Lewis & Short

confirmātĭo, ōnis, f. [confirmo], a securing, establishing, confirming (in good prose, but only in trop. signif.; most freq. in Cic., Caes., and Quint.).

  1. * I. In gen.: perpetuae libertatis, Cic. Fam. 12, 8, 1.
  2. II. Esp.
    1. A. A confirming, fortifying, quieting of a wavering, fearful mind; encouragement, consolation: animi, Caes. B. C. 1, 21; Cic. Fam. 6, 6, 1: Ciceronis, id. Att. 14, 13, 4: neque enim confirmatione nostrā egebat virtus tua, id. Fam. 6, 3, 1.
    2. B. A confirming, verifying of a fact, assertion, etc.: perfugae, Caes. B. G. 3, 18; Cic. Inv. 1, 30, 48; Quint. 2, 17, 12.
      Hence,
      1. 2. In rhet., an adducing of proofs, Cic. Inv. 1, 24, 34; id. Part. Or. 8, 27; Quint. 4, 3, 1; 4, 4, 1; 4, 2, 79; 5, 14, 6 Spald. al.