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lĭber , bri, m. Gr. λέπειν, to peel; λέπος, λεπίς; cf. λοβός,
I.the inner bark or rind of a tree.
I. Lit.
A. In gen.: “obducuntur libro aut cortice trunci,” Cic. N. D. 2, 47, 120: “colligatae libris (arundines),” Varr. R. R. 1, 8, 4: “udoque docent (germen) inolescere libro,” Verg. G. 2, 77: “natam libro et silvestri subere clausam,” id. A. 11, 554; id. E. 10, 67: “quam denso fascia libro,” Juv. 6, 263.—
B. Esp., because the ancients used the bark or rind of trees to write upon; usually the thin rind of the Egyptian papyrus, on which the books of the Greeks and Romans were usually written (v. Dict. of Antiq. p. 587 sq.): “antea non fuisse chartarum usum. In palmarum foliis primo scriptitatum, dein quarundam arborum libris,” Plin. 13, 11, 21, § 69.—Hence,
II. Transf.
A. Paper, parchment, or rolls of any substance used to write upon (cf.: “charta, membrana): quasi quom in libro scribuntur calamo litterae,” Plaut. Ps. 1, 5, 131.—
B. Most freq. a book, work, treatise: “Demetrii liber de concordia,” Cic. Att. 8, 12, 6: “quas (sententias) hoc libro exposui,” id. Lael. 1, 3; cf. id. ib. 1, 5: “dixi in eo libro, quem de rebus rusticis scripsi,” id. de Sen. 15, 54: “libros pervolutare,” id. Att. 5, 12, 2: “evolvere,” id. Tusc. 1, 11, 24: “volvere,” id. Brut. 87, 298: “legere,” id. Fam. 6, 6, 8: “edere,” id. Fat. 1, 1: “libri confectio,” id. de Sen. 1, 1: “tempus ad libros vacuum,” id. Rep. 1, 9, 14: “cujus (Platonis) in libris,” id. ib. 1, 10, 16: “in Graecorum libris,” id. ib. 2, 11, 21: “librum, si malus est, nequeo laudare,” Juv. 3, 41: “actorum libri,” the official gazette, id. 9, 84; cf. 2, 136; and v. Dict. Antiq. s. v. Acta.—
C. In partic.
1. A division of a work a look: “tres libri perfecti sunt de Natura Deorum,” Cic. Div. 2, 1, 3: “hi tres libri (de Officiis),” id. Off. 3, 33, 121: “sermo in novem libros distributus,” id. Q. Fr. 3, 5, 1: “dictum est in libro superiore,” id. Off. 2, 13, 43 sicut superiore libro continetur, Quint. 11, 1, 1: “versus de libro Ennii annali sexto,” id. 6, 3, 86: “liber primus, secundus, tertius, etc.,” id. 8, 1, 2; 10, 2, 20; 11, 1, 4 al. —Sometimes, in this latter case, liber is omitted: “in T. Livii primo,” Quint. 9, 2, 37: “in tertio de Oratore,” id. 9, 1, 26: “legi tuum nuper quartum de Finibus,” Cic. Tusc. 5, 11, 32.—
2. In relig. or pub. law lang., a religious book, scriptures; a statute - book, code: “decemviris adire libros jussis,” i. e. the Sibylline books, Liv. 34, 55; 21, 62; 25, 12: “se cum legeret libros, recordatum esse, etc.,” Cic. N. D. 2, 4, 11: “ut in libris est Etruscorum,” id. Div. 2, 23, 50; id. Att. 9, 9, 3: “caerimoniarum,” rituals, Tac. A. 3, 38.—
D. A list, catalogue, register, Cic. Verr. 2, 3, 71, § 167.—
E. A letter, epistle, Nep. Lys. 4, 2; Plin. Ep. 2, 1, 5.—
F. A rescript, decree (post-Aug.): “liber principis severus et tamen moderatus,” Plin. Ep. 5, 14, 8.
A Latin Dictionary. Founded on Andrews' edition of Freund's Latin dictionary. revised, enlarged, and in great part rewritten by. Charlton T. Lewis, Ph.D. and. Charles Short, LL.D. Oxford. Clarendon Press. 1879.

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hide References (34 total)
  • Cross-references in general dictionaries from this page (34):
    • Cicero, Letters to his Friends, 6.6.8
    • Cicero, Letters to Atticus, 5.12.2
    • Cicero, Letters to Atticus, 8.12.6
    • Cicero, Letters to Atticus, 9.9.3
    • Cicero, Against Verres, 2.3.167
    • Plautus, Pseudolus, 1.5
    • Vergil, Aeneid, 11.554
    • Vergil, Georgics, 2.77
    • Tacitus, Annales, 3.38
    • Cornelius Nepos, Lysander, 4.2
    • Pliny the Younger, Epistulae, 2.1.5
    • Pliny the Younger, Epistulae, 5.14.8
    • Livy, The History of Rome, Book 25, 12
    • Livy, The History of Rome, Book 21, 62
    • Livy, The History of Rome, Book 34, 55
    • Cicero, De Republica, 1.9
    • Cicero, De Fato, 1
    • Cicero, de Natura Deorum, 2.4
    • Cicero, de Natura Deorum, 2.47
    • Cicero, De Amicitia, 1
    • Cicero, De Divinatione, 2.1
    • Cicero, De Divinatione, 2.23
    • Cicero, Tusculanae Disputationes, 1.11
    • Cicero, Tusculanae Disputationes, 5.11
    • Cicero, De Officiis, 2.13
    • Cicero, De Officiis, 3.33
    • Quintilian, Institutio Oratoria, Book 6, 3.86
    • Quintilian, Institutio Oratoria, Book 9, 1.26
    • Quintilian, Institutio Oratoria, Book 9, 2.37
    • Quintilian, Institutio Oratoria, Book 8, 1.2
    • Quintilian, Institutio Oratoria, Book 11, 1.1
    • Quintilian, Institutio Oratoria, Book 11, 1.4
    • Quintilian, Institutio Oratoria, Book 10, 2.20
    • Cicero, Brutus, 87.298
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