Charlton T. Lewis, Charles Short, A Latin Dictionary

I.abl. sing. pelle; “but pelli,” Lucr. 6, 1270; App. Mag. 22), f. Gr. πέλλα, πέλας, skin; cf. ἐρυσίπελας, ἐπιπολή, surface; also, πλατύς, and Lat. palam, a skin, hide (of a beast), whether on the body or taken off; a felt, pelt, etc.

I. Lit., Varr. R. R. 2, 1, 6: inaurata arietis, Enn. ap. Auct. Her. 2, 22, 34 (Trag. v. 285 Vahl.): “rana rugosam inflavit pellem,” Phaedr. 1, 23, 4; Col. 6, 13, 2: “nationes caprarum pellibus vestitae,” Varr. R. R. 2, 11, 11; cf.: “quam tu numquam vides nisi cum pelle caprinā,” Cic. N. D. 1, 29, 82: “pelles pro velis,” Caes. B. G. 3, 13: “fulvique insternor pelle leonis,” Verg. A. 2, 722: “pelles perficere,” Plin. 24, 11, 56, § 94: “pelles candidas conficere,” id. 13, 6, 13, § 55: “pecudes aureas habuisse pelles tradiderunt,” Varr. R. R. 2, 1, 6.—Poet., of the human skin: “frigida pellis Duraque,” Lucr. 6, 1194: “ossa atque pellis tota est,” Plaut. Aul. 3, 6, 28; id. Capt. 1, 2, 32: “pellis nostra,” Vulg. Thren. 5, 10; id. Job, 10, 11; 19, 20: pellem habere Hercules fingitur, ut homines cultus antiqui admoneantur. Lugentes quoque diebus luctus in pellibus sunt, Paul. ex Fest. p. 207 Müll.; cf.: “deformem pro cute pellem aspice,” Juv. 10, 192.—Prov.: detrahere pellem, i. e. to pull off the mask which conceals a person's faults, Hor. S. 2, 1, 64: “introrsum turpis, speciosus pelle decorā,” with a showy outside, id. Ep. 1, 16, 45: cf. Pers. 4, 14: in propriā pelle quiescere, to be content with one's own state or condition, Hor. S. 1, 6, 22 (v. pellicula): “caninam pellem rodere, said of lampooning a slanderer,” Mart. 5, 60, 10: “pellem pro pelle, et cuncta quae habet homo dabit pro animā suā,” Vulg. Job, 2, 4: “si mutare potest Aethiops pellem suam,” id. Jer. 13, 23.—

II. Transf.

A. Leather: “ruptā calceus alter Pelle patet,” Juv. 3, 150.—

B. A garment, article of clothing made of skin, Col. 1, 8; cf. Ov. Tr. 3, 10, 19: “pes in pelle natet,” in the shoe, id. A. A. 1, 516; Pers. 5, 140.—

C. A tent for soldiers (because it was covered with skins); usually in the phrase sub pellibus, in the camp: “ut non multum imperatori sub ipsis pellibus otii relinquatur,” Cic. Ac. 2, 2, 4: “sub pellibus milites contineri non possent,” Caes. B. G. 3, 29 fin.: “(Caesar) sub pellibus hiemare constituit,” id. B. C. 3, 13 fin.; cf. Liv. 37, 39: “durare sub pellibus,” id. 5, 2; Tac. A. 13, 35; 14, 38: “pellium nomine,” for covering shields, Cic. Pis. 36, 87.—

D. Parchment: “pellibus exiguis artatur Livius ingens,” on little parchments, Mart. 14, 190, 1.—

E. A drum: “pelles caedere,” Min. Fel. 24, 4.