I.masc. collat form, vă-dus , i, Varr. ap. Serv. Verg. A. 1, 111; Sall. H. 1, 68 Dietsch) [cf. the root BA, βαίνω, whence, also, vado; hence, that through which one can go], a shallow place in water, a shallow, shoal, ford.
I. Lit.
1. Sing.: “Rhodanus nonnullis locis vado transitur,” Caes. B. G. 1, 6; 5, 58; 7, 55: “vadum in flumine efficere,” id. B. C. 1, 61: “vadum fluminis temptare, si transire possent,” id. ib. 1, 83: “exercitum vado transducere,” id. ib. 3, 37: “vado flumen penetrare,” Tac. A. 2, 68: “vado superari amnis non poterat,” Liv. 38, 13, 9; 38, 18, 7: “piscis qui vivit in vado,” Cels. 2, 18: “amnis incerto vado,” Tac. A. 12, 33.—
2. Piur., so esp. of a shallow place where a river is crossed, a ford: “ibi vadis repertis partem suarum copiarum transducere conati sunt,” Caes. B. G. 2, 9; 1, 8; 3, 13; Liv. 26, 45, 8; 31, 1, 5; Tac. A. 2, 23; id. H. 4, 27; Lucr. 1, 200; Ov. M. 1, 370; 3, 19.—Also of shallows, as dangerous in navigation: mystica ad dextram vada Praetervecti, Att. ap. Varr. L. L. 7, 19 Müll. (Trag. Rel. v. 687 Rib.): “brevia,” Verg. A. 5, 221: “caeca,” id. ib. 1, 536: “dura saxis Lilybeia caecis,” id. ib. 3, 706; cf.: “Nessus, scitus vadorum,” Ov. M. 9, 108.—
B. Transf.
1. A body of water, a sea, stream, etc. (poet.): “longā sulcant vada salsa carinā,” Verg. A. 5, 158; 7, 198; Cat. 64, 58: “si tamen Non tangenda rates transiliunt vada,” Hor. C. 1, 3, 24; Ov. P. 4, 9, 2; Sen. Hippol. 181 al.—
2. The bottom of a body of water, the depths (poet. and in post-Aug. prose): “saxa Vadis levata,” Hor. Epod. 16, 26; Plin. 3, praef. § “4: ostrea capta solido vado,” id. 32, 6, 21, § 59: “sedit limoso pressa carina vado,” Ov. F. 4, 300.—
3. The bottom of a well, Phaedr. 4, 9, 12; Plin. 31, 3, 23, § 39.—
II. Trop.
A. Of shallow water, as a place of safety to the swimmer: “haec propemodum jam esse in vado salutis res videtur,” i. e. in safety, Plaut. Aul. 4, 10, 73: “at in vado'st: jam facile enabit,” id. Rud. 1, 2, 81: “omnis res est jam in vado,” Ter. And. 5, 2, 4.—
B. Of shallows, as dangerous to the mariner: “emersisse jam e vadis et scopulos praetervecta videtur oratio mea,” Cic. Cael. 21, 51: cera vadum tentet, rasis infusa tabellis, explore the way, i. e. make a first attempt, Ov. A. A. 1, 437.
