I.mud, mire.
I. Lit.: “volutari in luto,” Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 24, § 53: “cratesque luto integuntur,” Caes. B. C. 2, 15; Quadrig. ap. Non. 212, 17: “imbre lutoque Aspersus,” Hor. Ep. 1, 11, 11: “luto perfusa porticus,” Juv. 14, 66: pinguia crura luto, id. 3, 247: “luto opplere aliquem,” Suet. Vesp. 5: “in longa via et pulvis et lutum et pluvia,” Sen. Ep. 96, 3: “si quis aliquem luto obliniverit,” Paul. Sent. 5, 4, 13: “te pervolvam in luto,” Ter. And. 4, 4, 38.—In plur.: luta et limum aggerebant, Cic. Fragm. ap. Non. 212, 16.—Prov.: in luto esse or haerere, to stick in the mud, i. e. to be at a dead stop, unable to proceed: “nunc homo in medio luto est: Nomen nescit,” Plaut. Ps. 4, 2, 27: “neque mihi haud imperito eveniet, tali ut in luto haeream,” id. Pers. 4, 3, 66: “in eodem haesitas luto,” Ter. Phorm. 5, 2, 15; cf. Lact. 2, 8, 24; 7, 2, 3: pro luto esse, to be as cheap as dirt: “pro luto erat annona,” Petr. 44: “omnia pro luto habere,” id. 67, 10; cf. id. 51, 6.—As a term of reproach, mud, filth: ludis me. Pa. Tum mihi sunt manus inquinatae. Sc. Quidum? Pa. Quia ludo luto, Plaut. Mil. 2, 3, 54; id. Most. 5, 2, 45: “Lutum lenonium, commictum caeno stercilinum publicum!” id. Pers. 3, 5, 2; 9; Cat. 42, 13: “O tenebrae, o lutum, o sordes,” offscouring of the earth, Cic. Pis. 26, 62.—
II. Transf.
A. Loam, clay, potter's clay: “pocula de facili luto componere,” Tib. 1, 1, 40: “ficta Saguntino cymbia malo luto,” Mart. 8, 6, 2: quibus arte benigna Et meliore luto finxit praecordia Titan, of better clay, i. e. of better materials, Juv. 14, 34; cf. Pers. 3, 23: “homines compositi luto,” Juv. 6, 13.—
B. The dust with which wrestlers besprinkled themselves, Sen. Ep. 88, 18.