I.init.; but in Cic. sibili), m. cf. σιφνός, σιβλός, hollow; Angl. S. and Engl. sipan, sip; O. H. Germ. sip, Germ. Sieb, a sieve; regarded by the ancients as imitation of a natural sound; cf. Quint. 8, 6, 31; Auct. Her. 4, 31, 42, a hissing, a whistling (class.)
I. In gen.
(α).
Sing., of men: “sibilo dare signum,” Liv. 25, 8 fin.—Of cattle: “(boves) sibilo allectari,” Col. 2, 3, 2.—Of things: clamor tonitruum et rudentum sibilus, Poët. ap. Cic. Fam. 8, 2, 1: “(arbor) Loquente saepe sibilum edidit coma,” Cat. 4, 12: “venientis sibilus austri,” Verg. E. 5, 82: sibilu significare alicui, Sisenn. ap. Prisc. p. 715 P.—
(β).
Plur., of wind instruments: “calamorum sibila,” Lucr. 5, 1382; cf. “pastoria,” Ov. M. 13, 785; Stat. Th. 6, 338.—Of snakes, etc.: “serpens horrenda sibila misit,” Ov. M. 3, 38: “sibila dant,” id. ib. 4, 493: “mittere,” id. ib. 15, 670; “15, 684: sibila torsit draco,” Val. Fl. 7, 726: “angues stridula fuderunt vibratis sibila linguis,” Luc. 9, 631: “sibila effundere,” id. 9, 724: “vibrare,” Sil. 3, 185; Corn. Sev. and Macer ap. Charis. p. 61 P.—Of a flying missile: “stridentis sibila teli,” Sil. 9, 247; Val. Fl. 6, 201. —
II. In partic., a contemptuous hissing, a hissing at or off (usually in plur.).
(β).
Plur.: “e scaenā sibilis explodi,” Cic. Rosc. Com. 11, 30: “aliquem sibilis consectari,” id. Att. 2, 18, 1: “crebris totius contionis sibilis vexatus,” Val. Max. 7, 3, 6 ext.; Cic. Sest. 59, 126; cf.: gladiatorii sibili, id. Fragm. ap. Charis. p. 61 P.: “quā dominus, quā advocati sibilis conscissi,” id. Att. 2, 19, 3.
