I.trusty, truslworthy, faithful, sure (class.).
I. Prop., constr. absol., with dat., poet. also with gen.
A. Absol.: “nihil est stabile quod infidum ... Neque enim fidum potest esse multiplex ingenium et tortuosum,” Cic. Lael. 18, 65; cf.: “(amico) probo et fideli et fido et cum magna fide,” Plaut. Trin. 4, 4, 4: “tum se intellexisse, quos fidos amicos habuisset, quos infidos,” Cic. Lael. 15, 53: “amici,” Hor. Ep. 1, 5, 24: “sodales,” id. S. 2, 1, 30: “fidissima atque optima uxor,” Cic. Fam. 14, 4, 6: “conjux,” Hor. Ep. 2, 1, 142: “bonus atque fidus judex,” impartial, id. C. 4, 9, 40: “medici,” id. Ep. 1, 8, 9: “interpres,” id. A. P. 133: “fidiora haec genera hominum fore ratus,” Liv. 40, 3, 4: “nihil fidum, nihil exploratum habere,” Cic. Lael. 26, 97: “familiaritates fidae,” id. Off. 2, 8, 30: “canum tam fida custodia,” id. N. D. 2, 63, 158: “vis canum,” Lucr. 6, 1222; cf.: “pectus canum,” id. 5, 864: “pectus,” Hor. C. 2, 12, 16: “fido animo,” firm, steadfast, Liv. 25, 15, 13. —
B. With dat.: “(servum) quem domino fidissimum credebat,” Liv. 33, 28, 13 (but cf.: fidus est amicus, fidelis servus, Don. Ter. Phorm. 1, 2, 26): “quae fida fuit nulli,” Tib. 1, 6, 77: “nec tibi fidam promittis Lacaenam,” Ov. H. 5, 99: “ne quid usquam fidum proditori esset,” no faith should be kept with a traitor, Liv. 1, 11, 7: “ut eos sibi fidiores redderet,” Just. 16, 5, 2.—
C. Poet. with gen.: “regina tui fidissima,” most faithful towards you, Verg. A. 12, 659; and with gen. partit.: “juvenum fidos, lectissima bello Corpora, sollicitat pretio,” the trusty ones, trustiest of the youth, Stat. Th. 2, 483.—
D. With in or ad, and acc.: “in amicos fidissimus,” Eutr. 7, 8: “fidi ad bella duces,” Nemes. Cyn. 82.—
II. Transf., objectively of inanim. and abstr. things, sure, certain, safe, trustworthy (mostly poet. and in post-Aug. prose; in Cic. Att. 9, 6, 10, fuga fida is not critically certain; v. Orell. N. cr. ad loc.).
A. Absol.: “aures,” Ov. M. 10, 382: “spes fidissima Teucrum,” Verg. A. 2, 281: “ensis,” trusty, id. ib. 6, 524: “alii litora cursu fida petunt,” id. ib. 2, 400: “nec unquam satis fida potentia, ubi nimia est,” Tac. H. 2, 92: “pons validus et fidus,” id. A. 15, 15 fin.: “male fidas provincias,” id. H. 1, 52. —
B. With dat.: “(oppidum) naviganti celerrimum fidissimumque appulsu,” Tac. A. 3, 1; cf.: “statio male fida carinis,” Verg. A. 2, 23: “montem tantos inter ardores opacum et fidum nivibus,” Tac. H. 5, 6.—Sup.: “nox arcanis fidissima,” Ov. M. 7, 192: “camelino (genitali) arcus intendere, orientis populis fidissimum,” the surest, Plin. 11, 49, 109, § 261: “refugium,” Tac. A. 5, 8. — Hence, adv.: fīde , faithfully, trustily (perh. only in the sup.): “quae mihi a te ad timorem fidissime atque amantissime proponuntur,” Cic. Fam. 2, 16, 4 (al. fidelissime): “fidissime amicissimeque vixerunt,” Gell. 12, 8, 6.
