I.to seek, search, or look for earnestly (ante-class.).
I. In gen.: “hominem inter vivos quaeritamus mortuum,” Plaut. Men. 2, 1, 15: “defessus sum quaeritando,” id. Am. 4, 1, 4; id. Cist. 4, 2, 19: “aliquem mari terrāque,” id. Poen. prol. 105: “te ipsum,” Ter. Ad. 2, 4, 2: “hospitium ab aliquo,” Plaut. Poen. 3, 3, 77: “lanā ac telā victum,” to earn, Ter. And. 1, 1, 48: multis languoribus peresus essem te quaeritando, Cat. 58, 15.—Prov.: hujus sermo haud cinerem quaeritat, needs no ashes, i. e. no polishing, Plaut. Mil. 4, 2, 10. —
II. In partic., to ask, inquire, or demand earnestly, to wish to know exactly: “quid tu id quaeritas?” Plaut. Rud. 1, 2, 22; id. Cist. 4, 2, 57; Ter. Eun. 3, 3, 17.