previous next
spīna , ae, f. root spī, whence also spicna, spīca, spinus,
I.a thorn.
I. Lit.: “cum lubrica serpens Exuit in spinis vestem,” Lucr. 4, 61; cf. Prop. 4 (5), 5, 1; Verg. E. 5, 39; Col. 3, 11, 5; Plin. 21, 15, 54, § 91 al.: “consertum tegumen spinis,” Verg. A. 3, 594; cf. Ov. M. 14, 166; id. P. 2, 2, 36; Tac. G. 17. —Of particular kinds of thorny plants or shrubs: “solstitialis,” Col. 2, 18, 1: “alba,” whitethorn, hawthorn, id. 7, 7, 2; 7, 9, 6; 3, 11, 5; Plin. 21, 11, 39, § 68; 24, 12, 66, § 108: Aegyptia, the Egyptian blackthorn or sloe, id. 13, 11, 20, § 66; 24, 12, 65, § 107: “Arabica,” Arabian acacia, id. 24, 12, 65, § 107.—
B. Transf., of things of a like shape.
1. A prickle or spine of certain animals (as the hedgehog, sea-urchin, etc.): animantium aliae coriis tectae sunt, aliae villis vestitae, aliae spinis hirsutae, Cic. N. D. 2, 47, 121: “hystrices spinā contectae (with aculei),” Plin. 8, 35, 53, § 125; 9, 59, 85, § 182: “spinā nocuus,” Ov. Hal. 130.—
2. A fish-bone: “humus spinis cooperta piscium,” Quint. 8, 3, 66; Ov. M. 8, 244.—
3. The backbone, spine: “caput spina excipit: ea constat ex vertebris quattuor et viginti, etc.,” Cels. 8, 1; 8, 9, 2; 8, 14; Plin. 11, 37, 68, § 179; Varr. R. R. 2, 7, 5; Col. 6, 29, 2; Verg. G. 3, 87; Ov. M. 8, 806: “dorsi spina, Aug. Civ. Dei, 19, 4, n. 2: spina quae est in dorso,” Gell. 3, 10, 7.— Hence, poet., the back, Ov. M. 6, 380; 3, 66; 3, 672.—
4. Spina, a low wall dividing the circus lengthwise, around which was the race-course; the barrier, Cassiod. Var. 3, 51; Schol. Juv. 6, 588.—
5. A toothpick: “argentea,” Petr. 32 fin.—
II. Trop., in plur.
1. Thorns, i. e. difficulties, subtleties, perplexities in speaking and debating (class.): “disserendi spinae,” Cic. Fin. 4, 28, 79; cf.: “partiendi et definiendi,” subtleties, intricacies, id. Tusc. 4, 5, 9; cf.: “hominum more non spinas vellentium, ut Stoici,” id. Fin. 4, 3, 6.—
2. Cares: “certemus, spinas animone ego fortius an tu Evellas agro,” Hor. Ep. 1, 14, 4.—
3. Errors: “quid te exemta juvat spinis de pluribus una,” Hor. Ep. 2, 2, 212.
A Latin Dictionary. Founded on Andrews' edition of Freund's Latin dictionary. revised, enlarged, and in great part rewritten by. Charlton T. Lewis, Ph.D. and. Charles Short, LL.D. Oxford. Clarendon Press. 1879.

The National Endowment for the Humanities provided support for entering this text.

hide Dictionary Entry Lookup
Use this tool to search for dictionary entries in all lexica.
Search for in
hide References (27 total)
  • Cross-references in general dictionaries from this page (27):
    • Ovid, Metamorphoses, 8.244
    • Ovid, Metamorphoses, 14.166
    • Ovid, Metamorphoses, 6.380
    • Vergil, Aeneid, 3.594
    • Vergil, Georgics, 3.87
    • Ovid, Metamorphoses, 8.806
    • Tacitus, Germania, 17
    • Lucretius, De Rerum Natura, 4.61
    • Pliny the Elder, Naturalis Historia, 24.107
    • Pliny the Elder, Naturalis Historia, 24.108
    • Pliny the Elder, Naturalis Historia, 21.68
    • Pliny the Elder, Naturalis Historia, 21.91
    • Cicero, de Finibus Bonorum et Malorum, 4.28
    • Cicero, de Finibus Bonorum et Malorum, 4.3
    • Cicero, de Natura Deorum, 2.47
    • Cicero, Tusculanae Disputationes, 4.5
    • Quintilian, Institutio Oratoria, Book 8, 3.66
    • Gellius, Noctes Atticae, 3.10.7
    • A. Cornelius Celsus, De Medicina, 8.1
    • A. Cornelius Celsus, De Medicina, 8.14
    • A. Cornelius Celsus, De Medicina, 8.9
    • Ovid, Ex Ponto, 2.2
    • Columella, Res Rustica, 2.18.1
    • Columella, Res Rustica, 3.11.5
    • Columella, Res Rustica, 6.29.2
    • Columella, Res Rustica, 7.7.2
    • Columella, Res Rustica, 7.9.6
hide Display Preferences
Greek Display:
Arabic Display:
View by Default:
Browse Bar: