LATIN DICTIONARYLexicon Latīnum
verbthird conjugation

regō

regō (present infinitive regere, perfect active rēxī, supine rēctum)
Classical[ˈrɛ.ɡoː]Ecclesiastical[ˈrɛː.ɡo]
regis 2nd sg. pres. act. ind.№ 554 of the 1,000 commonest wordsMille Verba core vocabulary

Meaning

  1. to rule, govern, direct
    [...] sed fore, quī gravidam imperiīs bellōque frementem / Ītaliam regeret, [...].“… But he would be [the one] who is to rule an Italy teeming with imperial commands and thunderous in war, ….” (Jupiter ascribes the future of imperial Rome to Aeneas and his descendants.)29 BCE – 19 BCE, Vergilius, Aeneis 4.229–230
  2. to guide, steer, control
    dubiam rege, nāvita, puppemSailor, steer your veering vessel! (Imperative mood)8 CE, Ovidius, Fasti 2.101
  3. to oversee, manage
  4. to support

Latīnē defined in Latin in our graded readers

Mille Verba cover
dūcō et imperō; rēx populum regit.
regō -ere — in Mille Verba, Urbs et Aedificia
Seneca cover
rules, controls
regit — in Seneca, ch. X

Conjugation conjugation 3

active indicative
formpresentimperfectfutureperfectpluperfectfut. perfect
1st sg.regōregēbamregamrēxīrēxeramrēxerō
2nd sg.regisregēbāsregēsrēxistīrēxerāsrēxeris
3rd sg.regitregēbatregetrēxitrēxeratrēxerit
1st pl.regimusregēbāmusregēmusrēximusrēxerāmusrēxerimus
2nd pl.regitisregēbātisregētisrēxistisrēxerātisrēxeritis
3rd pl.reguntregēbantregentrēxērunt
rēxēre		rēxerantrēxerint
active subjunctive
active subjunctive
formpresentimperfectperfectpluperfect
1st sg.regamregeremrēxerimrēxissem
2nd sg.regāsregerēsrēxerīsrēxissēs
3rd sg.regatregeretrēxeritrēxisset
1st pl.regāmusregerēmusrēxerīmusrēxissēmus
2nd pl.regātisregerētisrēxerītisrēxissētis
3rd pl.regantregerentrēxerintrēxissent
passive indicative
passive indicative
formpresentimperfectfuture
1st sg.regorregēbarregar
2nd sg.regeris
regere		regēbāris
regēbāre		regēris
regēre
3rd sg.regiturregēbāturregētur
1st pl.regimurregēbāmurregēmur
2nd pl.regiminīregēbāminīregēminī
3rd pl.regunturregēbanturregentur
passive subjunctive
passive subjunctive
formpresentimperfect
1st sg.regarregerer
2nd sg.regāris
regāre		regerēris
regerēre
3rd sg.regāturregerētur
1st pl.regāmurregerēmur
2nd pl.regāminīregerēminī
3rd pl.reganturregerentur
imperative
imperative
formactivepassive
pres. 2nd sg.regeregere
pres. 2nd pl.regiteregiminī
fut. 2nd sg.regitōregitor
fut. 3rd sg.regitōregitor
fut. 2nd pl.regitōte—
fut. 3rd pl.reguntōreguntor
infinitives & participles
infinitives & participles
formactivepassive
present infinitiveregereregī
perfect infinitiverēxisserēctum esse
future infinitiverēctūrum esserēctum īrī
present participleregēns—
perfect participle—rēctus
future participlerēctūrusregendus
regundus
gerundregendī, regendō, regendumsupinerēctum, rēctū

Lewis & Short A Latin Dictionary, 1879

rĕgo, xi, ctum, 3, v. a. Sanscr. arg-, argami, to obtain; Gr. ὀρέγω reach after; cf. Sanscr. rāgan; Goth. reiks, king; Germ. Reich and Recht,
I. to keep straight or from going wrong, to lead straight; to guide, conduct, direct (freq. and class.; syn.: guberno, moderor).
I. Lit.: deus est, qui regit et moderatur et movet id corpus, cui praepositus est, Cic. Rep. 6, 24, 26: manus una (navem) regit, Lucr. 4, 903: onera navium velis, Caes. B. G. 3, 13: arte ratem, Ov. Tr. 1, 4, 12; cf. clavum, Verg. A. 10, 218: te ventorum regat pater, Hor. C. 1, 3, 3: vela, Prop. 2, 28 (3, 24), 24: coërcet et regit beluam, Cic. Rep. 2, 40, 67: equum, Liv. 35, 11: equos, Ov. A. A. 3, 556; id. Ib. 474; cf. quadrupedes, id. M. 2, 86: spumantia ora (equi), id. ib. 8, 34: frena, id. P. 4, 12, 24: equi impotentes regendi, Liv. 35, 11; Ov. Tr. 1, 3, 28; Curt. 4, 15, 28: currus, Ov. A. A. 1, 4; Curt. 8, 14, 7: taurus ex grege, quem prope litora regebat, Sall. H. Fragm. ap. Prisc. p. 715 P.; Quint. 1, 1, 27: rege tela per auras, Verg. A. 9, 409: tela per viscera Caesaris, Luc. 7, 350; cf.: missum jaculum, Ov. M. 7, 684: sagittas nusquam, Luc. 7, 515: regens tenui vestigia filo, Cat. 64, 113; cf.: Daedalium iter lino duce, Prop. 2, 14 (3, 6), 8: caeca filo vestigia, Verg. A. 6, 30: diverso flamina tractu, Ov. M. 1, 59: gressus, Vulg. Judic. 16, 26.—
B. In partic., jurid. t. t.: regere fines, to draw the boundaries, mark out the limits, Cic. Leg. 1, 21, 55; id. Top. 10, 43; id. Mur. 9, 22; Tib. 1, 3, 44; cf. Dig. 10, 1, and Cod. Just. 3, 39 tit. Finium regundorum.—
II. Trop., to guide, lead, conduct, manage, direct.
A. In gen.: Deus qui omnem hunc mundum regit, Cic. Rep. 6, 13, 13: domum, id. ib. 1, 39, 61: rem consilio, Ter. Eun. 1, 1, 13: belli fera munera Mavors regit, Lucr. 1, 33; cf. bella, Caes. B. G. 6, 17; Sil. 7, 47: omnia nostra ita gerito, regito, gubernato, ut, etc., Cic. Att. 16, 2, 2: alicujus animum atque ingenium, Plaut. Bacch. 3, 3, 90; cf.: animi motus (with moderari cupiditates), Cic. Part. Or. 22, 76: mores, Ov. M. 15, 834: animos dictis, Verg. A. 1, 153: animum, Hor. Ep. 1, 2, 62: ut me ipse regam, id. ib. 1, 1, 27: consilia senatus, Quint. 12, 1, 26: valetudines principis, Tac. A. 6, 50; cf.: valetudinem arbitratu suo, Suet. Tib. 68 al.: neque regerentur magis quam regerent casus, Sall. J. 1, 5; cf.: jam regi leges, non regere, Liv. 10, 13: utroque vorsum rectum est ingenium meum, Plaut. Capt. 2, 3, 6: vellem suscepisses juvenem regendum, Cic. Att. 10, 6, 2; cf. Suet. Tib. 50; id. Claud. 9: Silvanum specie obsequii regebat, Tac. H. 3, 50: nemo regere potest, nisi qui et regi, Sen. Ira, 2, 15 fin.; Quint. 12, 10, 69.—
