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vēna , ae, f. perh. root veh-, to carry, etc.; prop. a pipe, channel; Gr. ὀχετός,
I.a blood-vessel, vein.
I. Lit.
1. In gen.: “venae et arteriae a corde tractae et profectae in corpus omne ducuntur,” Cic. N. D. 2, 55, 139: “venam incidere,” id. Pis. 34, 83; Cels. 2, 10: “bracchiorum venas interscindere,” Tac. A. 15, 35: “abrumpere,” id. ib. 15, 59: “abscindere,” id. ib. 15, 69: “exsolvere,” id. ib. 16, 17; “16, 19: pertundere,” Juv. 6, 46: “secare, Suet. Vit. Luc.: ferire,” Verg. G. 3, 460: “solvere,” Col. 6, 14, 3.—
2. In partic., an artery: “si cui venae sic moventur, is habet febrem,” Cic. Fat. 8, 15; Cels. 3, 6: “tentare,” to feel the pulse, Suet. Tib. 72 fin.; “for which, tangere,” Pers. 3, 107; Sid. Ep. 22: si protinus venae conciderunt, i. e. the pulse has sunk or fallen, Cels. 3, 5; cf.: “venis fugientibus,” Ov. P. 3, 1, 69.—
B. Transf., of things that resemble veins.
1. A water-course, Hirt. B. G. 8, 43; “Auct. B. Alex. 8, 1: fecundae vena aquae,” Ov. Tr. 3, 7, 16; Mart. 10, 30, 10.—
2. A vein of metals, Cic. N. D. 2, 60, 151; Juv. 9, 31.—
3. The urinary passage, Cels. 4, 1.—
4. A vein or streak of wood, Plin. 16, 38, 73, § 184; 13, 15, 30, § 97. —Of stone, Plin. 37, 6, 24, § 91; Stat. S. 1, 3, 36.—
5. A row of trees in a garden, Plin. 17, 11, 15, § 76.—
6. = membrum virile, Mart. 4, 66, 12; 6, 49, 2; 11, 16, 5; Pers. 6, 72.—
II. Trop.
A. The strength: “vino fulcire venas cadentes,” Sen. Ep. 95, 22; id. Ben. 3, 9, 22; cf. Hor. S. 2, 3, 153.—
B. The interior, the innate or natural quality or nature of a thing: “periculum residebit et erit inclusum penitus in venis et visceribus rei publicae,” Cic. Cat. 1, 13, 31: “(orator) teneat oportet venas cujusque generis, aetatis, ordinis,” the innermost feelings, the spring, pulse, id. de Or. 1, 52, 223: si ulla vena paternae disciplinae in nobis viveret, Sev. ap. Spart. Pesc. 3.—
C. For a person's natural bent, genius, disposition, vein (the fig. taken from veins of metal): “ego nec studium sine divite venā, Nec rude quid possit video ingenium,” Hor. A. P. 409: “tenuis et angusta ingenii,” Quint. 6, 2, 3: “benigna ingenii,” Hor. C. 2, 18, 10: “publica (vatis),” Juv. 7, 53.
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.

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hide References (25 total)
  • Cross-references in general dictionaries from this page (25):
    • Caesar, Gallic War, 8.43
    • Cicero, Against Catiline, 1.13.31
    • Cicero, Against Piso, 34.83
    • Vergil, Georgics, 3.460
    • Suetonius, Tiberius, 72
    • Horace, Satires, 2.3.153
    • Horace, Ars Poetica, 409
    • Tacitus, Annales, 15.35
    • Cicero, On Oratory, 1.52
    • Pliny the Elder, Naturalis Historia, 17.76
    • A. Cornelius Celsus, De Medicina, 3.5
    • A. Cornelius Celsus, De Medicina, 4.1
    • Cicero, De Fato, 8
    • Cicero, de Natura Deorum, 2.55
    • Cicero, de Natura Deorum, 2.60
    • Quintilian, Institutio Oratoria, Book 6, 2.3
    • Seneca, Epistulae, 95.22
    • A. Cornelius Celsus, De Medicina, 2.10
    • A. Cornelius Celsus, De Medicina, 3.6
    • Ovid, Tristia, 3.7
    • Ovid, Ex Ponto, 3.1
    • Persius, Saturae, 3
    • Persius, Saturae, 6
    • Statius, Silvae, 1.3
    • Columella, Res Rustica, 6.14.3
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