the middle finger

dĭgĭtus, i, m. [Gr. daktulos; cf. Germ. Zehe, Eng. toe; from root dek(dechomai), to grasp, receive; cf.

Germ. Finger, from fangen,

Curt. Gr. Etym. 133. Corssen, however, still refers digitus to root dik-, dico, deiknumi, as the pointer, indicator, Ausspr. 1, 380; cf. dico], a finger.

Prop.:

tot (cyathos bibimus), quot digiti sunt tibi in manu,

Plaut. Stich. 5, 4, 24; id. Most. 5, 1, 69; id. Mil. 2, 2, 47; 4, 2, 57 et saep.—The special designations: pollex, the thumb; index or salutaris, the forefinger; medius, also infamis and impudicus, the middle finger; minimo proximus or medicinalis, the ring-finger; minimus, the little finger, v. under those words.—

Special connections:

attingere aliquem digito (uno),

to touch one lightly, gently, Plaut. Pers. 5, 2, 15; Ter. Eun. 4, 6, 2 Ruhnk.; Licinius ap. Gell. 19, 9, 13; Cic. Tusc. 5, 19, 55; cf.

with tangere,

Plaut. Rud. 3, 5, 30; id. Poen. 5, 5, 29:

attingere aliquid extremis digitis (with primoribus labris gustare),

to touch lightly, to enjoy slightly, Cic. Cael. 12:

attingere caelum digito,

to be exceedingly happy, id. Att. 2, 1, 7: colere summis digitis, to adore (to touch the offering or consecrated gift) with the tips of the fingers, Lact. 1, 20; 5, 19 fin.; cf. Ov. F. 2, 573:

computare digitis,

to count on the fingers, to reckon up, Plaut. Mil. 2, 2, 51; Plin. 34, 8, 19, no. 29, § 88; cf.:

numerare per digitos,

Ov. F. 3, 123:

in digitis suis singulas partis causae constituere,

Cic. Div. in Caec. 14, 45.—Hence, venire ad digitos, to be reckoned, Plin. 2, 23, 21, § 87; and:

si tuos digitos novi,

thy skill in reckoning, Cic. Att. 5, 21, 13; cf.

also: digerere argumenta in digitos,

to count on the fingers, Quint. 11, 3, 114: concrepare digitos or digitis, to snap the fingers, as a signal of command, Petr. 27, 5; Plaut. Mil. 2, 2, 53; Cic. Off. 3, 19; v. concrepo; cf.

also: digitus crepans,

Mart. 3, 82, 15:

digitorum crepitus,

id. 14, 119:

digitorum percussio,

Cic. Off. 3, 19, 78:

intendere digitum ad aliquid,

to point the finger at any thing, Cic. de Or. 1, 46 fin.:

liceri digito,

to hold up the finger in bidding at an auction, Cic. Verr. 2, 3, 11;

for which also: tollere digitum,

id. ib. 2, 1, 54. The latter phrase also signifies, to raise the finger in token of submission, said of a combatant, Sid. Ep. 5, 7; cf. Mart. Spect. 29, 5;

and Schol,

Pers. 5, 119:

loqui digitis nutuque,

to talk by signs, Ov. Tr. 2, 453;

different is: postquam fuerant digiti cum voce locuti,

i. e. playing as an accompaniment to singing, Tib. 3, 4, 41; cf.:

ad digiti sonum,

id. 1, 2, 31; cf. also Lucr. 4, 587; 5, 1384:

digito compesce labellum,

hold your tongue, Juv. 1, 160.—For the various modes of employing the fingers in oratorical delivery, cf. Quint. 1, 10, 35; 11, 3, 92 sq.; 103; 120 al.: monstrari digito, i. e. to be pointed out, to become distinguished, famous, Hor. C. 4, 3, 22; Pers. 1, 28;

for which: demonstrari digito,

Tac. Or. 7 fin.; Cic. de Or. 2, 66, 266; id. Rep. 6, 24; Nep. Datam. 11, 5; Suet. Aug. 45.—Prov. phrases:

nescit, quot digitos habeat in manu, of one who knows nothing at all,

Plaut. Pers. 2, 2, 5:

