I.painted, colored, beautified, counterfeit, spurious (Ciceron.): “visae merces, fallaces quidem et fucosae, chartis et linteis et vitro delatae,” Cic. Rab. Post. 14, 40: “vicinitas non assueta mendaciis, non fucosa, non fallax, non erudita artificio simulationis,” id. Planc. 7, 22: “ambitiosae fucosaeque amicitiae,” id. Att. 1, 18, 2.
1. † fūcus , i, m., = φῦκος, rock-lichen, orchil, used as a red dye for woollen goods, Lichen roccella, Linn., Plin. 26, 10, 66, § 103 sq.: “ut lana tincta fuco citra purpuras placet,” Quint. 12, 10, 75.—
II. Transf., red or purple color.
A. In gen.: “infici vestes scimus admirabili fuco,” Plin. 22, 2, 3, § 3; Hor. C. 3, 5, 28; id. Ep. 1, 10, 27 Orell. ad loc.; Ov. M. 6, 222 al.—
B. In partic.
1. Rouge, paint for the complexion: “vetulae, quae vitia corporis fuco occulunt,” Plaut. Most. 1, 3, 118: “si caeruleo quaedam sua tempora fuco tinxerit,” Prop. 2, 18, 31 (3, 11, 10 M.): “mangones colorem fuco, et rerum robur inani sagina mentiantur,” Quint. 2, 15, 25.—
2. Dross, alloy, adulteration: “adulteratur (sal) rubrica aut testa trita, qui fucus aqua deprehenditur diluente,” Plin. 31, 7, 42, § 91.—
3. For propolis (q. v.), the reddish juice with which bees stop up the entrances to their hive, bee-glue, Verg. G. 4, 39. —
III. Trop., pretence, disguise, deceit, dissimulation: “his tribus figuris insidere quidam venustatis non fuco illitus, sed sanguine diffusus debet color,” Cic. de Or. 3, 52, 199; cf.: “sententiae tam verae, tam novae, tam sine pigmentis fucoque puerili,” id. ib. 2, 45, 188: “fuco ementitus color,” Quint. 8, 3, 6: “in oratoris aut in poëtae cincinnis ac fuco,” Cic. de Or. 3, 25, 100: “mercem sine fucis gestat,” Hor. S. 1, 2, 83: “nec sycophantiis nec fucis ullum mantellum obviam est,” Plaut. Capt. 3, 3, 6: “sine fuco ac fallaciis,” Cic. Att. 1, 1, 1: deum sese in hominem convertisse ... fucum factum mulieri, i. e. to deceive, impose upon (vulg.), Ter. Eun. 3, 5, 41: “si eum, qui tibi promiserit, audieris fucum, ut dicitur, facere velle aut senseris,” Q. Cic. Petit. Cons. 9, 35.