I.a feather on the body of a winged creature (syn. pluma).
I. Lit.
(α).
Form penna: “sine pennis volare haud facile est: meae alae pennas non habent,” Plaut. Poen. 4, 2, 48: “pennarum tuarum nitor,” Phaedr. 1, 13, 6: “maduere graves aspergine pennae,” Ov. M. 4, 728.—
(β).
Form pinna: “(aves) pullos pinnis fovent,” Cic. N. D. 2, 52, 129: “pinnarum caules omnium cavi,” Plin. 11, 39, 34, § 97; Sen. Ep. 42, 4: ova parire solet genus pinnis condecoratum, Enn. ap. Varr. L. L. 5, § 59 Müll. (Ann. v. 10 Vahl.): “conveniebat corvos ex albis album pinnis jactare colorem,” Lucr. 2, 823 Munro: “galli salaces, frequentibus pinnis,” Varr. R. R. 3, 9, 5; Col. 8, 2, 10: “nam his rebus plumam pinnasque emundant,” id. ib. 9, 14, 7: “ut statim per somnum hianti pinna in os inderetur,” Suet. Claud. 33.—
II. Transf.
A. In plur.: pennae (pinnae), a wing (syn. ala).
(α).
Form pennae: “age tu, sis, sine pennis vola,” Plaut. As. 1, 1, 80: “quatere in aëre,” Ov. M. 4, 676: “pennis resumptis,” id. ib. 4, 664: “vertere,” to fly away, Prop. 2, 24, 22 (3, 19, 6): penna, collect. for the wings, Ov. M. 2, 376.—
(β).
Form pinnae: “geminis secat aëra pinnis,” Cic. Arat. 48 (282): “pinnas explicare,” Ov. Am. 2, 6, 55: o Fides alma, apta pinnis, Enn. ap. Cic. Off. 3, 29, 104 (Trag. v. 410 Vahl.): densis ales pinnis obnixa, id. ap. Prob. ad Verg. E. 6, 31 (Ann. v. 148 ib.): (aquila) praepetibus pinnis (B. and K.; “al. pennis), Cic. poët. Div. 1, 47, 106. —Of bees: pinnis coruscant,” Verg. G. 4, 73. —Of locusts: “pinnarum stridor,” Plin. 11, 29, 35, § 104.—Of gnats: “pinnae culicis,” Plin. 11, 2, 1, § 3.—Prov.: pinnas incidere alicui, to clip one's wings, i. e. to deprive one of power or rank, Cic. Att. 4, 2, 5; so, decisis humilis pinnis, with clipped wings, i. e. with disappointed hopes, Hor. Ep. 2, 2, 50; cf. the opp.: extendere pinnas, to spread out one's wings, i. e. to attempt great things, id. ib. 1, 20, 21.—
b. Poet., a flying, flight.
(α).
Form penna: felicibus edita pennis, i. e. with a happy omen from the flight of birds, Prop. 3, 10 (4, 9), 11; Sil. 3, 344; Val. Fl. 1, 231.—
B. A feather on an arrow (poet.).
2. Meton., an arrow (poet.).
C. In late Lat., a pen.—Form penna: “instrumenta scribae, calamus et penna: sed calamus arboris est, penna avis,” Isid. Orig. 6, 14.—
D. A fin. —Form pinna, Plin. 9, 13, 15, § 42.—
E. A pinnacle.—Form pinna: “turres contabulantur, pinnae loricaeque ex cratibus attexuntur,” Caes. B. G. 5, 39; 7, 72: milites Metelli ... a pinnis hostis defendebant facillime funditore, Quadrig. ap. Gell. 9, 1, 1; Verg. A. 7, 159: “templi,” Vulg. Luc. 4, 9.—
F. In mechanics.
1. A float or bucket of a water-wheel.—Form pinna, Vitr. 10, 10. —
2. A stop or key of a water-organ.— “Form pinna,” Vitr. 10, 13.