I.nom. sing. gĕnum , n., Front. Ep. ad M. Caes. 5, 44; and gĕ-nus , m., Lucil. ap. Non. 207, 28; gen. sing. genuis; dat. genui, genu, Mart. Cap. 3, § 293. —In neutr., nom. and acc. sing. genus, Cic. Arat. 45; 46; 399; 403; plur. gēnu[dibreve]a˘, as a dissyllable, Carey's Lat. Prosody, § 47; Verg. A. 5, 432; 12, 905; gen. plur. genuorum, Vitr. 9, 6 dub.; dat. plur. genubus, Sen. Thyest. 406; Hippol. 667; Mart. Cap. 3, § 293; “but usu. genibus,” Curt. 10, 5, 24; Tac. A. 12, 18; Liv. 44, 31 fin.; Ov. M. 13, 585) [kindr. with Sanscr. jānu; Gr. γόνυ; Goth. kniu; Germ. Knie; Engl. knee], the knee.
I. Lit.: “meus est ballista pugnus, cubitus catapulta est mihi, Umerus aries: tum genu ut quemque icero, ad terram dabo,” Plaut. Capt. 4, 2, 17: hujus genus, Cic. ap. Serv. ad Verg. A. 3, 22: “fine genus vestem ritu succincta Dianae,” Ov. M. 10, 536: “per aquam ferme genus tenus altam,” Liv. 44, 40, 8 Drak. N. cr.: “in ipsa genus utriusque commissura,” knee-joint, Plin. 11, 45, 103, § 250: “sedatis tibi doloribus genus,” Fronto Ep. p. 134 Rom.: “dolorem genus suscitare,” id. ib. p. 138: “ne quem in cursu capite aut cubito offendam aut genu,” Plaut. Curc. 2, 3, 3: “genu mehercule M. Antonium vidi, cum contente pro se ipse lege Varia diceret, terram tangere,” Cic. Tusc. 2, 24, 57: “genua inediā succidunt,” Plaut. Curc. 2, 3, 30: “dumque virent genua,” Hor. Epod. 13, 4: “genuum junctura,” knee-joint, Ov. M. 2, 823: “genuumque tumebat orbis,” knee-pan, id. ib. 8, 809: ad genua accidere, Enn. ap. Non. 517, 16 (Com. Rel. v. 9 Vahl.): “procidere,” Sen. Contr. 7, 17, 12: “ad genua se alicui submittere,” Suet. Tib. 20; cf.: “genua amplexus genibusque volutans Haerebat,” Verg. A. 3, 607: “atqui pol hodie non feres, ni genua confricantur,” i. e. be clasped in earnest entreaty, Plaut. As. 3, 3, 80; so, “fricare,” ib. 88: “nunc tibi amplectimur genua egentes opum,” id. Rud. 1, 5, 16; cf.: “exurgite a genibus,” id. ib. v. 22: advolvi, Sall. Fragm. ap. Serv. Verg. A. 1, 311; Tac. A. 1, 13 fin.; 6, 49; 15, 71; “for which: genibus se advolvere or advolvi,” Liv. 8, 37 fin.; 28, 34, 4; Vell. 2, 80 fin.: “nixi genibus ab senatu petierunt, ne, etc.,” Liv. 43, 2, 2: “muta metu terram genibus summissa petebat,” Lucr. 1, 92: “corde et genibus tremit,” Hor. C. 1, 23, 8: “jus imperiumque Phraates Caesaris accepit genibus minor,” i. e. kneeling, beseeching, id. Ep. 1, 12, 28; Vulg. Phil. 2, 10 saep.: “genu ponere,” to bow the knee, Curt. 4, 6, 28; so, “alicui,” id. 8, 7, 13: “genu flectere, Hier. in. Eph. 3, 14: inflexo genu adorare aliquem,” Sen. Herc. Fur. 410: “nixi genibus,” on bended knees, Liv. 43, 2, 2: “per tua genua te opsecro,” Plaut. Curc. 5, 2, 31: “genua incerare deorum,” i. e. to attach to the statues of the gods wax tablets with prayers written on them, Juv. 10, 55.—