in digitis hodie percoquam quod ceperit,

i. e. he has caught nothing, id. Rud. 4, 1, 11: ne digitum quidem porrigere, not to stretch out a finger, like the Gr. daktulon mê proteinai, ekteinai, for not to give one's self the least trouble, Cic. Fin. 3, 17, 57; cf.:

exserere digitum,

Pers. 5, 119 Scal.;

and in like manner: proferre digitum,

to move a finger, to make any exertion, Cic. Caecin. 25, 71:

scalpere caput digito, of effeminate men fearful of disarranging their hair,

Juv. 9, 133; cf. Sen. Ep. 52 fin.; a habit of Pompey's, acc. to Calvus ap. Schol. Luc. 7, 726, and Sen. Contr. 3, 19; Amm. 17, 11. (Cf. Echtermeyer's Ueber Namen und symbolische Bedeutung der Finger bei den Griechen und Römern, Progr. d. Hall. Pädagogiums, v. 1835.)

Transf.

A toe (cf. Heb., Gr. daktulos, Fr. doigt), Lucr. 3, 527; Verg. A. 5, 426; Petr. 132, 14; Sen. Ep. 111; Quint. 2, 3, 8 et saep.; also of the toes of animals, Varr. R. R. 3, 9, 4; Col. 8, 2, 8; Plin. 10, 42, 59, § 119 al.—

A small bough, a twig, Plin. 14, 1, 3, § 12; 17, 24, 37, § 224.—

As a measure of length, an inch, the sixteenth part of a Roman foot (pes), Front. Aquaed. 24 sq.; Caes. B. G. 7, 73, 6; id. B. C. 2, 10, 4; Juv. 12, 59 al.: digiti primores, finger-ends, as a measure, Cato R. R. 21, 2;

digitus transversus,

a fingerbreadth, id. ib. 45 fin.;

48, 2.—Prov.: digitum transversum non discedere ab aliqua re,

not to swerve a finger's breadth, Cic. Ac. 2, 18, 58; cf.

without transversum: nusquam ab argento digitum discedere,

id. Verr. 2, 4, 15;

and ellipt.: ab honestissima sententia digitum nusquam,

id. Att. 7, 3, 11.

Dĭgĭtus, i, m., a proper name; in plur.: Digiti Idaei = Daktuloi Idaioi, the priests of Cybele, Cic. N. D. 3, 16, 42; cf. Arn. 3, 41 and 43, and v. Dactylus.

dĭgĭtus, i, m. [Gr. daktulos; cf. Germ. Zehe, Eng. toe; from root dek(dechomai), to grasp, receive; cf.

Germ. Finger, from fangen,

Curt. Gr. Etym. 133. Corssen, however, still refers digitus to root dik-, dico, deiknumi, as the pointer, indicator, Ausspr. 1, 380; cf. dico], a finger.

Prop.:

tot (cyathos bibimus), quot digiti sunt tibi in manu,

Plaut. Stich. 5, 4, 24; id. Most. 5, 1, 69; id. Mil. 2, 2, 47; 4, 2, 57 et saep.—The special designations: pollex, the thumb; index or salutaris, the forefinger; medius, also infamis and impudicus, the middle finger; minimo proximus or medicinalis, the ring-finger; minimus, the little finger, v. under those words.—

Special connections:

attingere aliquem digito (uno),

to touch one lightly, gently, Plaut. Pers. 5, 2, 15; Ter. Eun. 4, 6, 2 Ruhnk.; Licinius ap. Gell. 19, 9, 13; Cic. Tusc. 5, 19, 55; cf.

