I.gen. fem. sing. gelidaï “aquaï,” Lucr. 3, 693), adj. gelu, icy cold, very cold, icy, frosty (a higher degree than frigidus; cf. also: algidus, rigidus, glacialis).
I. Lit.: “(Fibrenus) statim praecipitat in Lirem ... eumque multo gelidiorem facit,” Cic. Leg. 2, 3, 6: “caelum est hieme frigidum et gelidum,” cold and frosty, Plin. Ep. 5, 6, 4: “aqua,” Lucr. 3, 693: “aquam gelidam bibere,” Cic. Cat. 1, 13, 31; cf.: “gelidissimae aquae,” Plin. 31, 2, 6, § 10: “fontium gelidae perennitates,” Cic. N. D. 2, 39, 98: “fluvii,” Lucr. 6, 1172: “nives,” id. 6, 107: “pruina,” id. 2, 431; 515; Verg. G. 2, 263: “loca gelida propinquitate Tauri montis,” Liv. 38, 27, 9: “nemus,” Hor. C. 1, 1, 30: “valles,” Verg. G. 2, 488: “rupes,” id. A. 8, 343: “Haemus,” Hor. C. 1, 12, 6: “Algidus,” id. ib. 1, 21, 6: Scythes, id. ib. 4, 5, 25: “saxum,” Lucr. 3, 892: “umbrae frigoris,” id. 5, 641: “nox,” Verg. G. 1, 287; Hor. Ep. 2, 2, 169: “aether,” Verg. A. 8, 28: “December,” Ov. Tr. 1, 11, 3: “foci,” i. e. never kindled, id. F. 3, 28: “tyrannus (i. e. Boreas),” id. M. 6, 711.—
B. Subst.: gĕlĭda , ae, f. (sc. aqua), water cold as ice (like frigida; cf. “calida or calda, warm water): foribusque repulsum Perfundit gelida,” Hor. S. 2, 7, 91: calidae gelidaeque minister; Juv. 5, 63.—
II. In partic., icy cold, cold, stiff with death, old age, or fright (poet., like frigidus): “(Niobe) corporibus gelidis incumbit,” Ov. M. 6, 277: “artus,” id. ib. 4, 247; “6, 249: vultus,” id. ib. 4, 141: “gelidus tardante senecta Sanguis hebet,” Verg. A. 5, 395: “et gelidum subito frigore pectus erat,” Ov. F. 1, 98; so, “pavidus gelidusque,” id. M. 3, 688; cf. id. ib. 10, 423.—Hence also transf., of death, fright, etc.: “gelidi vestigia leti,” Lucr. 3, 530: “mors,” Hor. C. 2, 8, 11; Ov. M. 15, 153: “metus,” id. H. 11, 82; cf. “formido,” id. M. 2, 200: “horror,” id. H. 16, 67: “terror,” id. M. 3, 100: “tremor,” Verg. A. 2, 120: “pallor,” Ov. Tr. 1, 4, 11.—Adv.: gĕlĭde (like frigide, I.), coldly, faintly, indolently, ψυχρῶς: “quod res omnes timide gelideque ministrat,” Hor. A. P. 171.