B. Transf.
1. To sway, control, rule, govern, have the supremacy over any thing: quare qui convenit polliceri operam suam rei publicae, cum rem publicam regere nesciant? Cic. Rep. 1, 6, 11; so, rem publicam, id. ib. 1, 26, 41; 1, 27, 43: in iis civitatibus quae ab optimis reguntur, id. ib. 1, 34 fin.; 2, 9, 15: illa civitas optimatium arbitrio regi dicitur, id. ib. 1, 26, 42; cf.: Massilienses per delectos et principes cives summā justitiā reguntur, id. ib. 1, 27, 43: Frisios, Tac. A. 4, 72: populos imperio, Verg. A. 6, 851: imperiis Italiam, id. ib. 4, 230: legiones, Tac. A. 15, 7; cf. cohortes, id. H. 4, 12: exercitum, Plin. Ep. 2, 13, 2; id. Pan. 9, 2: domum, Vulg. 1 Tim. 5, 4: diva, quae regis Antium, Hor. C. 1, 35, 1: Diana, quae silentium regis, id. Epod. 5, 51.—Transf., of abstract objects: animi partes consilio, Cic. Rep. 1, 38, 60: ut unius potestate regatur salus et aequabilitas et otium civium, id. ib. 2, 23, 43: rex ille (Tarquinius) neque suos mores regere poterat neque suorum libidines, id. ib. 2, 25, 46.— Absol.: Tiberio regente, Tac. A. 4, 33; 13, 3: stare rempublicam nisi uno regente non posse, Quint. 3, 8, 47: quo regente, Verg. Cul. 333; Just. 1, 9, 23: Clemens ambitioso imperio regebat, i. e. used his authority to court popular favor, Tac. H. 2, 12.—
2. To guide into the right way one who has erred; to set right, correct: non multa peccas, sed si peccas, te regere possum, old poet ap. Cic. Mur. 29, 60 (with corrigere and inflectere): errantem regere, Caes. B. C. 3, 57: rogo, domine, consilio me regas, etc., Plin. Ep. 10, 19 (30), 1; cf.: alicujus dubitationem, id. ib 10, 118 (119), 3.— Hence,
I. P. a. as subst.: rĕgens, entis, m., a governor, prince, ruler, regent: contemptus regentium, Tac. A. 12, 54: in obsequium regentis, id. Or. 41: clementia regentis, Sen. Clem. 1, 22, 3: vita regentis, Claud. IV. Cons. Hon. 301: excogitare nemo quicquam poterit, quod magis decorum regenti sit quam clementia, Sen. Clem. 1, 19, 1; id. Ep. 59, 7: in vulgus manant exempla regentum (= -tium), Claud. Laud. Stil. 1, 168.—
II. rectus, a, um, P. a., led straight along, drawn in a straight line (horizontal or vertical), straight, upright, ὀρθός.
A. Lit., of horizontal direction: pars Remorum recta est (opp. refracta), Lucr. 4, 439: sed nil omnino rectā regione viaï declinare, id. 2, 249 Munro: rectā regione iter instituere, Liv. 21, 31: India, rectā regione spatiosa, Curt. 8, 9, 2; cf. id. 7, 9, 2: ad nostras aedes hic quidem habet rectam viam, Plaut. Trin. 4, 2, 26: via, id. Cas. 5, 2, 7; id. Poen. 3, 3, 79; id. Ps. 4, 7, 37; Ter. And. 3, 4, 21; id. Phorm. 2, 1, 80; Mart. 8, 75, 2; cf. platea, Plaut. Cist. 2, 1, 58; Ter. Ad. 4, 2, 35; 43: porta, Plaut. Bacch. 