with tangere,

Plaut. Rud. 3, 5, 30; id. Poen. 5, 5, 29:

attingere aliquid extremis digitis (with primoribus labris gustare),

to touch lightly, to enjoy slightly, Cic. Cael. 12:

attingere caelum digito,

to be exceedingly happy, id. Att. 2, 1, 7: colere summis digitis, to adore (to touch the offering or consecrated gift) with the tips of the fingers, Lact. 1, 20; 5, 19 fin.; cf. Ov. F. 2, 573:

computare digitis,

to count on the fingers, to reckon up, Plaut. Mil. 2, 2, 51; Plin. 34, 8, 19, no. 29, § 88; cf.:

numerare per digitos,

Ov. F. 3, 123:

in digitis suis singulas partis causae constituere,

Cic. Div. in Caec. 14, 45.—Hence, venire ad digitos, to be reckoned, Plin. 2, 23, 21, § 87; and:

si tuos digitos novi,

thy skill in reckoning, Cic. Att. 5, 21, 13; cf.

also: digerere argumenta in digitos,

to count on the fingers, Quint. 11, 3, 114: concrepare digitos or digitis, to snap the fingers, as a signal of command, Petr. 27, 5; Plaut. Mil. 2, 2, 53; Cic. Off. 3, 19; v. concrepo; cf.

also: digitus crepans,

Mart. 3, 82, 15:

digitorum crepitus,

id. 14, 119:

digitorum percussio,

Cic. Off. 3, 19, 78:

intendere digitum ad aliquid,

to point the finger at any thing, Cic. de Or. 1, 46 fin.:

liceri digito,

to hold up the finger in bidding at an auction, Cic. Verr. 2, 3, 11;

for which also: tollere digitum,

id. ib. 2, 1, 54. The latter phrase also signifies, to raise the finger in token of submission, said of a combatant, Sid. Ep. 5, 7; cf. Mart. Spect. 29, 5;

and Schol,

Pers. 5, 119:

loqui digitis nutuque,

to talk by signs, Ov. Tr. 2, 453;

different is: postquam fuerant digiti cum voce locuti,

i. e. playing as an accompaniment to singing, Tib. 3, 4, 41; cf.:

ad digiti sonum,

id. 1, 2, 31; cf. also Lucr. 4, 587; 5, 1384:

digito compesce labellum,

hold your tongue, Juv. 1, 160.—For the various modes of employing the fingers in oratorical delivery, cf. Quint. 1, 10, 35; 11, 3, 92 sq.; 103; 120 al.: monstrari digito, i. e. to be pointed out, to become distinguished, famous, Hor. C. 4, 3, 22; Pers. 1, 28;

for which: demonstrari digito,

Tac. Or. 7 fin.; Cic. de Or. 2, 66, 266; id. Rep. 6, 24; Nep. Datam. 11, 5; Suet. Aug. 45.—Prov. phrases:

nescit, quot digitos habeat in manu, of one who knows nothing at all,

Plaut. Pers. 2, 2, 5:

in digitis hodie percoquam quod ceperit,

i. e. he has caught nothing, id. Rud. 4, 1, 11: ne digitum quidem porrigere, not to stretch out a finger, like the Gr. daktulon mê proteinai, ekteinai, for not to give one's self the least trouble, Cic. Fin. 3, 17, 57; cf.:

exserere digitum,

Pers. 5, 119 Scal.;

and in like manner: proferre digitum,

to move a finger, to make any exertion, Cic. Caecin. 25, 71:

scalpere caput digito, of effeminate men fearful of disarranging their hair,

Juv. 9, 133; cf. Sen. Ep. 52 fin.; a habit of Pompey's, acc. to Calvus ap. Schol. Luc. 7, 726, and Sen. Contr. 3, 19; Amm. 17, 11. (Cf. Echtermeyer's Ueber Namen und symbolische Bedeutung der Finger bei den Griechen und Römern, Progr. d. Hall. Pädagogiums, v. 1835.)

Transf.

A toe (cf. Heb., Gr. daktulos, Fr. doigt), Lucr. 3, 527; Verg. A. 5, 426; Petr. 132, 14; Sen. Ep. 111; Quint. 2, 3, 8 et saep.; also of the toes of animals, Varr. R. R. 3, 9, 4; Col. 8, 2, 8; Plin. 10, 42, 59, § 119 al.—

A small bough, a twig, Plin. 14, 1, 3, § 12; 17, 24, 37, § 224.—

As a measure of length, an inch, the sixteenth part of a Roman foot (pes), Front. Aquaed. 24 sq.; Caes. B. G. 7, 73, 6; id. B. C. 2, 10, 4; Juv. 12, 59 al.: digiti primores, finger-ends, as a measure, Cato R. R. 21, 2;

digitus transversus,

a fingerbreadth, id. ib. 45 fin.;

48, 2.—Prov.: digitum transversum non discedere ab aliqua re,

not to swerve a finger's breadth, Cic. Ac. 2, 18, 58; cf.

without transversum: nusquam ab argento digitum discedere,

id. Verr. 2, 4, 15;

and ellipt.: ab honestissima sententia digitum nusquam,

id. Att. 7, 3, 11.

