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ăvis , is, f. (
I.abl. sing. avi and ave; cf. Varr. L. L. 8, § 66 Müll.; Prisc. p. 765 P.; Rhem. Palaem. p. 1374 P.; Neue, Formenl. I. pp. 218, 222; in the lang. of religion, the form avi is most common; v. infra) [cf. Sanscr. vā (which may imply av), to blow (to wave); vis, a bird; Zend, vi; with which Curt. compares οἰ-ωνός, a large bird, and Benfey αἰ-ετός, an eagle].
I. Lit., a bird; or collect., the winged tribe: “Liber captivos avis ferae consimilis est,Plaut. Capt. 1, 2, 7: “videmus novis avibus canere undique silvas,Lucr. 1, 256: “arguta,Prop. 1, 18, 30: “istā enim avi (sc. aquilā) volat nulla vehementius,Cic. Div. 2, 70, 144: “ave ad perfugia litorum tendente,Plin. 10, 3, 3, § 9; Vulg. Gen. 1, 2; ib. Deut. 4, 17; ib. Marc. 4, 32; ib. Luc. 13, 34 et saep.—In Varr. once of bees: “de incredibili earum avium naturā audi,Varr. R. R. 3, 16, 3.—A description of birds is found ap. Plin. lib. 10; of their habits, ap. Varr. R. R. 3, 3 sq. and ap. Col. 8, 1 sq.
II. Transf.
A. Esp., in reference to auguries, since the Romans took their omens or auguries from birds (v. augurium and auspicium): post quam avem aspexit templo Anchises, Naev. ap. Prob. ad Verg. E. 6, 31.—Hence, avis, meton., = omen a sign, omen, portent, freq. with the epithets bona, mala, sinistra ( = bona; “v. sinister), adversa, etc.: liquido exeo foras Auspicio avi sinistrā,Plaut. Ep. 2, 2, 2: “ducam legiones meas Avi sinistrā, auspicio liquido atque ex sententiā,id. Ps. 2, 4, 72: solvere secundo rumore aversāque avi, poët. ap. Cic. Div. 1, 16, 29, where B. and K. read adversā: “malā ducis avi domum,with a bad omen, Hor. C. 1, 15, 5: “este bonis avibus visi natoque mihique,Ov. F. 1, 513; so id. M. 15, 640: “di, qui secundis avibus in proelium miserint,Liv. 6, 12, 9: “Quā ego hunc amorem mihi esse avi dicam datum?Plaut. Cas. 3, 4, 26: “Hac veniat natalis avi,Tib. 2, 2, 21.—In abl., form ave: “tunc ave deceptus falsā,Ov. M. 5, 147.—
B. Comically, for a man in the garb of a bird: “Sed quae nam illaec est avis, quae huc cum tunicis advenit?Plaut. Poen. 5, 2, 15.—
C. Avis alba, v. albus, I. B. 3. e.
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hide References (18 total)
  • Cross-references in general dictionaries from this page (18):
    • New Testament, Mark, 4.32
    • New Testament, Luke, 13.34
    • Ovid, Metamorphoses, 15.640
    • Ovid, Metamorphoses, 5.147
    • Plautus, Poenulus, 5.2
    • Plautus, Pseudolus, 2.4
    • Old Testament, Deuteronomy, 4.17
    • Old Testament, Genesis, 1.2
    • Plautus, Captivi, 1.2
    • Plautus, Casina, 3.4
    • Plautus, Epidicus, 2.2
    • Lucretius, De Rerum Natura, 1.256
    • Pliny the Elder, Naturalis Historia, 10.9
    • Livy, The History of Rome, Book 6, 12.9
    • Cicero, De Divinatione, 1.16
    • Cicero, De Divinatione, 2.70
    • Columella, Res Rustica, 8.1
    • Ovid, Fasti, 1
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