A tongue-shaped member of the cuttle-fish

lĭgŭla and lingŭla (v. infra), ae, f. dim. [from lingua:

quamvis me ligulam dicant Equitesque Patresque, Dicor ab indoctis lingula grammaticis,

Mart. 14, 120 ], a little tongue; hence, transf.

A tongue of land:

oppida posita in extremis lingulis promontoriisque,

Caes. B. G. 3, 12.—

The tongue of a shoe, a shoe-strap, shoe-latchet: lingula per diminutionem linguae dicta; alias a similitudine linguae exsertae, ut in calceis, alias insertae, id est intra dentes coërcitae, ut in tibiis, Paul. ex Fest. p. 116 Müll.:

habet Trebius, propter quod rumpere somnum debeat et ligulas dimittere,

Juv. 5, 20; Mart. 2, 29, 7.—As a term of reproach:

ligula, i in malam crucem,

Plaut. Poen. 5, 5, 30.—

A spoon or ladle for skimming a pot, a skimmer:

isque (musteus fructus) saepius ligula purgandus est,

Col. 9, 5 fin. —For taking out and dropping aromatic essences:

inde lingulis eligunt florem,

Plin. 21, 14, 49, § 84.—For preserves, Cato, R. R. 84.—

As a measure, a spoonful:

duarum aut trium lingularum mensura,

Plin. 20, 5, 18, § 36.—

A small sword, Naev. ap. Gell. 10, 25, 3; ct. Varr. L. L. 7, § 107 Müll.—

The tongue or reed of a flute, Plin. 16, 36, 66, § 171; cf. under II. the passage cited from Paul. ex Fest. p. 116 Müll.—

The pointed end of a post or stake, which was inserted into something, a tongue, tenon:

lingulae edolatae,

Col. 8, 11, 4.—

The short arm of a lever, which is placed under the weight to be raised:

si sub onus vectis lingula subjecta fuerit,

Vitr. 10, 8.—

The tongueshaped extremity of a water-pipe, by which it is fitted into another, Vitr. 8, 7.—

The tongue of a scale-beam: examen est ligula et lignum, quod mediam hastam ad pondera adaequanda tenet, Schol. ad Pers. 1, 6.—

A tongue-shaped member of the cuttle-fish:

loliginum ligulas,

App. Mag. p. 297, 5.