Dĭgĭtus, i, m., a proper name; in plur.: Digiti Idaei = Daktuloi Idaioi, the priests of Cybele, Cic. N. D. 3, 16, 42; cf. Arn. 3, 41 and 43, and v. Dactylus.

mĕdĭus, a, um, adj. [Sanscr. madhya, the same; Gr. mesos; Angl. - Sax. midd; Germ. Mitte; cf. dimidius, meridies (medi-), etc.], that is in the middle or midst, mid, middle (class.).

Adj.

Lit.:

terra complexa medium mundi locum,

Cic. Rep. 6, 18, 18; cf. id. ib. 6, 17, 17:

medium mundi locum petere,

id. Tusc. 5, 24, 69:

versus aeque prima, et media, et extrema pars attenditur,

id. de Or. 3, 50, 192:

ultimum, proximum, medium tempus,

id. Prov. Cons. 18, 43:

in foro medio,

in the midst of the forum, Plaut. Curc. 4, 1, 14; Cic. Q. Fr. 2, 3, 6; cf.:

medio foro,

in the open forum, Suet. Claud. 18 al.:

in solio medius consedit,

sat in the middle, Ov. F. 3, 359; Verg. A. 7, 169:

considit scopulo medius,

id. G. 4, 436:

concilio medius sedebat,

Ov. M. 10, 144:

ignes,

Verg. A. 12, 201:

medio tempore,

in the meantime, meanwhile, Suet. Caes. 76: vinum novum, vetus, medium, i. e. neither old nor new, Varr. ap. Gell. 13, 31, 14:

cum plenus fluctu medius foret alveus,

full to the middle, Juv. 12, 30.—With dat.:

Peloponnesii Megaram, mediam Corintho Athenisque urbem, condidere,

midway between Corinth and Athens, Vell. 1, 2, 4.—With abl.:

si medius Polluce et Castore ponar,

between, Ov. Am. 2, 16, 13.—With inter:

cum inter bellum et pacem medium nihil sit,

there is no medium, no middle course between, Cic. Phil. 8, 1, 4:

inter quos numeros duo medii inveniuntur (sc. numeri),

Mart. Cap. 7, § 737.—With gen.:

locus medius regionum earum,

half-way between, Caes. B. G. 4, 19:

locus medius juguli summique lacerti,

between, Ov. M. 6, 409; 5, 564:

et medius juvenum ibat,

id. F. 5, 67:

medius silentūm,

Stat. Th. 4, 683.—With ex:

medius ex tribus,

Sall. J. 11, 3:

medium arripere aliquem,

to seize one by the middle, around the body, Ter. Ad. 3, 2, 18:

juvenem medium complectitur,

Liv. 23, 9, 9:

Alcides medium tenuit,

held him fast by the middle, Luc. 4, 652:

medium ostendere unguem,

to point with the middle finger, Juv. 10, 53.—

Transf., half (ante- and postclass.):

hieme demunt cibum medium,

half their food, Varr. R. R. 3, 7, 9:

scrupulum croci,

Pall. Jan. 18: aurum... Italicis totum, medium provincialibus reddidit, Capitol. Anton. Pius, 4 fin. —

Trop., of the middle, not very great or small, middling, medial, moderate.

