Cic.): what is the meaning of all this? quid hoc rei est? (Liv.): that was not my meaning, hoc nolui; haec non erat mea mens: with a good meaning, bono consilio or animo: my meaning in doing this was to, etc., hoc feci eo consilio, ut, etc.: full of meaning, significans (of words and gestures, ☞ post-Augustan): argutus (expressive; of the eyes, gestures, etc.): efficiens (of words, Vid: Quint., 10, 1, 6).