4, 4, 60: ostium, id. Mil. 2, 3, 58: ostia viarum (opp. iter flexum), Lucr. 4, 93: cursus hinc in Africam, Liv. 26, 43: saxa quae rectis lineis suos ordines servant, Caes. B. G. 7, 23 fin.: recto flumine, Verg. A. 8, 57: recto ad Iberum itinere, Caes. B. C. 1, 69; Liv. 22, 9: ne qua forent pedibus vestigia rectis, Verg. A. 8, 209: recto grassetur limite miles, Ov. Tr. 2, 477: velut rectae acies concurrissent, in a straight line, line of battle, Liv. 34, 28; so, acies, id. 35, 28: qui (quincunx), in quamcumque partem spectaveris, rectus est, Quint. 8, 3, 9: hic vos aliud nihil orat, nisi ut rectis oculis hanc urbem sibi intueri liceat, Cic. Rab. Post. 17, 48: adversus adparatus terribilium rectos oculos tenet, Sen. Const. 5, 5: rectis oculis gladios micantes videre, id. Ep. 76, 33; 104, 24: oculi, Suet. Aug. 16; cf. acies, Ov. M. 2, 776: lumen, Luc. 9, 638: vultus, Stat. Th. 10, 542.—Of vertical direction: ut hae (partes) rursum rectis lineis in caelestem locum subvolent, in perpendicular lines, Cic. Tusc. 1, 17, 40: saxa, perpendicular, steep, Liv. 21, 36 (just before: pleraque Alpium arrectiora sunt); cf.: rectae prope rupes, id. 38, 20: truncus, Ov. M. 7, 640: ita jacere talum, ut rectus assistat: qui ita talus erit jactus ut cadet rectus, Cic. Fin. 3, 16, 53: caput rectum et secundum naturam (opp. dejectum, supinum), in latus inclinatum, Quint. 11, 3, 69: homines, straight, erect, Cat. 10, 20; so, Quintia, id. 86, 1: puella, Hor. S. 1, 2, 123: senectus, Juv. 3, 26: iterque Non agit in rectum, sed in orbem curvat eundem, does not shape his course directly forward, Ov. M. 2, 715: vidit ut hostiles in rectum exire cohortes, Luc. 7, 327. — Comp.: crus Rectius, Hor. S. 1, 2, 82: rectior coma, smoother, straighter, Sen. Ep. 95, 24: longā trabe rectior exstet, Ov. M. 3, 78: crura, Pall. 7, 7. — Sup.: rectissima linea, Quint. 3, 6, 83: via, id. 12, 2, 27. —
B. Trop.
1. In gen., right, correct, proper, appropriate, befitting; opp. to what is false or improper: vobis mentes rectae quae stare solebant, Enn. ap. Cic. Sen. 6, 16 (Ann. v. 208 Vahl.): ut rectā viā rem narret ordine omnem, Ter. Heaut. 4, 3, 28 (just before: aperte, ita ut res sese habet, narrato); cf. id. And. 2, 6, 11: De. Estne hoc, ut dico? Li. Rectam instas viam: Ea res est, you're on the right way, Plaut. As. 1, 1, 39: in rectam redire semitam, cf. id. Cas. 2, 3, 33: rectā viā depelli, Quint. 2, 7, 29; 10, 1, 29; cf. Sen. Ep. 94, 54; Quint. 2, 6, 2; so post-class.: de viā rectā declinare, Gell. 1, 3, 15: a rectā viā avertere, Aug. Civ Dei, 12, 17, 2: ad rectum iter retrahere, Hier. in Osee, 2, 8 sq.; id. in Mich. 3, 5: recta consilia dare, Ter. And. 2, 1, 9: quae sint in artibus recta ac prava dijudicare, Cic. de Or. 3, 50, 195; cf.: quae sunt recta et simplicia laudantur, id. Off. 1, 36, 130; Quint. 9, 3, 3: sermo rectus et secundum naturam enunciatus, id. 2, 5, 11; cf.: (oratio) recta an ordine permutato, id. 1, 13, 5; 9, 4, 27: per Marathonis propugnatores recto sono juravit (opp. flexus vocis), id. 11, 3, 168 Spald.; cf. id. 11, 3, 64: recto ac justo proelio dimicare, Liv. 35, 4 fin.: rectarum cenarum consuetudo, a regular, formal supper, Suet. Dom. 7; so, cena, Mart. 2, 69, 7; 7, 20, 2; also absol.: recta, Suet. Aug. 74; Mart. 8, 50, 10: domus recta est (with contenta decore simplici), Sen. Ep. 100, 6: nominibus rectis expendere nummos, i. e. on good securities, Hor. Ep. 2, 1, 105: ut natura dedit, sic omnis recta figura, correct, beautiful, Prop. 2, 18, 25 (3, 11, 3): absque te esset, ego illum haberem rectum ad ingenium bonum, suitable, qualified, Plaut. Bacch. 