I.a plummet, plumb-line.
I. Lit.: non egeremus perpendiculis, non normis, non regulis, Cic. Fragm. ap. Non. 163, 3: “ad perpendiculum columnas exigere,” to examine by a plumb-line, id. Verr. 2, 1, 51, § 133: “ad perpendiculum,” perpendicular, perpendicularly, id. Fat. 10, 22: “tigna non directa ad perpendiculum, sed prona et fastigiata,” Caes. B. G. 4, 17: “perpendiculo respondere (opp. habere proclinationes),” Vitr. 6, 11; Plin. 35, 14, 49, § 172; Vulg. Zach. 1, 16.—
II. Trop.: “ad perpendiculum seque suosque habuit,” Aus. Parent. 5: “honestatem lenium morum velut ad perpendiculum librans,” Amm. 29, 2, 16; cf. id. 21, 16, 3: “velut ad perpendiculum aemulae urbes,” on a strict equality, id. 14, 8, 11.
