N / nītor
verb deponent intransitive #3357

nītor

3rd PP nīsus / nixus
(inf. nitier, Lucr. 1, 1059; old form of the part. perf.: gnitus et gnixus a genibus prisci dixerunt, Paul. ex Fest. p. 96 Müll.), 3, [from gnitor; root gnic- or gnig-; cf.: nico, conivere]
to bear; rest upon
to bear or rest upon something.
literal
we implore thee upon our knees; kneeling with abl. ••
With abl.: ambae te obsecramus genibus nixae, we implore thee upon our knees, i. e. kneeling, Plaut. Rud. 3, 3, 33: stirpibus suis niti, Cic. Tusc. 5, 13, 37: herbescens viriditas, quae nixa fibris stirpium sensim adulescit, id. Sen. 15, 51: hastili nixus, id. Rab. Perd. 7, 21: mulierculā nixus, Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 33, § 86: juvenis, qui nititur hastā, Verg. A. 6, 760: paribus nitens Cyllenius alis Constitit, id. ib. 4, 252: nixus baculo, Ov. P. 1, 8, 52.—
With in and acc.: nixus in hastam, Verg. A. 12, 398.— with in acc. •
With in and acc.: nixus in hastam, Verg. A. 12, 398.—
With de: de quā pariens arbore nixa dea est, Ov. H. 21, 100.— with de •
With de: de quā pariens arbore nixa dea est, Ov. H. 21, 100.—
With gen. of place: humi nitens, Verg. A. 2, 380.—(ε) Absol.: Sisiphu' versat… absol •
With gen. of place: humi nitens, Verg. A. 2, 380.—(ε) Absol.: Sisiphu' versat Saxum sudans nitendo, Poët. ap. Cic. Tusc. 1, 5, 10: niti modo ac statim concidere, to strive to rise, Sall. J. 101, 11.—
by extension
To make one's way with an effort, to press forward, advance;; to mount, climb, fly poetic ••
To make one's way with an effort, to press forward, advance; and, with respect to the goal, to mount, climb, fly, etc. (mostly poet.): quaedam serpentes ortae extra aquam simul ac primum niti possunt, aquam persequuntur, Cic. N. D. 2, 48, 124: nituntur gradibus, Verg. A. 2, 442: in altas rupes, Luc. 4, 37: ad sidera, Verg. G. 2, 427: in aëra, Ov. P. 2, 7, 27: in adversum, id. M. 2, 72: sursum nitier, Lucr. 1, 1059.—Of violent bodily motion: niti corporibus et ea huc illuc, quasi vitabundi aut jacientes tela agitare, to struggle, Sall. J. 60, 4.—
To strain in giving birth, to bring forth •
To strain in giving birth, to bring forth, Plin. 9, 35, 54, § 107 (al. eniti): nitor, I am in labor, Ov. M. 9, 302; Pseud.-Ov. Her. 21, 100.—
To strain for a stool
To strain for a stool, Suet. Vesp. 20.—
figuratively
To strive, to exert one's self, make an effort, labor, endeavor absol ••
To strive, to exert one's self, make an effort, labor, endeavor: moderatio modo virium adsit et tantum, quantum potest, quisque nitatur, Cic. Sen. 10, 33; Nep. Att. 15, 2: nisurus contra regem, Caes. B. C. 2, 37; Sall. C. 38, 2: pro aliquo, Liv. 35, 10; cf.: pro libertate summā ope niti, Sall. J. 31, 17: nitebantur, ne gravius in eum consuleretur, Sall. J. 13, 8; cf.: unus Miltiades maxime nitebatur, ut, etc., Nep. Milt. 4, 2. —Inf.: summā vi Cirtam irrumpere nititur, Sall. J. 25, 9: patriam recuperare niti, Nep. Pelop. 2: ingenio nitor non periisse meo, Ov. P. 3, 5, 34; id. M. 8, 694.—Absol., of soldiers hard pressed in battle: tamen virtute et patientia nitebantur atque omnia vulnera sustinebant, Caes. B. C. 1, 45.—
To strive after •
To strive after a thing: ad immortalitatem gloriae niti, Cic. Sen. 23, 82: ad summa, Quint. prooem. § 20: in vetitum, Ov. Am. 3, 4, 17.—
To try to prove, contend; argue •
To try to prove, contend in argument, argue, with acc. and inf.: nitamur igitur nihil posse percipi, Cic. Ac. 2, 21, 68.—
To rest, rely, depend upon
To rest, rely, depend upon a thing.
With in and abl.: nixus in nomine inani, Lucr. 5, 909: conjectura in quā… with in abl. ••
With in and abl.: nixus in nomine inani, Lucr. 5, 909: conjectura in quā nititur divinatio, Cic. Div. 2, 26, 55: ea, in quibus causa nititur, id. Cael. 10, 25: cujus in vitā nitebatur salus civitatis, id. Mil. 7, 19.—
With abl.: spe niti, Cic. Att. 3, 9, 2: consilio atque auctoritate alicujus,… with abl. •
With abl.: spe niti, Cic. Att. 3, 9, 2: consilio atque auctoritate alicujus, id. Off. 1, 34, 122; id. Fam. 1, 5, a, 2: si quis hoc uno nititur quod sit ignobilis, id. Clu. 40, 112.—
ubi; three guardian deities of women in labor, the statues of whom, representing them in a kneeling posture, stood on the Capitol before the chapel of Minerva with ubi •
With ubi: quo confugies? ubi nitere? Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 64, § 155.—Hence, P. a., as subst., Nixus, i, m., only plur., Nixi, ōrum, m., three guardian deities of women in labor, the statues of whom, representing them in a kneeling posture, stood on the Capitol before the chapel of Minerva, Paul. ex Fest. p. 174 Müll.: magno Lucinam Nixosque patres clamore vocabam, Ov. M. 9, 294.