I.a cloth, covering, awning, curtain, veil: “tabernacula carbaseis intenta velis,” Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 12, § 30: “velis amictos non togis,” id. Cat. 2, 10, 22: “eadem (i. e. uxor) si quando recito, in proximo, discreta velo, sedet,” Plin. Ep. 4, 19, 3.—So of chamber-curtains, hangings, Suet. Claud. 10; Juv. 6, 228; 9, 105: “adlevare,” Sen. Ep. 80, 1.—Of the awnings stretched over the theatre or other public places as a protection from the sun, Lucr. 4, 75; Prop. 4 (5), 1, 15; Ov. A. A. 1, 103; Inscr. Orell. 2219; Val. Max. 2, 4, 6; cf. Plin. 19, 1, 6, § 23: “multis simulationum involucris tegitur et quasi velis quibusdam obtenditur unius cujusque natura,” Cic. Q. Fr. 1, 1, 5, § 15.—
II. Esp., a sail (in good prose usually in plur.).
(α).
Plur.: “scindere vela,” Plaut. Trin. 4, 1, 18: “ad id, unde aliquis flatus ostenditur, vela do,” Cic. de Or. 2, 44, 187: “dare,” id. Or. 23, 75; Liv. 31, 45, 11; Quint. 10, 3, 7; Hor. C. 1, 34, 4: “facere,” Cic. Tusc. 4, 4, 9; Verg. A. 5, 281; cf. “fieri,” Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 34, § 88: “pandere,” Quint. 6, 1, 52: “solvere,” Verg. A. 4, 574: “deducere,” Ov. M. 3, 663: “dirigere ad castra Corneliana,” Caes. B. C. 2, 25: “quo utinam velis passis pervehi liceat!” Cic. Tusc. 1, 49, 119: “contrahere,” id. Att. 1, 16, 2; Quint. 12, praef. § 4; Hor. C. 2, 10, 24: “subducere, Auct. B. Alex. 45, 3: legere,” Verg. G. 1, 373: “tendunt vela Noti,” id. A. 3, 268: “ventis inplere,” id. ib. 7, 23: “classem velis aptare,” id. ib. 3, 472.— Poet., of wings: “pennarum,” Lucr. 6, 744. —
(β).
Sing.: “navale velum,” Macr. S. 5, 21, 5: “in pontum vento secundo, velo passo pervenit,” Plaut. Stich. 2, 2, 45; id. Mil. 4, 8, 7; id. Ep. 1, 1, 47; Verg. A. 1, 103; 1, 400; Ov. H. 13, 101: “pleno concita velo puppis,” id. M. 7, 491; 11, 483 al.—
b. Prov.: remis velisque, with oars and sails, i. e. with tooth and nail, with might and main: “res velis, ut ita dicam, remisque fugienda,” Cic. Tusc. 3, 11, 25; cf.: “remigio veloque quantum potis es festina et fuge,” Plaut. As. 1, 3, 5 (cf. the similar phrase, remis ventisque, sub remus); cf.: “non agimur tumidis velis,” Hor. Ep. 2, 2, 201: “plenissimis velis navigare,” Cic. Dom. 10, 24.—
B. Trop.: “utrum panderem vela orationis statim, an, etc.,” Cic. Tusc. 4, 5, 9: “dare vela Famae,” Mart. 8, 70, 6: “voti contrahe vela tui,” Ov. P. 1, 8, 72: “velis majoribus,” with more zeal, id. A. A. 2, 725; id. F. 2, 3: “in quo tu ingenii simul dolorisque velis latissime vectus es,” Plin. Ep. 4, 20, 2: “dedimus vela indignationi, dedimus irae,” id. ib. 6, 33, 10: “pande vela, ac, si quando alias, toto ingenio vehere,” id. ib. 8, 4, 5.
