I.masc., Cato ap. Gell. 15, 9, 5; and ap. Fest. s. v. recto, p. 286, b, Müll.; Plaut. Mil. 2, 2, 46 Ritschl, N. cr.; id. ap. Non. 205, 4; Caecil. ap. Gell. 15, 9, 3; Vitr. 10, 17) [cf. Sanscr. brhū; Gr. ὀφρύς; Germ. Braue; Engl. brow; v. Georg Curtius Gr. Etym. p. 296], the forehead, brow, front (syn.: vultus, os, facies).
I. Lit.: “frons et aliis (animalibus), sed homini tantum tristitiae, hilaritatis, clementiae, severitatis index: in adsensu ejus supercilia homini et pariter et alterna mobilia,” Plin. 11, 37, 51, § 138: “tanta erat gravitas in oculo, tanta contractio frontis, ut illo supercilio res publica, tamquam Atlante caelum, niti videretur,” Cic. Sest. 8, 19: frontem contrahere, to contract or knit the brows, id. Clu. 26, 72; Hor. S. 2, 2, 125; “for which, adducere,” Sen. Ben. 1, 1: “attrahere,” id. ib. 6, 7: remittere frontem, to smooth the brow, i. e. to cheer up, Plin. Ep. 2, 5, 5; “for which: exporge frontem,” Ter. Ad. 5, 3, 53; cf.: “primum ego te porrectiore fronte volo mecum loqui,” Plaut. Cas. 2, 4, 3: “explicare,” Hor. C. 3, 29, 16; “solvere,” Mart. 14, 183: ut frontem ferias, smitest thy forehead (as a sign of vexation), Cic. Att. 1, 1, 1; cf.: “nulla perturbatio animi, nulla corporis, frons non percussa, non femur,” id. Brut. 80, 278: “femur, pectus, frontem caedere,” Quint. 2, 12, 10: “frontem sudario tergere,” id. 6, 3, 60; “for which: siccare frontem sudario,” id. 11, 3, 148: “capillos a fronte retroagere,” id. ib. 160: “mediam ferro gemina inter tempora frontem Dividit,” Verg. A. 9, 750: “quorundam capita per medium frontis et verticis mucrone distincta, in utrumque humerum pendebant,” Amm. 31, 7, 14: “insignem tenui fronte Lycorida (a small forehead was regarded as a beauty by the ancients),” Hor. C. 1, 33, 5; cf. id. Ep. 1, 7, 26; Petr. 126; Mart. 4, 42, 9; Arn. 2, 72.—Of the forehead of animals: “est bos cervi figura: cujus a media fronte, etc.,” Caes. B. G. 6, 26, 1: “tauri torva fronte,” Plin. 8, 45, 70, § 181: “equi,” Ov. Tr. 5, 9, 30: “ovis,” id. F. 4, 102: “cui (haedo) frons turgida cornibus Primis,” Hor. C. 3, 13, 4: “(vitulus) Fronte curvatos imitatus ignes lunae,” id. ib. 4, 2, 57.—In plur., Lucr. 5, 1034. —
2. The brow as a mirror of the feelings: “non solum ex oratione, sed etiam ex vultu et oculis et fronte, ut aiunt, meum erga te amorem perspicere potuisses,” Cic. Att. 14, 13, B, 1; cf. Q. Cic. Petit. Cons. 11, 44; and: “homines fronte et oratione magis, quam ipso beneficio reque capiuntur,” expression of countenance, id. ib. 12, 46: “si verum tum, cum verissima fronte, dixerunt, nunc mentiuntur,” Cic. Rab. Post. 12, 35: “haec ipsa fero equidem fronte et vultu bellissime, sed angor intimis sensibus,” id. Att. 5, 10, 3: frons, oculi, vultus persaepe mentiuntur; “oratio vero saepissime,” id. Q. F. 1, 1, 5, § 15; cf.: “oculi, supercilia, frons, vultus denique totus, qui sermo quidam tacitus mentis est, hic in fraudem homines impulit,” id. Pis. 1, 1; id. Fam. 1, 9, 17: “fronte occultare sententiam,” id. Lael. 18, 65: “tranquilla et serena,” id. Tusc. 3, 15, 31; cf.: “reliquiae pristinae frontis,” id. Fam. 9, 10, 2: “laeta,” Verg. A. 6, 862: “sollicita,” Hor. C. 3, 29, 16: “tristis,” Tib. 2, 3, 33: “gravis,” Plin. Pan. 41, 3: “humana, lenis, placida,” Sen. Ben. 2, 13: “inverecunda,” Quint. 2, 4, 16: “proterva,” Hor. C. 2, 5, 16: “urbana (i. e. impudens),” id. Ep. 1, 9, 11: “impudens, proterva, Aug. Op. imperf. c. Jul. 6, 21: impudentissima,” id. ib. 26; cf.: “impudentia frontis,” Hier. adv. Rufin. 1, 7: “fronte inverecunda nummos captare,” Val. Max. 8, 2, 2.—In plur.: “si populo grata est tabella, quae frontes aperit hominum, mentes tegat,” Cic. Planc. 6, 16.—
