A hook that was fastened to the neck of condemned criminals

uncus, i, m. [Sanscr. root ak, ankami, bend; Gr. ankôn, onkos; cf.: ancus, ungulus], a hook, barb.

In gen., Liv. 30, 10, 16; Col. 3, 18, 2:

ferrei,

Cato, R. R. 10; 13.—As an attribute of Necessitas, Hor. C. 1, 35, 20.— Poet., an anchor, Val. Fl. 2, 428.—

In partic.

A hook that was fastened to the neck of condemned criminals, and by which they were dragged to the Tiber, Cic. Phil. 1, 2, 5; id. rab. Perd. 5, 16; Ov. Ib. 168; Juv. 10, 66; cf.:

et bene cum fixum mento discusseris uncum, Nil erit hoc: rostro te premet ansa suo,

Prop. 4 (5), 1, 141. —

A surgical instrument, Cels. 7, 29.

uncus, a, um, adj. [1. uncus], hooked, bent in, crooked, curved, barbed ( poet. and in post-Aug. prose;

syn.: curvus, recurvus): uncus hamus,

Ov. M. 15, 476;

also called unca aera,

id. P. 2, 7, 10:

cornua (tauri),

Prop. 2, 5, 19:

aratrum,

Verg. G. 1, 19; Ov. M. 5, 341; 7, 210; cf.:

vomer aratri,

Lucr. 1, 313;

also called dens,

Verg. G. 2, 423:

pedes (harpyiae),

id. A. 3, 233:

ungues,

Lucr. 5, 1322:

manus,

Verg. G. 2, 365:

digiti,

Col. 7, 11, 2:

cauda,

Ov. M. 15, 371:

labrum,

Lucr. 4, 588; 5, 1407.—

Transf.:

unco non alligat ancora morsu,

Verg. A. 1, 169:

avis Minervae,

i. e. with crooked beak and talons, Stat. Th. 3, 507; cf.

alites,

id. ib. 12, 212.