I.“OSSVA for OSSA, freq. in inscrr.,” Inscr. Orell. 2906; 4361; 4806; Inscr. Osann. Syll. p. 497, 1; Cardin. Dipl. Imp. 2, 11: ossuum for ossium, Prud. στεφ. 5, 111), n. prop. ossis for ostis, kindred with Sanscr. asthi, os; Gr. ὀστέον; Slav. kostj, a bone (class.).
I. Lit.: “quid dicam de ossibus?” Cic. N. D. 2, 55, 139: “cur hunc dolorem cineri ejus atque ossibus inussisti? (i. e. mortuo),” Cic. Verr. 2, 1, 44, § 113; id. ib. 2, 5, 49, § 128: ossa legere, to gather up the bones that remain after burning a corpse, Verg. A. 6, 228; Sen. Ira, 2, 33, 6: “condere,” to bury, Verg. A. 5, 47: ossa legere, to extract fragments of bone from a wound, Sen. Ben. 5, 24, 3; id. Prov. 3; Quint. 6, 1, 30: tum vero exarsit juveni dolor ossibus ingens, in his bones, i. e. in his inmost part, in his soul, Verg. A. 5, 172: “cui versat in ossibus Durus amor,” id. G. 3, 258; id. A. 6, 55; cf. Vulg. Job, 4, 14.—
B. Transf., the hard or innermost part of trees or fruits: “arborum ossa,” i. e. the inside wood, the heart, Plin. 17, 27, 43, § 252: “olearum ac palmularum,” i. e. the stones, Suet. Claud. 8.—
II. Trop., the bones, the solid parts or outlines of a discourse: “utinam imitarentur (Atticos dicendo), nec ossa solum, sed etiam sanguinem,” Cic. Brut. 17, 68; cf. id. Fin. 4, 3, 6; Quint. 1, p. 34.