3, 3, 8.— Subst.: rectum, i, n.: rectum est etiam in illis contentionibus gravitatem retinere, Cic. Off. 1, 38, 137: quid verum, quid falsum, quid rectum in oratione pravumve, id. Ac. 1, 5, 19: aliter, quam est rectum verumque dicere, Quint. 6, 3, 89: cum sit rectum, Nocere facile est, etc., id. 8, 5, 6; so (opp. durum et incomptum), id. 8, 6, 65; (opp. vitiosum) id. 1, 5, 29: mutare aliquid a recto, id. 2, 13, 11: recta et vera loquere, i. e. sincerely, openly, Plaut. Capt. 5, 2, 7: qui haec recta tantum et in nullos flexus recedentia copiose tractaverit, Quint. 10, 5, 12: ea plerumque recta sunt, id. 9, 2, 5; cf. id. 9, 2, 45.—Comp.: rectior divisio, Quint. 7, 2, 39: si quid novisti rectius istis, Hor. Ep. 1, 6, 67; Cic. Rep. 1, 40, 62.—Sup.: rectissima ratio, Quint. 2, 13, 3.—
2. In partic.
a. Morally right, correct, lawful, just, virtuous, noble, good (opp. pravus); as subst.: rectum, i, n., that which is right, good, virtuous; uprightness, rectitude, virtue (very freq.): honesta res dividitur in rectum et laudabile. Rectum est, quod cum virtute et officio fit, Auct. Her. 3, 2, 3: illud rectum, quod κατόρθωμα dicebat, Cic. Fin. 4, 6, 15: nec quicquam nisi honestum et rectum ab altero postulare, id. Lael. 22, 82; so with honestum, id. ib. 21, 76; id. Fin. 1, 7, 25; id. Off. 1, 24, 82; id. Fam. 5, 19, 1 al.: (opp. pravum) neque id Putabit, pravum an rectum siet, quod petet, Ter. Heaut. 3, 1, 76; id. Phorm. 5, 2, 6; Cic. Ac. 2, 11, 33; id. Or. 14, 45; id. Lig. 9, 30; Quint. 1, 3, 12; 2, 4, 20 et saep.; cf.: recta consilia (opp. prava), Liv. 1, 27: in rectis (opp. in pravitatibus), Cic. Leg. 1, 11, 31: curvo dignoscere rectum, Hor. Ep. 2, 2, 44: mens sibi conscia recti, Verg. A. 1, 604: fidem rectumque colebat, Ov. M. 1, 90: recta ingenia (opp. perversa), Plin. Ep. 4, 7, 3 et saep.: in omni vitā suā quemque a rectā conscientiā traversum unguem non oportet discedere, Cic. Att. 13, 20, 4: animus secundis Temporibus dubiisque rectus, Hor. C. 4, 9, 36: natura, id. S. 1, 6, 66: ex consularibus, unus L. Caesar firmus est et rectus, Cic. Fam. 12, 5, 2: judex, Quint. 4, 1, 13; cf. auditor, Plin. Ep. 2, 19, 6: vir rectus et sanctus, id. ib. 2, 11, 5; cf. id. ib. 7, 31, 1: beatus judicii rectus, Sen. Vit. Beat. 6, 2.— Rectum est, with subjective-clause: rectum est gravitatem retinere, Cic. Off. 1, 38 fin.; so id. ib. 3, 11, 47; id. Mur. 2, 3; id. Att. 6, 9, 4.—
b. In gram.: rectus casus, the nominative case (because not inflected; opp. obliqui casus), Varr. L. L. 1 sq.; Quint. 1, 4, 13; 1, 5, 61; Gell. 13, 12, 4 et saep.—Hence the adverbs,
