quaestus — Lewis & Short
quaestus, ūs (archaic
I gen. quaesti, Plaut. Aul. 1, 2, 5; id. Poen. prol. 95; Ter. Hec. 5, 3, 38; Titin., Nov., Turp., and Caecil. ap. Non. 483, 19 sq.; Varr. ib. 492, 20.— Gen. quaestuis, Varr. ap. Non. 483, 32), m. quaero, a gaining, acquiring; gain, acquisition, profit, advantage (quite class.; syn.: lucrum, emolimentum).
I Lit.:
quaestus pecuniae,Caes. B. G. 6, 17, 1:
emendi aut vendendi quaestu et lucro duci,Cic. Tusc. 5, 3, 9:
pauperes homines, quibus nec quaestus est, nec, etc.,Plaut. Rud. 2, 1, 2:
ad suom quemque hominem quaestum esse aequomst callidum,id. As. 1, 3, 34:
quaestus ac lucrum unius agri, et unius anni,Cic. Verr. 2, 3, 44, § 106:
cum quaestu compendioque dimittere,id. ib. 2, 2, 3, §
6: quibus fides, decus, pietas, postremo honesta atque inhonesta omnia quaestui sunt,are venal, are turned to gain, Sall. J. 31, 12:
quaestui deditum esse,id. C. 13, 5:
quaestui servire,Cels. 3, 4:
ad suom quaestum callere,Plaut. Truc. 2, 5, 40:
in quaestu esse,to bring gain, be turned to profit, Quint. 1, prooem. § 13: quaestui habere rem publicam, to derive advantage, enrich one's self, by the administration of public affairs, Cic. Off. 2, 22, 77:
pecuniam in quaestu relinquere,to let out money at interest, on usury, id. Pis. 35, 86.—
Prov.: non potest quaestus consistere, si eum sumptus superat,Plaut. Poen. 1, 2, 74; cf.:
is (sumptibus suis) vel Herculi conterere quaestum possiet,i. e. he could spend all the tithes offered to Hercules, id. Most. 4, 2, 68:
omnes homines ad suom quaestum callent et fastidiunt,every one looks to his own interest, id. Truc. 2, 5, 40; cf. id. ib. 2, 4, 62.—
B Transf., a way of making money, a business, occupation, employment, trade:
meretricius,Cic. Phil. 2, 18, 44.— Plur.:
meretricii quaestus,Sen. Contr. 1, 2, 4:
de quaestibus, qui liberales habendi,Cic. Off. 1, 42, 150; Plaut. Rud. 4, 3, 50:
malus,id. Most. 3, 2, 92.—
Of a prostitute (freq. and class.): corpore indignum quaestum facere,Plaut. Poen. 5, 3, 21; Liv. 26, 33, 8; Tac. A. 2, 85; Val. Max. 6, 1, 6:
quaestum corpore factitare,id. 6, 1, 10; so without corpore:
uti quaestum faceret,Ter. Heaut. 4, 1, 27:
quaestum occipit,id. And. 1, 1, 52; id. Ad. 2, 1, 52; Plaut. Capt. 1, 1, 30.—Of a parasite:
antiquom quaestum meum alimoniae servo,Plaut. Pers. 1, 2, 1. —
II Trop., gain, profit, advantage: qui sui quaestus causā fictas suscitant sententias, Enn. ap. Cic. Div. 1, 40, 88 (Trag. v. 447 Vahl.):
ut quaestui habeant male loqui melioribus,Plaut. Poen. 3, 3, 12:
nullum in eo facio quaestum,Cic. Fam. 15, 14, 1:
est autem quaestus magnus pietas,Vulg. 1 Tim. 6, 6.