I.an opening, aperture, cleft (class. in sing. and plur.; cf. rima, rictus).
I. Lit.: “animalia cibum partim oris hiatu et dentibus ipsis capessunt, partim unguium tenacitate arripiunt,” Cic. N. D. 2, 47, 122: “oris,” Suet. Claud. 27; Verg. A. 11, 680.—Without oris: “ne immodicus hiatus rictum distendat,” Quint. 1, 11, 9: “extremus exspirantis,” id. 6, 2, 31: “Nemeaeus magnus hiatus Ille leonis,” Lucr. 5, 24; cf.: “quinquaginta atris immanis hiatibus Hydra,” i. e. open mouths, Verg. A. 6, 576; Ov. M. 7, 557; 11, 61; Val. Fl. 1, 34: “personae pallentis hiatus,” Juv. 3, 175: “magno sublimis pardus hiatu,” id. 11, 123; Plin. 28, 4, 7, § 38; cf. “of Boreas: imbres, sicco quos asper hiatu Persolidat Boreas,” with a dry throat, dry breath, Stat. Th. 1, 352: “repentini terrarum hiatus,” Cic. N. D. 2, 5, 14: “hauriri urbes terrae hiatibus,” Plin. 36, 15, 24, § 119; cf.: “qui (Gyges) descendit in illum hiatum,” Cic. Off. 3, 9, 38: “neu distracta (Natura) suum late dispandat hiatum,” Lucr. 6, 599: “quantum caeli patet altus hiatus,” id. 4, 418; cf. id. 5, 375: “fit et caeli ipsius hiatus, quod vocant chasma,” Plin. 2, 26, 26, § 96: “corticis bipedalis hiatus,” id. 16, 12, 23, § 57: “hiatus patuli fontis,” i. e. basin, Ov. M. 3, 162: “specus est tenebroso caecus hiatu,” aperture, id. ib. 7, 409: “veteris rimae cum texit hiatum,” Juv. 3, 195.—Poet.: “quid dignum tanto feret hic promissor hiatu?” i. e. of such pompous language, high-flown style, Hor. A. P. 138; cf. Juv. 6, 636.—
II. Trop.
A. In gen., an eager desire, longing (so used by Tac.): “libidine sanguinis et hiatu praemiorum,” Tac. H. 4, 42.—
B. In partic., in gram., a hiatus: habet enim ille tamquam hiatus concursu vocalium molle quiddam et quod indicet non ingratam negligentiam, Cic. Or. 23, 77; Quint. 9, 4, 33: “(Catullus) amans hiatus illius Homerici suavitatem, ebriosa dixit propter insequentis a litterae (verbi acinae) concentum,” Gell. 7, 20, 6.
