I.a round, swelling, or bulging place, an elevation, protuberance, prominence; hence,
I. A knot, bulge: (funis) Cato, R. R. 135, 4: “funiculorum,” Col. 11, 3, 6; cf.: “vitis toris ad arborem religetur,” id. 5, 6, 25: “firmi vitis,” id. Arb. 16, 4.—
II. The muscular or fleshy part, the muscle, brawn of animal bodies (mostly poet. and in post-Aug. prose): o lacertorum tori! Cic. poët. Tusc. 2, 9, 22; Ov. M. 2, 854; 9, 82; 12, 402; 14, 283; 15, 230; id. H. 9, 60: “leo gaudet comantes Excutiens cervice toros,” Verg. A. 12, 7: “luxuriatque toris animosum pectus,” id. G. 3, 81; Plin. 18, 7, 18, § 78; Sen. Hippol. 1042; Val. Fl. 4, 245; Tac. Or. 21: “venarum tori,” varicose dilatations of the veins, Cels. 7, 18 fin. —
B. Transf., the bulge, thickness of trees: “utile toros futuri draconis pasci,” Plin. 17, 23, 35, § 211; cf.: “(asparagus) in toros striatur,” id. 19, 8, 42, § 146; App. Flor. p. 363, 31.—
III. A raised ornament, a knot, on a garland; “trop., of language: isque (stilus mediocris) uno tenore fluit, aut addit aliquos, ut in coronā, toros omnemque orationem ornamentis modicis verborum sententiarumque distinguit,” Cic. Or. 6, 21.—
IV. A bolster, cushion, so named from its protuberances; hence, a couch, sofa, bed (mostly poet.; “syn.: stratum, lectus): antiquis torus e stramento erat, qualiter etiam nunc in castris,” Plin. 8, 48, 73, § 193: “viridante toro consederat herbae,” Verg. A. 5, 388; cf.: “praebuit herba torum,” Ov. H. 5, 14; id. M. 8, 655: “datque torum caespes,” id. ib. 10, 556: “gramine vestitis accubuere toris,” id. F. 1, 402: “silvestrem montana torum cum sterneret uxor Frondibus,” Juv. 6, 5: “discumbere toris,” Ov. M. 8, 565.—So of a sofa: “toro sic orsus ab alto,” Verg. A. 2, 2; Ov. M. 12, 579.—Of a bed: “ambierantque torum,” Ov. M. 7, 332: “concutiuntque torum de molli fluminis ulvā Impositum lecto,” id. ib. 8, 655: “ebeno sublimis in atrā,” id. ib. 11, 610; Suet. Aug. 73. — Of a corpse-bed, Ov. M. 9, 503; id. F. 6, 668: “membra toro defleta reponunt,” Verg. A. 6, 220.—Of a bridalbed, Ov. M. 6, 431: “(lectica) sive illa toro resupina feretur,” Ov. A. A. 1, 487; cf. Becker, Gallus, 2, p. 240 (2d ed.).—
B. Transf., like thalamus, as a designation for marriage: “Deucalion ... Cum consorte tori,” with his consort, spouse, Ov. M. 1, 319; cf.: “socia tori,” id. ib. 1, 620; so id. ib. 7, 91; 7, 332; id. F. 3, 511; id. P. 3, 3, 50; id. H. 2, 41: “genialis,” Tac. A. 15, 37; Val. Max. 2, 6, 14: “obscenus,” i. e. illicit connection, Ov. Tr. 2, 378; cf. “illiciti (with stupra),” Sen. Hippol. 97: “receptus in torum,” Plin. 34, 2, 6, § 12.—Hence, also, for a mistress: “torum donare alicui,” Plin. 35, 10, 36, § 87.—
V. An elevation, bank of earth: “riparum,” Verg. A. 6, 674; Stat. Th. 4, 819: “pulvinorum,” Plin. 19, 4, 20, § 60; 22, 22, 34, § 76.—
VI. In architecture, a large, round moulding at the base of a column, a torus, Vitr. 3, 3, 8.
