respecto, āre, v. freq. n. and a. [id.], to look back, look round or behind repeatedly or intently, to look or gaze about; to look at any thing (class.).
- I. Lit.
- (α) Neutr. absol.: quid respectas? nihil pericli est, Ter. Ad. 2, 1, 3: ubi respectantes hostium antesignanos vidit, Liv. 8, 39; Quint. 12, 3, 2; Verg. A. 11, 630: respectans abit, Sil. 12, 729; Stat. Th. 3, 377: ad tribunal, Liv. 3, 48: respecto identidem, ne senex, etc., Plaut. Cas. 5, 2, 13; so, identidem, ne, id. Men. 1, 2, 51.
Poet.: leti janua patet immani et vasto respectat hiatu, Lucr. 5, 375.
- (β) Act.: dictatore arcem Romanam respectante, Liv. 4, 18, 6: funera respectans, Lucr. 6, 1234: sine fine Caesarem, Vell. 2, 107, 2: alium (alius), Tac. Agr. 37 fin.: suos, Sil. 11, 594.
- II. Trop., to cast a look behind, to wait; to wait for, look for, expect; to care for, regard, respect.
- (α) Neutr.: verum haec ita praetereamus, ut tamen intuentes et respectantes relinquamus, Cic. Sest. 5, 13: animus non me deserens, sed respectans in ea loca discessit, id. Sen. 23, 84: taciti respectabant somnoque sepulti, Dum, etc., i. e. waited, Lucr. 5, 974.
- (β) Act.: si qua pios respectant numina, regard, Verg. A. 1, 603: neque hoc liberis nostris interdicendum est, ne observent tribules suos … ne par ab iis munus in suā petitione respectent, look for, expect, Cic. Planc. 18, 45: meum amorem, Cat. 11, 21.