Of age:

aetatis mediae vir,

of middle age, Phaedr. 2, 2, 3.—

Of plans, purposes, etc.:

nihil medium, nec spem nec curam, sed immensa omnia volventes animo,

Liv. 2, 49, 5:

medium quiddam tenere,

Plin. Ep. 4, 9, 9.—

Of intellect:

eloquentiā medius,

middling, tolerable, Vell. 2, 29, 2:

ingenium,

moderate, Tac. H. 1, 49.—

Undetermined, undecided:

medios esse,

i. e. neutral, Cic. Att. 10, 8, 4:

medium se gerere,

Liv. 2, 27:

se dubium mediumque partibus praestitit,

Vell. 2, 21, 1; cf.:

responsum,

indefinite, ambiguous, Liv. 39, 39: vocabula, that can be taken in a good or bad sense, ambiguous, Gell. 12, 9, 1. —

Indifferent, not imperative: officium, a duty which is not distinctly enjoined by the moral law, but is sustained by preponderant reasoning:

medium officium id esse dicunt (Graeci) quod cur factum sit, ratio probabilis reddi possit,

Cic. Off. 1, 3, 8; cf.:

ex quo intellegitur, officium medium quiddam esse, quod neque in bonis ponatur neque in contrariis,

id. Fin. 3, 17, 58; cf.

sqq. and Madv. ad loc.: artes,

which in themselves are neither good nor bad, indifferent, Quint. 2, 20, 1.—

Intermediate:

medium erat in Anco ingenium, et Numae et Romuli memor,

of a middle kind, resembling each in some degree, Liv. 1, 32, 4:

nihil habet ista res (actoris) medium, sed aut lacrimas meretur aut risum,

Quint. 6, 1, 45:

ille jam paene medius adfectus est ex amoribus et desideriis amicorum,

Quint. 6, 2, 17.—Hence, as subst.: mĕdĭus, i, m., one who stands or comes between, a mediator:

medium sese offert,

as a mediator, Verg. A. 7, 536:

pacator mediusque Syphax,

Sil. 16, 222:

pacis eras mediusque belli,

arbiter, Hor. C. 2, 19, 28; cf.:

nunc mediis subeant irrita verba deis,

oaths in which the gods were called upon to be mediators, Ov. R. Am. 678.—

Central, with ex or in:

ex factione media consul,

fully committed to it, Sall. H. 3, 61, 8;

so (nearly = intimus), viros fortīs et magnanimos eosdem bonos et simplicīs... esse volumus: quae sunt ex media laude justititiae,

these qualities are clearly among those which make uprightness praiseworthy, Cic. Off. 1, 19, 63:

partitiones oratoriae, quae e media illa nostra Academia effloruerunt,

id. Part. Or. 40, 139:

ingressio e media philosophia repetita est,

id. Or. 3, 11; id. Leg. 2, 21, 53:

in medio maerore et dolore,

id. Tusc. 4, 29, 63; id. Q. Fr. 2, 15, 1:

in media dimicatione,

the hottest of the fight, Suet. Aug. 10; cf.:

in medio ardore certaminis,

Curt. 8, 4, 27:

in media solitudine,

the most profound, Sen. Brev. Vit. 12, 2:

in mediis divitiis,

in abundant wealth, id. Vit. Beat. 26, 1:

in medio robore virium,

Liv. 28, 35, 6:

in medio ardore belli,

id. 24, 45, 4:

in media reipublicae luce,

the full blaze of public life, Quint. 1, 2, 18:

media inter pocula,

Juv. 8, 217.—Hence,

Subst.: mĕdĭum, ii, n., the middle, midst.

Lit.

Of space (very rare in Cic.):

in medio aedium sedens,

Liv. 1, 57, 9:

maris,

id. 31, 45, 11; for which, without in, medio aedium eburneis sellis sedere, id. 5, 41, 2:

medio viae ponere,

id. 37, 13, 10:

in agmine in primis modo, modo in postremis, saepe in medio adesse,

Sall. J. 45, 2; for which, without in, medio sextam legionem constituit, Tac. A. 13, 38:

medio montium porrigitur planities,

id. ib. 1, 64:

medio stans hostia ad aras,

Verg. G. 3, 486:

medio tutissimus ibis,

Ov. M. 2, 137:

in medium geminos immani pondere caestus Projecit,

Verg. A. 5, 401:

