I.a step-mother, step-dame.
I. Lit., Afran. ap. Non. 393, 26: “uxor generi, noverca filii, filiae paelex,” Cic. Clu. 70, 199: “cum is (Hippolytus) patri suspectus esset de novercā,” id. Off. 3, 25, 94: “saeviores tragicis novercas,” Quint. 2, 10, 5 Spald.: “injusta,” Verg. E. 3, 33: “saeva,” id. G. 2, 128: “scelerata,” Ov. F. 3, 853: “lurida terribiles miscent aconita novercae,” id. M. 1, 147; Gai. Inst. 1, 63; 3, 14; Juv. 6, 403.—Prov.: “apud novercain queri,” i. e. in vain, Plaut. Ps. 1, 3, 80.—
B. Trop.: “rerum ipsa natura in eo ... non parens sed noverca fuerit, si, etc.,” Quint. 12, 1, 2: “quorum noverca est Italia,” i. e. who are not natives of Italy, Vell. 2, 4, 4; so, viles operae, quorum est mea Roma noverca, Petr. poët. Sat. 122, 166.—
II. Transf.: nŏvercae , ārum, f.
1. Ditches which drain off the waler imperfectly and slowly, Agrim. ap. Goes. 119; 142; 143 al.—
2. A rough piece of land (so called in allusion to the iniquitas novercae), Hyg. Mun. Castr. § 57 Lange.
