I.a hunting-net, snare, gin (class.; syn.: retia, casses).
A. Lit.: “canes compellunt in plagas lupum,” Plaut. Poen. 3, 3, 35: “tendere plagas,” Cic. Off. 3, 17, 68: “extricata densis Cerva plagis,” Hor. C. 3, 5, 32; Ov. M. 7, 768: “nodosae,” id. F. 6, 110: “inque plagam nullo cervus agente cadit (al. plagas),” id. A. A. 3, 428: “aut trudit ... Apros in obstantes plagas,” Hor. Epod. 2, 32.—Of the spider's web: “illa difficile cernuntur, atque ut in plagis liniae offensae praecipitant in sinum,” Plin. 11, 24, 28, § 82.—Sing. (very rare): “sic tu ... tabulam tamquam plagam ponas,” Cic. Off. 3, 17, 68.—
B. Trop., a snare, trap, toil (class.; “syn. pedica): se impedire in plagas,” Plaut. Mil. 4, 9, 11: “se in plagas conicere,” id. Trin. 2, 1, 11: “quas plagas ipsi contra se Stoici texuerunt,” Cic. Ac. 2, 48, 147: “in illas tibi majores plagas incidendum est,” Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 58, § 151: “Antonium conjeci in Caesaris Octaviani plagas,” id. Fam. 12, 25, 4: “speculabor, ne quis nostro consilio venator assit cum auritis plagis, i. e. arrectis attentisque auribus,” Plaut. Mil. 3, 1, 14.—Sing. (rare) hanc ergo plagam effugi, Cic. Att. 7, 1, 5.—