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alvus , i, f. (m., Att. ap. Prisc. p. 654 P.; 718 ib., and Non. 193, 26; Calv., Ael. Cin., and Laber. ap. Charis. p. 61 P.) [for aluus from alo: venter feminae ab alendo dicta, Paul. ex Fest. p. 8 Müll. and so Varr.; acc. to others kindr. with Sanscr. ulvam = uterus, and this again connected with vulva, volvo; ἐλύω εἰλύω; Sanscr. val = to turn; O. H. Germ. wallen = to roll],
I.the belly, the paunch, the bowels.
I. Lit.: “purgatio alvi,Cic. N. D. 3, 22: “forsitan purgat alvum,Vulg. Jud. 3, 24; 3, 22; cf. Cic. N. D. 2, 50: “solvere,Cels. 1, 3: “exonerare,Plin. 10, 44, 61, § 126: “inanire,id. 20, 3, 8, § 14 et saep.: “non descendit alvus,is costive, Cels. 2, 7: “cui satis alvus reddit cotidie,id. 2, 12, n. 2: “alvus cita,active, id. 1, 6: “alvum bonam facere,Cato, R. R. 114: “movere,id. ib. 115: “citare,Col. 7, 9, 9: “adstringere alvum,to make costive, Cels. 1, 3; so also: cohibere, comprimere, supprimere, firmare, sistere, inhibere, etc., to bind, constipate, etc.—In plur.: “ad eliciendas alvos,Plin. 19, 5, 26, § 2.—Hence, for excrement: “alvus varia,Cels. 2, 6: “alvus liquida, nigra, pallida, pinguis,id. ib.; and for flux, diarrhœa: alvus corpus ac vires carpit, Col. 6, 7.—
II. Transf.
B. The stomach, the digestive organs, Cic. N. D. 2, 54; so id. ib. 2, 50; Ov. M. 6, 651.—
D. Of the basin of the molten sea in the Jewish temple: “(boves) alvum maris circuibant,Vulg. 2 Par. 4, 3.
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hide References (24 total)
  • Cross-references in general dictionaries from this page (24):
    • Cicero, For Aulus Cluentius, 12
    • Ovid, Metamorphoses, 6.651
    • Plautus, Stichus, 2.1
    • Old Testament, 2 Chronicles, 4.3
    • Horace, Ars Poetica, 340
    • Pliny the Elder, Naturalis Historia, 11.40
    • Pliny the Elder, Naturalis Historia, 20.14
    • Pliny the Elder, Naturalis Historia, 21.73
    • Pliny the Elder, Naturalis Historia, 11.43
    • Pliny the Elder, Naturalis Historia, 19.2
    • A. Cornelius Celsus, De Medicina, 1.3
    • A. Cornelius Celsus, De Medicina, 1.6
    • Cicero, de Natura Deorum, 2.50
    • Cicero, de Natura Deorum, 2.54
    • Cicero, de Natura Deorum, 3.22
    • Cicero, De Divinatione, 1.20
    • A. Cornelius Celsus, De Medicina, 2.6
    • A. Cornelius Celsus, De Medicina, 2.12
    • A. Cornelius Celsus, De Medicina, 2.7
    • Columella, Res Rustica, 6.7
    • Columella, Res Rustica, 7.9.9
    • Columella, Res Rustica, 9.14.7
    • Columella, Res Rustica, 9.15.11
    • Columella, Res Rustica, 9.8.1
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