A. rectā,
B. rectō,
C. rectē.
A. rectā (sc. viā). straightway, straightforwards, right on, directly (freq. and class.): hic ad me rectā habet rectam viam, Plaut. Mil. 2, 6, 11; id. Ps. 4, 7, 37: jam ad regem rectā me ducam, id. Am. 4, 3, 8; 5, 1, 63; id. Capt. 3, 5, 93; id. Cas. prol. 43; id. Mil. 2, 5, 50; id. Merc. 5, 2, 92; id. Ps. 4, 2, 11; id. Rud. 3, 6, 13; Ter. Eun. 1, 2, 7: tu rus hinc ibis? ... rectā, id. Ad. 3, 3, 79; id. Hec. 3, 3, 12; id. Phorm. 1, 2, 62; 5, 6, 19: Marius ab subselliis in rostra rectā, Cic. Off. 3, 20, 80; id. Att. 5, 14, 2; 6, 8, 1; 16, 10, 1; id. Fam. 9, 19, 1; Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 61, § 160; id. Cat. 1, 9, 23; Auct. Her. 4, 50, 63; Auct. B. Afr. 18; 40; Auct. B. Hisp. 3; Plin. 2, 47, 46, § 121 al.: tendimus hinc rectā Beneventum. Hor. S. 1, 5, 71. —
B. rectō, straightforwards, directly (perh. only in the two foll. passages): appellationes, quae recto ad principem factae sunt, Dig. 49, 1, 21; Inscr. Grut. 611, 13.—
C. rectē.
1. Lit., in a straight line (horizontal or perpendicular), straightly, perpendicularly, uprightly, ὀρθῶς (very rare): vitem bene enodatam deligato recte, flexuosa uti ne siet, Cato, R. R. 33, 4: sive aliae (atomi) declinabunt, aliae suo nutu recte ferentur ... quae (atomi) recte, quae oblique ferantur, Cic. Fin. 1, 6, 20: satyri, cum quadrupedes, tum recte currentes, humanā effigie, Plin. 7, 2, 2, § 24.—
2. Trop., rightly, correctly, properly, duly, suitably, well, advantageously, accurately (very freq. in all periods and styles): recta et vera loquere, sed neque vere neque recte adhuc Fecisti umquam, Plaut. Capt. 5, 2, 7; cf. Cic. Lael. 2, 8: fecisti edepol et recte et bene, Plaut. Capt. 5, 4, 20: si facias recte aut commode, id. Cas. 2, 3, 42; so with commode, Ter. Heaut. 1, 1, 100: recte et sapienter facit, Plaut. Am. 1, 1, 133; cf. id. ib. 3, 4, 12: recte atque ordine factum, Cic. Quint. 7, 28: recte atque ordine facere, id. Phil. 3, 15, 38; Sall. C. 51, 4; Liv. 24, 31; 28, 39; 30, 17 et saep.; v. Brisson. Form. II. p. 197: recte ac merito miseriā commoveri, Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 67, § 172: recte atque in loco constare, id. Mur. 12, 26: recte factum, Plaut. Capt. 3, 5, 52: seu recte seu pervorse facta sunt, id. Trin. 1, 2, 146: seu recte seu perperam facere, Cic. Quint. 8, 31; so (opp. perperam) Sall. J. 31, 27; Liv. 29, 17: recte dictum (opp. absurde), Plaut. Capt. 1, 1, 4: recte concludere (opp. vitiose), Cic. Ac. 2, 30, 98: recte factum (opp. turpiter), Caes. B. G. 7, 80 et saep.: recte rationem tenes, Plaut. Mil. 1, 1, 47: hercle quin tu recte dicis, id. Men. 2, 3, 74; id. Merc. 2, 3, 77; 5, 4, 47: recte auguraris de me, Caes. ap. Cic. Att. 9, 16, 1: non recte judicas de Catone, Cic. Lael. 2, 9; cf.: rectissime quidem judicas, id. Rep. 3, 32, 44: tum demum sciam Recta monuisse, si tu recte caveris, Plaut. Men. 2, 2, 71 sq.: monere, id. Bacch. 