vĭdēlĭcet — Lewis & Short
vĭdēlĭcet, adv.contr. from videre licet; cf. scilicet from scire licet; v. scilicet init.; prop. it is easy to see, to comprehend, serving, like scilicet, to confirm and complete what precedes (but with the difference that scilicet indicates rather the false, and videlicet the true explanation; v. Zumpt, Lat. Gram. § 345 n.);
I it is easy to see, it is clear or evident, clearly, plainly, evidently, manifestly, etc. (class., but much less freq. than scilicet).
I Lit.
A In gen.
(a) With obj.-clause on account of videre (only ante- and post-class.; for in Cic. Att. 5, 11, 7, the better read. is datae):
videlicet, parcum illum fuisse senem, qui dixerit ... Videlicet fuisse illum nequam adulescentem, etc.,Plaut. Stich. 4, 1, 49 and 51:
esse videlicet in terris primordia rerum,Lucr. 1, 210:
sed videlicet, eum vocabula rerum ignoravisse,Gell. 17, 5, 9.—
(b) As a mere particle:
nunc enim est Negotiosus interdius: videlicet Solon est,Plaut. As. 3, 3, 9:
videlicet propter divitias inditum id nomen quasi est,id. Capt. 2, 2, 36:
hic de nostris verbis errat videlicet, Quae hic sumus locuti,Ter. Heaut. 2, 3, 22:
quae videlicet ille non ex agri consiturā, sed ex doctrinae indiciis interpretabatur,Cic. Rep. 1, 17, 29:
nihil dolo factum, ac magis calliditate Jugurthae, cui videlicet speculanti iter suum cognitum esset,Sall. J. 107, 3.—
(g) Ellipt., in replies:
quid metuebant? Vim videlicet,Cic. Caecin. 15, 44:
quid horum se negat fecisse? Illud videlicet unum, quod necesse est, pecuniam accepisse,Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 33, § 80:
qui eorum ... quorum? Videlicet qui supra scripti sunt,id. Clu. 54, 148.—
B In partic., it is easy to see, it is very plain, of course, forsooth, in an ironical or sarcastic sense, when the contrary is intended:
tuus videlicet salutaris consulatus, perniciosus meus,Cic. Phil. 2, 6, 15:
homo videlicet timidus et permodestus (Catilina) vocem consulis ferre non potuit,id. Cat. 2, 6, 12:
itaque censuit pecunias eorum publicandas, videlicet timens, ne, etc.,Sall. C. 52, 14.—
II Transf., as a mere complementary or explanatory particle, to wit, namely (class.;
whereas scilicet in this sense is only post-Aug.): caste jubet lex adire ad deos, animo videlicet,Cic. Leg. 2, 10, 24: venisse tempus iis, qui in timore fuissent, conjuratos videlicet dicebat, ulciscendi se, id. Sest. 12, 28; cf. id. Rep. 1, 38, 60:
quale de Homero scribit Ennius, de quo videlicet saepissime vigilans solebat cogitare et loqui,id. ib. 6, 10, 10.