3. Prov.: “frons occipitio prior est,” i. e. better work before the master's face than behind his back, Cato, R. R. 4; Plin. 18, 5, 6, § 31.—
B. Transf
1. The forepart of any thing, the front, façade, van (opp. tergum and latus): “copias ante frontem castrorum struit,” Caes. B. C. 3, 37, 1: “aedium,” Vitr. 3, 2: “parietum,” id. 2, 8: “januae,” Ov. F. 1, 135: “scena,” Verg. G. 3, 24: “(navium),” id. A. 5, 158: “pontis,” Hirt. B. G. 8, 9, 4: “collis ex utraque parte lateris dejectus habebat, et in frontem leniter fastigatus, etc.,” Caes. B. G. 2, 8; 7, 23: intervallum justum arborum quadrageni pedes in terga frontemque, in latera viceni, Plin. 17, 23, 35, § 202; cf. Quint. 1, 10, 43: “octo cohortes in fronte constituit,” Sall. C. 59, 2: “quatuor legionum aquilae per frontem,” Tac. H. 2, 89: “una fronte contra hostem castra muniunt,” only in front, Caes. B. C. 1, 80, 2 Herz.: “aequa fronte ad pugnam procedebat,” Liv. 36, 44, 1: “nec tamen aequari frontes poterant, cum extenuando infirmam mediam aciem haberent,” id. 5, 38, 2: “recta fronte concurrere hosti (opp. in dextrum cornu),” Curt. 4, 13 med.; cf.: “directa fronte pugnandum est,” Quint. 5, 13, 11: “veritus ne simul in frontem simul et latera suorum pugnaretur,” Tac. Agr. 35: “transisse aestuaria pulchrum ac decorum in frontem (i. e. fronti),” for the front, the van, id. ib. 33: dextra fronte prima legio incessit, on the right front, i. e. on the right wing, id. H. 2, 24 fin.: “laeva,” Claud. in Ruf. 2, 174; cf.: “frons laevi cornu haec erat,” Curt. 4, 13 fin.—Poet. transf., of clouds: “ut non tam concurrere nubes Frontibus adversis possint quam de latere ire,” Lucr. 6, 117; “of a precipice: Fronte sub adversa scopulis pendentibus antrum,” Verg. A. 1, 166.—Esp. freq.: a fronte, in front, before (opp. a tergo and a latere): “a tergo, a fronte, a lateribus tenebitur, si in Galliam venerit,” Cic. Phil. 3, 13, 32: “a fronte atque ab utroque latere cratibus ac pluteis protegebat,” Caes. B. C. 1, 25 fin.: “totis fere a fronte et ab sinistra parte nudatis castris,” id. B. G. 2, 23, 4. —
2. The outer end of a book-roll or volume, Tib. 3, 1, 13; Ov. Tr. 1, 1, 11.—
3. The circumference of a wheel, Vitr. 10, 4.—
4. In measuring land = latitudo, the breadth: “mille pedes in fronte, trecentos cippus in agrum Hic dabat,” Hor. S. 1, 8, 12; Inscr. Orell. 4558; 4560.—
II. Trop.
A. The outside, exterior, external quality, appearance (cf. species and facies; “mostly post-Aug.): Pompeius Scauro studet: sed utrum fronte an mente, dubitatur,” Cic. Att. 4, 15, 7: “plus habet in recessu, quam fronte promittat,” Quint. 1, 4, 2; 11, 1, 61; cf.: “frons causae non satis honesta,” id. 4, 1, 42 Spald.: “decipit Frons prima multos,” the first appearance, Phaedr. 4, 2, 6; cf.: “dura primā fronte quaestio,” Quint. 7, 1, 56: “ex prima statim fronte dijudicare imprudentium est,” id. 12, 7, 8.—
B. The character or feelings expressed by the brow.
1. Poet. in partic., shame: “exclamet perisse Frontem de rebus,” Pers. 5, 104 (for which: “clament periisse pudorem,” Hor. Ep. 2, 1, 80).—
2. Impudence, boldness (late Lat.; cf. “os),” Aug. Civ. D. 3, 30.
