to touch one gently

artĭcŭlus, i, m. dim. [2. artus], a small member connecting various parts of the body, a joint, knot, knuckle.

A.. Lit.:

nodi corporum, qui vocantur articuli,

Plin. 11, 37, 88, § 217:

hominis digiti articulos habent ternos, pollex binos,

id. 11, 43, 99, § 244:

summus caudae articulus,

id. 8, 41, 63, § 153 al.:

crura sine nodis articulisque,

Caes. B. G. 6, 27:

ipso in articulo, quo jungitur capiti cervix,

Liv. 27, 49:

auxerat articulos macies,

i. e. had made more joints, had made the bones visible, Ov. M. 8, 807:

articulorum dolores habere,

i. e. gouty pains, Cic. Att. 1, 5 fin.; cf. Cels. 5, 18: postquam illi justa cheragra Contudit articulos, * Hor. S. 2, 7, 16; cf. Pers. 5, 58:

gladiatorem vehementis impetus excipit adversarii mollis articulus,

Quint. 2, 12, 2.—Hence, molli articulo tractare aliquem, to touch one gently, softly, Quint. 11, 2, 70.—Of plants:

ineunte vere in iis (vitibus), quae relicta sunt, exsistit, tamquam ad articulos sarmentorum, ea quae gemma dicitur,

Cic. Sen. 15, 53; Plin. 16, 24, 36, § 88:

ante quam seges in articulum eat,

Col. 2, 11, 9; so Plin. 18, 17, 45, § 159. —Of mountains, a hill connecting several larger mountains:

montium articuli,

Plin. 37, 13, 77, § 201.—

With an extension of the idea, a limb, member, in gen. (cf. 2. artus), * Lucr. 3, 697.—Hence also for a finger, Prop. 2, 34, 80; so Ov. H. 10, 140; id. P. 2, 3, 18:

quot manus atteruntur, ut unus niteat articulus!

Plin. 2, 63, 63, § 158:

ab eo missus est articulus manūs,

Vulg. Dan. 5, 24:

aspiciebat articulos manūs,

ib. ib. 5, 5: erexit me super articulos manuum mearum, on the fingers or palms of my hands, ib. ib. 10, 10. —

Trop.

Of discourse, a member, part, division: articulus dicitur, cum singula verba intervallis distinguuntur caesā oratione, hoc modo: acrimoniā, voce, vultu adversarios perterruisti, Auct. ad Her. 4, 19: continuatio verborum soluta multo est aptior atque jucundior, si est articulis membrisque (kommasi kai kôlois) distincta, quam si continuata ac producta, Cic. de Or. 3, 48, 186: (genus orationis) fluctuans et dissolutum eo quod sine nervis et articulis fluctuat huc et illuc, Auct. ad Her. 4, 11.—

Hence,

a short clause, Dig. 36, 1, 27;

also,

a single word, ib. 35, 1, 4:

articulus Est praesentis temporis demonstrationem continet,

ib. 34, 2, 35:

hoc articulo Quisque omnes significantur,

ib. 28, 5, 29.—In gram. the pronn. hic and quis, Varr. L. L. 8, § 45 Müll.; the article, Quint. 1, 4, 19.—

Of time.

A point of time, a moment:

commoditatis omnes articulos scio,

Plaut. Men. 1, 2, 31.—With tempus:

qui hunc in summas angustias adductum putaret, ut eum suis conditionibus in ipso articulo temporis astringeret,

at the most critical moment, Cic. Quinct. 5, 19:

in ipsis quos dixi temporum articulis,

Plin. 2, 97, 99, § 216: si de singulis articulis [p. 168] temporum deliberabimus, August. ap. Suet. Claud. 4;

also without tempus: in ipso articulo,

at the fit moment, at the nick of time, Ter. Ad. 2, 2, 21.—With dies:

in articulo diei illius ingressus est,

on that very day, Vulg. Gen. 7, 13.—And with res:

in articulo rerum,

Curt. 3, 5; also in articulo, instantly, immediately, = statim, Cod. Just. 1, 33, 3.—Hence with the idea extended,

A space, division of time:

hi cardines singulis articulis dividuntur,

Plin. 18, 25, 59, § 222:

octo articuli lunae,

id. 18, 35, 79, § 350: articulus austrinus, i. e. in which auster blows, id. 17, 2, 2, § 11.—

Of other abstract things, part, division, point: per eosdem articulos (i.e. per easdem honorum partes) et gradus producere, August. ap. Suet. Claud. 4:

stationes in mediis latitudinum articulis, quae vocant ecliptica,

Plin. 2, 15, 13, § 68; Dig. 1, 3, 12:

ventum est ergo ad ipsum articulum causae, i. e. ventum ad rei cardinem,

the turning-point, Arn. 7, p. 243.

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.