in medium sarcinas coniciunt,

Liv. 10, 36, 1; 13:

equitatus consulem in medium acceptum, armis protegens, in castra reduxit,

id. 21, 46, 9.— Trop.:

tamquam arbiter honorarius medium ferire voluisse,

to cut through the middle, Cic. Fat. 17, 39:

intacta invidiā media sunt, ad summa ferme tendit,

Liv. 45, 35.—

Of time:

diei,

Liv. 27, 48:

medio temporis,

in the meantime, meanwhile, Tac. A. 13, 28; cf.:

nec longum in medio tempus, cum,

the interval, Verg. A. 9, 395; Ov. M. 4, 167; Plin. Ep. 7, 27, 13.—

Transf.

The midst of all, the presence of all, the public, the community (class.):

in medio omnibus palma est posita, qui artem tractant musicam,

lies open to all, Ter. Phorm. prol. 16:

tabulae sunt in medio,

Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 42, § 104:

rem totam in medio ponere,

publicly, id. ib. 2, 1, 11, §

29: ponam in medio sententias philosophorum,

id. N. D. 1, 6, 13:

dicendi ratio in medio posita,

lies open to all, id. de Or. 1, 3, 12:

rem in medium proferre,

to publish, make known, id. Fam. 15, 27, 6: vocare in medium, before the public, before a public tribunal:

rem in medium vocare coeperunt,

id. Clu. 28, 77:

in medio relinquere,

to leave it to the public, leave it undecided, id. Cael. 20, 48; Sall. C. 19, 16: pellere e medio, to expel, reject, Enn. ap. Cic. Mur. 14, 30 (Ann. v. 272 Vahl.); Cic. Off. 3, 8, 37:

cum jacentia verba sustulimus e medio,

adopt words from the people, common words, id. de Or. 3, 45, 177; cf.: munda sed e medio consuetaque verba puellae Scribite, Ov. A. A. 3, 479: tollere de medio, to do away with, abolish:

litteras,

Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 71, § 176: tollere de medio, to put out of the way, cut off, destroy:

hominem,

id. Rosc. Am. 7, 20:

de medio removere,

to put out of sight, id. ib. 8, 23: e medio excedere or abire, to leave the world, to die:

e medio excessit,

she is dead, Ter. Phorm. 5, 7, 74:

ea mortem obiit, e medio abiit,

id. ib. 5, 8, 30:

tollite lumen e medio,

Juv. 9, 106: recedere de medio, to go away, retire, withdraw:

cur te mihi offers? recede de medio,

Cic. Rosc. Am. 38, 112:

in medio esse,

to be present, Ter. Ad. 3, 5, 32:

in medium venire or procedere,

to appear, come forward, show one's self in public, Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 71, § 175: in medium, before the public, for the public, for the community:

communes utilitates in medium afferre,

id. Off. 1, 7, 22:

consulere in medium,

to care for the public good, for the good of all, Verg. A. 11, 335;

so opp. separantem suas res a publicis,

Liv. 24, 22, 14 sq.; 26, 12, 7:

quaerere,

to make acquisitions for the use of all, Verg. G. 1, 127: cedere, to fall or devolve to the community, Tac. H. 4, 64:

conferre laudem,

i. e. so that all may have a share of it, Liv. 6, 6:

dare,

to communicate for the use of all, Ov. M. 15, 66:

in medium conferre, in gaming,

to put down, put in the pool, Suet. Aug. 71: in medio, for sub dio, in the open air:

scorpios fugari posse, si aliqui ex eis urantur in medio,

Pall. 1, 35, 12.—

A half (ante-class. and post-Aug.):

scillae medium conterunt cum aqua,

Varr. R. R. 2, 7:

scrobem ad medium completo,

Col. Arb. 4, 5.—Hence,

Adv.: mĕdĭē, in the middle, in a middling degree, moderately, tolerably (except once in Tac. only post-class.):

qui noluerant medie,

kept quiet, remained neutral, Tac. H. 1, 19:

nec plane optimi, nec oppido deterrimi sunt, sed quasi medie morati,

App. Dogm. Plat. 2, p. 22, 23; Eutr. 7, 13; Lact. 6, 15 fin.:

ortus medie humilis,

Aur. Vict. Caes. 20.—

Indefinitely, Ambros. in Luc. 8, 17, 34.

