ve-stīgo — Lewis & Short
ve-stīgo, no
I perf. and sup., āre, 1, v. a. etym. dub.; perh. Sanscr. vahis (bahis), out, and stigh-, to climb; cf. Gr. sti/xos, a row, etc.; Angl. -Sax. stīgan; Germ. steigen, to climb.
I Prop., to follow in the track of; to track, trace out (cf.: rimor, indago, scrutor): germana soror, errare videbar, Tardaque vestigare et quaerere te, Enn. ap. Cic. Div. 1, 20, 40 (Ann. v. 43 Vahl.):
feras vestigat (sc. canis),Sen. Thyest. 496.—With abl.:
fertur (sc. tigris) praeceps, odore vestigans (sc. raptorem),Plin. 8, 18, 25, § 66. —
II Transf.
A To find out by tracing, to trace out, discover.
1 With abl.:
perfugas et fugitivos, quos inquirendo vestigare potuerint, reddidisse,Liv. 31, 19, 2:
(cervi) vestigant cavernas (serpentium),Plin. 8, 32, 50, § 118:
omnis enim jacens piscis magis naribus escam, quam oculis, vestigat,Col. 8, 17, 14.—
2 Absol.:
dimissis deinde per agros, qui vestigarent,Liv. 32, 26, 13 dub.; cf. Weissenb. ad loc.—
B To search after; to seek out:
ceterum Alexander, quam regionem Dareus petisset, omni curā vestigans, tamen explorare non poterat,Curt. 4, 6, 5:
adeo sicca lacuna, ut vestigantium sitim falleret,id. 4, 16, 14:
equum vestigari jubet,id. 6, 5, 19:
ergo alte vestiga (sc. ramum) oculis, riteque repertum Carpe manu,Verg. A. 6, 145.—
III Trop.
A To inquire into, investigate (class.).
1 In simple constr.:
causas rerum,Cic. de Or. 2, 39, 166.—
2 With abl.:
quā (sc. ratione) omnes illorum conatūs vestigare,Cic. Verr. 1, 16, 48.—
3 With cum:
quod cum desidiosā delectatione vestiges,Cic. de Or. 3, 23, 88.—
B To discover, find out:
grave imperium regum nihil inexploratum, quod vestigari volunt, efficit,Liv. 39, 51, 6.