I.act. form polliceres, Varr. Sat. Menip. 8, 5), 2, v. dep. a. and n. from an old prep. por or port (= Gr. πορτί, προτί, or πρός; cf. pro) and liceor.
I. To hold forth, offer, promise any thing (freq. and class.; “syn.: promitto, spondeo): neque minus prolixe de tuā voluntate promisi, quam eram solitus de meā polliceri,” Cic. Fam. 7, 5, 1; id. Planc. 42, 101; cf.: “alicui studium,” id. Fam. 5, 8, 4; cf.: “mirandum in modum profitentur, offerunt se, pollicentur,” id. Q. Fr. 1, 2, 5: “id omne tibi polliceor ac defero,” id. Imp. Pomp. 24, 67: “pro certo polliceor hoc vobis atque confirmo me esse perfecturum, ut, etc.,” id. Agr. 2, 37, 100: “non modo ut ponatur, verum etiam ut inviolata maneat pollicetur,” Just. 9, 2, 12.—With subj. alone, Hirt. B. G. 8, 52, 4: alicui divitias, Enn. ap. Cic. Div. 1, 58, 132 (Trag. v. 359 Vahl.): “hospitium et cenam,” Plaut. Bacch. 2, 2, 8: “plus pollicere quam ego a te postulo,” id. Truc. 2, 4, 23.—With inf. pres.: “modo Qui sum pollicitus ducere,” Ter. And. 3, 5, 7; “jusjurandum pollicitus est dare,” Plaut. Most. 5, 1, 36: “pollicentur obsides dare,” Caes. B. C. 4, 21, 5; 6, 9, 7: “benigne,” Cic. Fam. 4, 13, 3: “liberalissime,” id. Att. 5, 13, 2.—Prov.: montes auri, to promise mountains of gold, i. e. boundless wealth, Ter. Phorm. 1, 2, 18; “for which also: maria montesque,” Sall. C. 23, 3.—
II. Esp.
1. Of an orator, in opening his speech, to promise, announce: “quaeso ut, quid pollicitus sim, diligenter memoriae mandetis,” Cic. Quint. 10, 36: “docui, quod primum pollicitus sum, causam omnino, cur postularet, non fuisse, etc.,” id. ib. 19, 60.—
2. Of purchasers, to bid, offer: “at illic pollicitus est prior,” Plaut. Merc. 2, 3, 102.—
3. Of auspices, to forebode, promise: “id assuetae sanguine et praedā aves pollicebantur,” Flor. 1, 1, 7.!*? Act. collat. form pollĭcĕo , ēre, to promise (ante-class.): ne dares, ne polliceres, Varr. ap. Non. 471, 13.—
2. polliceor, in a pass. signif.: ut aliis ob metum statuae polliceantur, Metell. Numid. ap. Prisc. p. 972 P.; Dig. 14, 1, 1: “pollicita fides,” Ov. F. 3, 366; Lact. Pasch. 60: “pollicitus torus,” Ov. H. 21, 140.—Hence, subst.: pollĭcĭ-tum , i, n., something promised, a promise, Ov. A. A. 1, 632: “memores polliciti nostri,” Col. 11, 3, 1.—In plur.: “hanc tu pollicitis corrumpe,” Ov. A. A. 1, 355: “pollicitis captus,” id. Am. 3, 7, 70; 2, 16, 48.