* * *

unguis, is (abl. ungui, Cat. 62, 43; Hor. Ep. 1, 19, 46; id. C. 2, 8, 4; Prop. 1, 20, 39; cf. Charis. p. 120), m. [cf. Gr. ONUCh-, onux; Sanscr. nakha], a nail of a person's finger or toe.

Lit., Plin. 11, 45, 101, § 247; 10, 35, 52, § 106; 28, 2, 5, § 28; Hor. Ep. 1, 7, 51; 1, 19, 46; id. S. 1, 3, 101; Prop. 1, 20, 39; Ov. Am. 1, 7, 64; 2, 6, 4; id. A. A. 3, 708.—

Of animals. a claw, talon, hoof, Plin. 11, 45, 101, § 247; Hor. C. 2, 19, 24; Ov. M. 4, 717; 10, 540; Col. 6, 12; Mart. 14, 199 al.—

Proverbial phrases.

Ab imis unguibus usque ad verticem summum, from top to toe, from the crown of his head to the sole of his foot, Cic. Rosc. Com. 7, 20.—

A rectā conscientiā transversum unguem non discedere, not to depart a finger's breadth in the least, Cic. Att. 13, 20, 4; cf.

ellipt.: urge igitur, nec transversum unguem, quod aiunt, a stilo,

id. Fam. 7, 25, 2:

si tu ex isto loco digitum transvorsum aut unguem latum excesseris,

Plaut. Aul. 1, 1, 17 sq.; Hier. Ep. 127, 8 (v. transversus and digitus).—

Cum medium ostenderet unguem, i. e. showed utter derision, the greatest contempt (because the middle finger was regarded as indecent), Juv. 10, 53.—

Incestos amores De tenero meditatur ungui, i. e. from childhood, ex hapalôn onuchôn, Hor. C. 3, 6, 24 (for which:

a teneris unguiculis,

Cic. Fam. 1, 6, 2).—

Ad or in unguem, after the Gr. eis onucha or ep onuchos, to a hair, to a nicety, exactly, perfectly (an expression borrowed from sculptors, who, in modelling, give the finishing touch with the nail;

or joiners, who test the accuracy of joints in wood by the nail: materiem dolare ad unguem,

Col. 11, 2, 13:

ad unguem Factus homo,

highly polished, perfectly accomplished, Hor. S. 1, 5, 32; cf.:

carmen decies castigare ad unguem,

id. A. P. 294 Jan. ad loc.: suturae capitis [p. 1932] in unguem committuntur, Cels. 8, 1, § 12; Verg. G. 2, 277 Serv.; Vitr. 4, 6, 2; cf.

also: carmina molli numero fluere, ut per leve severos effundat junctura unguis,

Pers. 1, 65.—

Homo, cujus pluris erat unguis, quam tu totus es, a man whose little finger was worth more than your whole body, Petr. 57 fin. —

Rodere ungues, to bite the nails, i. e. to be buried in thought, etc.:

ille in versu faciendo Saepe caput scaberet vivos et roderet ungues,

Hor. S. 1, 10, 71; cf.: ungue meam morso saepe querere fidem. Prop. 3 (4), 25, 4:

et saepe inmeritos corrumpas dentibus ungues,

id. 2, 4, 3 (13).—

Transf.

Of plants, a nail-like spot, the tip, extremity, Plin. 12, 9, 19, § 36; 21, 18, 73, § 121; Col. 4, 24, 7; Pall. Febr. 12, 5.—

A kind of shell-fish, perh. the razor-fish, Varr. L. L. 5, 12, 23.—

A hook:

ferrei,

Col. 12, 18, 2. —

A white skin on the eye, a web, haw, pterugion, Cels. 7, 7, 4.

* * *

cŭbĭtum, i, n. ( cŭbĭtus, i, m., Cels. 8, 1; 8, 16; Non. p. 201, 16) [id.], the elbow (serving for leaning upon).

