I.the covering for the body, clothes, clothing, attire, vesture (syn. amictus; in class. prose only sing.).
I. Lit.: lavere lacrimis vestem squalam et sordidam, Enn. ap. Non. 172, 20 (Trag. v. 370 Vahl.): “mulierem cum auro et veste abducere,” Plaut. Curc. 2, 3, 69: “satin' haec me vestis deceat,” these clothes, id. Most. 1, 3, 10: “discidit vestem,” Ter. Ad. 1, 2, 41: “lugubris,” id. Heaut. 2, 3, 45; id. Eun. 3, 5, 24: “ad vestem muliebrem conficiendam,” Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 46, § 103; id. Phil. 2, 27, 66; id. de Or. 1, 35, 161: “sumptā veste virili,” Hor. S. 1, 2, 16; 1, 2, 95; id. Ep. 1, 19, 38 al.—
2. Esp.: mutare vestem.
(α).
To put on mourning garments, put on mourning (cf. sordidatus), Cic. Planc. 12, 29; id. Sest. 11, 26; Liv. 6, 20, 2; cf.: “quid vestis mutatio'st?” Ter. Eun. 4, 4, 4: “cum dolorem suum vestis mutatione declarandum censuisset,” Cic. Pis. 8, 17.—
(β).
Also in gen., to change one's clothing, Ter. Eun. 3, 5, 61; Liv. 22, 1, 3; Sen. Ep. 18, 2; Vell. 2, 41, 2.—
3. In sing. collect., = vestes: “multam pretiosam supellectilem vestemque missam Carthaginem,” Liv. 21, 15, 2; so id. 26, 21, 8; 31, 17, 6; 39, 6, 7; 44, 26, 9.—
B. Plur., clothes, garments (poet. and in postAug. prose): “aurum vestibus illitum Mirata,” Hor. C. 4, 9, 14: “picturatae auri subtemine vestes,” Verg. A. 3, 483: “vestibus extentis,” Juv. 12, 68: “quod in vestes, margarita, gemmas fuerat erogaturus,” Plin. Ep. 5, 16, 7; Quint. 6, 1, 30; 9, 4, 4; 11, 1, 31; Curt. 3, 13, 7; 5, 1, 10; Sen. Ep. 114, 11; id. Ben. 7, 9, 5; 7, 20, 2; Plin. 19, 1, 2, § 14; Suet. Tib. 36; id. Gram. 23; Tac. A. 2, 24; 3, 53; 12, 68. —
II. Transf., of any sort of covering.
1. A carpet, curtain, tapestry (syn. stragulum): “in plebeiā veste cubandum est,” Lucr. 2, 36; Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 56, § 146; Ov. M. 8, 659; Hor. S. 2, 4, 84; 2, 6, 103; 2, 6, 106 al. —
2. Poet.
(α).
A veil, Stat. Th. 7, 244.—
(γ).
The beard as the covering of the chin, Lucr. 5, 673 (cf. vesticeps and investis).—
(δ).
A spider's web, Lucr. 3, 386.
