I.v. infra), ae, f. lacus, a ditch, pit, hole; esp. a place where water collects, a pool, pond.
I. Lit. (mostly poet.): lacuna, id est aquae collectio, a lacu derivatur, quam alii lamam, alii lustrum dicunt, Paul. ex Fest. p. 117 Müll.: “vastae,” Lucr. 6, 552: “vastae Orci,” id. 1, 116; 6, 538: “cavae,” Verg. G. 1, 117; 3, 365.—Poet.: “salsae,” i. e. the sea, Lucr. 5, 794; 3, 1044; also, “Neptuniae,” Auct. Her. 4, 10, 15: “caecas lustravit luce lacunas,” Cic. Arat. 431.—
B. In gen., a hollow, cavity, opening, chasm, cleft: “cum supercilia cana, et sub ea lacunae, dicunt, eum equum habere annos sedecim,” Varr. R. R. 2, 7, 3; 1, 29, 3; cf.: “atque lacunarum fuerant vestigia cuique,” Lucr. 5, 1261; Vitr. 7, 1, 4: “labrum superius sub ipsa medietate narium lacuna quadam levi, quasi valle, signavit deus,” Lact. Op. D. 10: “genae teretes ac medio mento lacuna,” a dimple, App. Flor. p. 351 (Hildebr., lacunatura).—
II. Trop., a gap, void, defect, want, loss (rare but class.): “est, qui expleas duplicem istam lacunam,” to fill up the double void, Varr. R. R. 2, 1, 28: “ut illam lacunam rei familiaris expleant,” Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 55, § 138: “lacuna in auro,” id. Att. 12, 6, 1: “illa labes et quasi lacuna famae,” Gell. 1, 3, 23.