ambĭtĭōsus, a, um, adj. [ambitio]. I. (Very rare and mostly poet.) Going round, encompassing;poet., embracing, twining round: lascivis hederis ambitiosior, Hor. C. 1, 36, 20 (cf.: undique ambientibus ramis, Curt. 4, 7, 16).—Of a river, making circuits, having many windings: Jordanes amnis ambitiosus, Plin. 5, 15, 15, 71.— Of oratorical ornament, excessive, superfluous: vir bonus ambitiosa recidet Ornamenta, Hor. A. P. 447.—II.Transf.A.That asks for a thing fawningly; esp., that solicits the favor, good-will, etc., of any one, in a good and bad sense, honor-loving, ambitious, courting favor; vain, vainglorious, conceited, etc.: qui ita sit ambitiosus, ut omnes vos nosque cotidie persalutet, Cic. Fl. 18: homo minime ambitiosus, minime in rogando molestus, id. Fam. 13, 1: ne forte me in Graecos tam ambitiosum factum esse mirere,
desirous of the favor of the Greeks
, id. Q. Fr. 1, 2, 2: pro nostris ut sis ambitiosa malis, Ov P. 3, 1, 84: pro nato caerula mater Ambitiosa suo fuit, i.e.
begs fawningly of Vulcan for weapons for her son
, id. M. 13, 289: malis artibus ambitiosus,
seeking to ingratiate one's self
, Tac. H. 2, 57: salubris magis princeps quam ambitiosus, Suet. Aug. 42 al.—B.Pass., that is willingly solicited or entreated, ambitious; much sought, honored, admired: ambitiosus et qui ambit et qui ambitur, Gell. 9, 12: turba caelestes ambitiosa sumus, Ov. F. 5, 298: sexus muliebris saevus, ambitiosus, potestatis avidus, Tac. A. 3, 33: si locuples hostis est, avari; si pauper, ambitiosi, id. Agr. 30: nota quidem sed non ambitiosa domus,
not sought after
, Ov. Tr. 1, 9, 18 Jahn: ambitiosae pulchritudinis scortum. Just. 30, 2. —C. Of things, vain, ostentatious: amicitiae,