Prop., Cels. 1. 1.; Plin. 11, 45, 102, § 249; Plaut. Stich. 2, 1, 13; Verg. A. 4, 690; Ov. M. 7, 343; Hor. C. 1, 27, 8; id. S. 2, 4, 39; Quint. 11, 3, 93 al.—

Meton.

The bending, curvature of a shore:

orae,

Plin. 3, 13, 18, § 111. —

As a measure of length, the distance from the elbow to the end of the middle finger, an ell, a cubit, Lucil. ap. Non. p. 201, 18; Plaut. Poen. 4, 2, 15; Cic. Leg. 2, 26, 66; id. Att. 13, 12, 3; Plin. 7, 2, 2, § 22; Suet. Aug. 43 al.—Prov.:

assiduo cursu cubitum nullum procedere,

Cic. Att. 13, 12, 3; cf.:

cursitare ac ne cubiti quidem mensuram progredi,

Suet. Tib. 38.—Hence, Ital. cubito; Fr. coude.

impŭdīcus ( inp-), a, um, adj. [2. inpudicus].

Shameless, impudent ( = impudens;

very rare): o facinus impudicum!

Plaut. Rud. 2, 3, 62; cf.

1, 2, 27: crura defringentur, ni istum inpudicum percies,

id. As. 2, 4, 69.—

Unchaste, immodest, lewd (the predom. signif. of the word): Pa. Quod id est facinus? Sc. Inpudicum, Plaut. Mil. 2, 3, 11:

quam tu inpudicam esse arbitrere,

id. Am. 3, 2, 24:

me inpudicam facere,

i. e. to rob of chastity, id. ib. 2, 2, 202:

omnes adulteri, omnes impuri impudicique,

Cic. Cat. 2, 10, 23:

intolerabile est servire impuro, impudico, effeminato,

id. Phil. 3, 5, 12:

et consul et impudicissimus,

id. ib. 2, 28, 70:

mulieres,

id. Cat. 2, 5, 10; cf.:

osculando impudicior,

Plaut. Curc. 1, 1, 51.—

Transf.:

digitus,

i. e. the middle finger, Mart. 6, 70, 5:

si fur veneris, impudicus ibis,

violated, Auct. Priap. 60:

odor impudicus urcei,

disgusting, filthy, Mart. 12, 32, 16. — Adv.: impŭdīcē, unchastely, Tert. Idol. 2:

impudicissime et obscenissime vixit,

Eutr. 8, 22.

impŭdīcus ( inp-), a, um, adj. [2. inpudicus].

Shameless, impudent ( = impudens;

very rare): o facinus impudicum!

Plaut. Rud. 2, 3, 62; cf.

1, 2, 27: crura defringentur, ni istum inpudicum percies,

id. As. 2, 4, 69.—

Unchaste, immodest, lewd (the predom. signif. of the word): Pa. Quod id est facinus? Sc. Inpudicum, Plaut. Mil. 2, 3, 11:

quam tu inpudicam esse arbitrere,

id. Am. 3, 2, 24:

me inpudicam facere,

i. e. to rob of chastity, id. ib. 2, 2, 202:

omnes adulteri, omnes impuri impudicique,

Cic. Cat. 2, 10, 23:

intolerabile est servire impuro, impudico, effeminato,

id. Phil. 3, 5, 12:

et consul et impudicissimus,

id. ib. 2, 28, 70:

mulieres,

id. Cat. 2, 5, 10; cf.:

osculando impudicior,

Plaut. Curc. 1, 1, 51.—

Transf.:

digitus,

i. e. the middle finger, Mart. 6, 70, 5:

si fur veneris, impudicus ibis,

violated, Auct. Priap. 60:

odor impudicus urcei,

disgusting, filthy, Mart. 12, 32, 16. — Adv.: impŭdīcē, unchastely, Tert. Idol. 2:

impudicissime et obscenissime vixit,

Eutr. 8, 22.

părămĕsē, ēs, f., = paramesê, the string next to the middle; hence, the next to the middle note, B b in the treble, Vitr. 5, 4. —

Transf., the ring-finger; v. hypate.