2, 3, 96; id. Ps. 4, 4, 12; id. Pers. 4, 4, 53; id. Rud. 3, 5, 49; cf.: admonere recte, id. Men. 5, 9, 33: suis amicis recte res suas narrare, properly, openly, id. Poen. 5, 6, 2: hic (Epicurus) circumitione quādam deos tollens recte non dubitat divinationem tollere, consistently, logically, Cic. Div. 2, 17, 40: aliquem asservare recte, ne aufugiat, duly, carefully, Plaut. Men. 1, 1, 11: alicui recte dare epistulam, correctly, id. Ps. 4, 2, 33: cum fuit cui recte ad te litteras darem, safely, Cic. Att. 4, 1, 1; id. Fam. 1, 7, 1; so, sed habebat ducem Gabinium, quicum quidvis rectissime facere posset, id. Phil. 2, 19, 49; cf.: alicui suam salutem recte committere, Caes. B. G. 7, 6 fin.; id. B. C. 1, 74: si recte ambulaverit is, qui hanc epistulam tulit, goes as he ought, Cic. Att. 9, 4, 3: tabernaculum recte captum, i. e. in the prescribed manner (opp. vitio captum), id. Div. 2, 35, 75; Liv. 4, 7; cf.: ludi recte facti, id. 36, 2: ver sacrum non esse recte factum, id. 34, 44: procedere recte, well, rightly, Enn. ap. Acron. ad Hor. S. 1, 2, 37 (Ann. v. 454 Vahl.): Pi. Recte valet? Ch. Vivit recte et valet, Plaut. Bacch. 2, 2, 11, and 14: valere, id. Merc. 2, 3, 53: apud matrem recte est, i. e. she is quite well, Cic. Att. 1, 7 init.; so, recte esse, id. ib. 14, 16, 4 (with belle); Hor. S. 2, 3, 162 Orell.; cf.: Tullia nostra recte valet ... Praeterea rectissime sunt apud te omnia, Dolab. ap. Cic. Fam. 9, 9, 1: recte sit oculis tuis, Gell. 13, 30, 11: olivetum recte putare, properly, advantageously, Cato, R. R. 44: solet illa recte sub manus succedere, well, Plaut. Pers. 4, 1, 2: recte cavere, to look out well, take good care, id. Bacch. 3, 6, 15; id. Ep. 2, 2, 107; id. Most. 3, 3, 23; id. Men. 2, 2, 72; cf.: recte sibi videre, to look out well for one's self, Ter. Phorm. 1, 4, 12 Ruhnk.: deos volo consilia vostra recte vortere, well, happily, Plaut. Trin. 5, 2, 31; so, vortere, id. Aul. 2, 2, 41: recte vendere, well, i. e. dearly, at a high price (opp. male), Cic. Verr. 2, 3, 98, § 227: alicui nec recte dicere, i. e. male, injuriose, Plaut. Bacch. 1, 2, 11; id. Most. 1, 3, 83; id. Poen. 3, 1, 13; cf.: nec recte loqui alicui, id. Bacch. 4, 4, 83: nec recte dicere in aliquem, id. As. 1, 3, 3; and simply nec recte dicere, id. Ps. 4, 6, 23.— Comp.: ad omnia alia aetate sapimus rectius, Ter. Ad. 5, 3, 46: hic tibi erit rectius, Plaut. Men. 2, 3, 31: rectius bella gerere, Liv. 3, 2 fin.: non possidentem multa vocaveris Recte beatum, rectius occupet Nomen beati, qui, etc., Hor. C. 4, 9, 46.—Sup., Cic. Rep. 3, 32, 44; v. supra. —
