I.wood (firewood. opp. to materia, timber for building, Dig. 32, 1, 55).
I. Lit. (class. only in plur.): “ligna neque fumosa erunt et ardebunt bene,” Cato, R. R. 130: “ligna et sarmenta circumdare, ignem subicere,” Cic. Verr. 2, 1, 27, § 69: “ignem ex lignis viridibus atque umidis fieri jussit,” id. ib. 2, 1, 17, § “45: ligna super foco Large reponens,” Hor. C. 1, 9, 5: ligna et virgas et carbones quibusdam videri esse in penu, Mas. Sab. ap. Gell. 4, 1, 22.—Prov.: in silvam ligna ferre, i. e. to perform useless labor, or, as we say in English, to carry coals to Newcastle, Hor. S. 1, 10, 34: “lignorum aliquid posce,” Juv. 7, 24.—
B. In gen., timber, wood: “hos lignum stabat in usus, Annosam si forte nucem dejecerat Eurus,” i. e. for making tables, Juv. 11, 118.—
II. Transf.
A. That which is made of wood, a writing-tablet: “vana supervacui dicunt chirographa ligni,” Juv. 13, 137; 16, 41; a plank: “ventis animam committe, dolato confisus ligno,” id. 12, 58.—
B. The hard part of fruit, the shell (of a nut), or the stone or kernel (of cherries, plums, etc.): “bacarum intus lignum,” Plin. 15, 28, 34, § 111; 15, 3, 3, § 10: “lignum in pomo,” id. 13, 4, 9, § 40; of grape-stones, id. 17, 21, 35, § 162.—
C. A fault in table-tops, where the grain of the wood is not curly, but straight, Plin. 13, 15, 30, § 98.—
D. (Poet. and late Lat.) A tree, Verg. A. 12, 767; Hor. S. 1, 8, 1; id. C. 2, 13, 11: “lignum pomiferum,” Vulg. Gen. 1, 11: “lignum scientiae boni et mali,” id. ib. 2, 9: “lignum vitae,” id. Apoc. 2, 9.—
E. A staff, club (eccl. Lat.): “cum gladiis et lignis,” Vulg. Marc. 14, 43 and 48.
