I.a load, burden (cf. pondus).
I. Lit.
A. In gen.: “oneris maximi pondus,” Vitr. 10, 8: “onus sustinere,” Plaut. As. 3, 3, 68: “cum gravius dorso subiit onus (asellus), Hor S. 1, 9, 20: tanti oneris turris,” Caes. B. G. 2, 30: ad minimum redigi onus, Ov M. 14, 149.—
B. In partic.
1. Of goods, baggage, etc., a load, lading, freight, cargo: “insula Delos, quo omnes undique cum mercibus atque oneribus commeabant,” Cic. Imp. Pomp. 18, 55: “onera afferuntur,” Plin. 6, 23, 26, § 104: “(naves) ad onera et ad multitudinem jumentorum transportandam paulo latiores,” Caes. B. G. 5, 1, 2: “jumentis onera deponere,” loads, packs, id. B. C. 1, 80.—
2. Poet., the burden of the womb, the fœtus, embryo: “gravidi ventris,” Ov. Am. 2, 13, 1; id. F. 2, 452; id. H. 4, 58; Phaedr. 1, 18, 5. —
3. The excrements: “ciborum onera reddere,” Plin. 8, 27, 41, § 97: “duri ventris solvere,” Mart. 13, 29, 2.—
II. Trop
A. A burden, in respect of property, i. e. a tax or an expense (usually in the plur.): “municipium maximis oneribus pressum,” Cic. Fam. 13, 7, 2: “haec onera in dites a pauperibus inclinata,” Liv. 1, 43: “patria,” Suet. Calig. 42: “haerere in explicandis oneribus,” id. Dom. 12 init.: “oneribus novis turbantur provinciae,” Tac. A. 4, 6.—
B. A load, burden, weight, charge, trouble, difficulty of any kind (so most freq. in Cic.; cf. molestia): magni sunt oneris; “quicquid imponas, vehunt,” capable of bearing great burdens, Plaut. Most. 3, 2, 95: “quae (senectus) plerisque senibus sic odiosa est, ut onus se Aetnā gravius dicant sustinere,” Cic. Sen. 2, 4: “onus atque munus magnum,” id. de Or. 1, 25, 116: “hoc onus si vos adlevabitis,” id. Rosc. Am. 4, 10: “officii,” id. ib.: “probandi,” the burden of proof, obligation to prove, Dig. 31, 1, 22; Cic. Rep. 1, 23, 37: “oneri esse,” to be a burden, Liv. 23, 43; Vulg. 2 Reg. 15, 33: “neque eram nescius, quantis oneribus premerere susceptarum rerum,” Cic. Fam. 5, 12, 2: “epici carminis onera lyrā sustinere,” Quint. 10, 1, 62.—
C. (Eccl. Lat.) The burden of a prophecy, the woes predicted against any one: “Babylonis,” Vulg. Isa. 13, 1: “Tyri,” id. ib. 23, 1.—With subj.gen.: “Domini,” Vulg. Jer. 23, 33: “verbi Domini,” id. Zach. 12, 1.