b. With adjj., right, well, properly, very, much, to strengthen the idea (ante-class.): illasce oves, quā de re agitur, sanas recte esse, uti pecus ovillum, quod recte sanum est, etc., an ancient formula in Varr. R. R. 2, 2, 6: locus recte ferax, Cato, R. R. 44: salvus sum recte, Plaut. Am. 2, 1, 34: morata recte, id. Aul. 2, 2, 62: oneratus recte, id. Bacch. 2, 3, 115: non recte vinctus est, Ter. And. 5, 4, 52.—
c. Ellipt., esp. in answers, in colloquial lang., well, quite well, right, excellently: Thr. Primum aedis expugnabo. Gn. Recte. Thr. Virginem eripiam. Gn. Probe. Thr. Male mulcabo ipsam. Gn. Pulchre, Ter. Eun. 4, 7, 3: quid vos? quo pacto hic? satin recte? (sc. est, agitur, valetis, etc.), quite well? id. And. 4, 5, 9; cf.: Le. Satin' salve? dic mihi. Ca. Recte, Plaut. Trin. 5, 2, 54; and: De. Quid fit? quid agitur? Sy. Recte. De. Optime'st, Ter. Ad. 5, 5, 3; Quint. 6, 3, 84.—
B. So, in colloquial lang., freq. like benigne and the Gr. καλῶς, or κάλλιστα ἔχει, as a courteously evasive answer, all's well, it's all right, there's nothing the matter; or, in politely declining an offer, nothing is wanting, no I thank you: De. Unde incedis? quid festinas, gnate mi? Ch. Recte pater, Plaut. Merc. 2, 3, 33; cf.: So. Quid es tam tristis? Pa. Recte mater, Ter. Hec. 3, 2, 20; and: Ch. Quid tu istic? Syr. Recte equidem, id. Heaut. 3, 2, 7: Mi. Quid est? Aes. Nihil, recte, perge, id. Ad. 4, 5, 19: rogo numquid velit? Recte inquit, i. e. no, nothing, id. Eun. 2, 3, 51; so, in an exclamation: clamabit, pulchre! bene! recte! Hor. A. P. 4, 28.

Origins

From Proto-Italic *regō, from Proto-Indo-European *h₃réǵeti (“to straighten; right”), thematic present of root *h₃reǵ- (“to straighten”). Cognate with Sanskrit राजति (rā́jati, “to direct; to steer; to rule”). De Vaan suggests that the s-perfect probably continues a Proto-Indo-European s-aorist. Likewise, Rix reconstructs a form *h₃rḗǵst, which may also be the source of Ancient Greek ὤρεξα (ṓrexa). However, Festus records that the Old Latin writer Livius Andronicus utilized the perfect form subrēgit instead of surrēxit. According to the linguist Michael Weiss, this old form may indicate that the original perfect stem of the verb was *rēg-, which Weiss traces back to a Narten-type present. Given the productivity of sigmatic perfects in Latin, it is far more likely that rēgī is the more ancient form.

Elsewhere
  • Catalanregir
  • Frenchrégir
  • Germanregieren
  • Spanishregir
  • Asturianrexir
  • Danishregere
  • Esperantoregi
  • Middle Dutchregeren
  • Norwegian Bokmålregjere
  • Swedishregera
Italo-Romance
  • Italianreggere
  • Sicilianrèjiri
Ibero-Romance
  • Portugueseregerfrom Old Galician-Portuguese reger
  • Galicianrexerfrom Old Galician-Portuguese reger
Rhaeto-Romance
  • Friulianrezi
  • Romanshreger
  • Romanshriger
Gallo-Italic
  • Piedmonteserese