I.gen. plur. vitiūm, Titin. ap. Non. p. 495, 13), n. from the same root with vieo, vitis, vitta; prop. a twist; hence, a fault, defect, blemish, imperfection, vice (syn. menda).
I. Lit.: quomodo autem in corpore est morbus, est aegrotatio, est vitium: sic in animo. Morbum appellant totius corporis corruptionem: aegrotationem morbum cum imbecillitate: vitium, cum partes corporis inter se dissident; “ex quo pravitas membrorum, distortio, deformitas. Itaque illa duo, morbus et aegrotatio, ex totius valetudinis corporis conquassatione et perturbatione gignuntur: vitium autem integrā valetudine ipsum ex se cernitur,” Cic. Tusc. 4, 13, 29: “corporis,” Plaut. Most. 1, 3, 118; Ov. F. 4, 148: “mancipii,” Dig. 21, 1, 1, § 6: “jumenti,” ib. 21, 1, 38 init.—In buildings, a breach, defect: “si nihil est in parietibus aut in tecto vitii,” Cic. Fam. 9, 15, 5; cf.: “si aedes corruerunt vitiumve fecerunt,” have received damage, become damaged, id. Top. 3, 15.—In plants, a blemish, vice: “sive illis (agris) omne per ignem Excoquitur vitium atque exsudat inutilis umor,” Verg. G. 1, 88: “vitio moriens sitit aëris herba,” id. E. 7, 57.—In fruits, the useless part, the core: “vitiumque cinctum fructu,” Plin. 15, 28, 34, § 112.—
II. Trop.
A. In gen., a fault, defect, blemish: “acutius atque acrius vitia in dicente quam recta videre,” Cic. de Or. 1, 25, 116; cf. “orationis,” Quint. 1, 5, 1; 12, 1, 22: “sermonis,” id. 1, 1, 13: “soloecismi,” id. 1, 5, 53: “ingenii,” id. 10, 1, 60: “mentis,” id. 12, 1, 32: “Stoicae sectae,” id. 11, 1, 70: “et illud mihi vitium'st maximum,” my greatest fault, Ter. Hec. 1, 2, 37: “huc si perveneris, meum vitium fuerit,” my fault, Cic. Ac. 2, 16, 49: “quamvis quis fortunae vitio, non suo decexisset,” id. Phil. 2, 18, 44: “honorem vitio civitatis, non suo, non sunt adsecuti,” id. Har. Resp. 26, 56: “male conjecta falsa sunt, non rerum vitio, sed interpretum inscientiā,” id. Div. 1, 52, 118: animadverso vitio castrorum totā nocte munitiones proferunt, i. e. the faulty, unfavorable position (just before: “natura iniquo loco castra ponunt),” Caes. B. C. 1, 81: “milites item conflictati et tempestatis et sentinae vitiis,” the injurious effects, id. ib. 3, 28: “sese nihil adhuc arbitrari vitio factum eorum,” id. ib. 3, 57: “vini vitio atque amoris feci,” through the fault of, Plaut. Aul. 4, 10, 15.—
B. In partic.
1. A moral fault, failing, error, offence, crime, vice (the predom. signif. of the word in prose and poetry; cf.: “scelus, delictum): nullam quidem ob turpitudinem, nullum ob totius vitae non dicam vitium, sed erratum,” Cic. Clu. 48, 133: “legibus et praemia proposita sunt virtutibus et supplicia vitiis,” id. de Or. 1, 58. 247: “virtus est vitium fugere, Hor. ep. 1, 1, 41: senectus est naturā loquacior, ne ab omnibus eam vitiis videar vindicare,” Cic. Sen. 16, 55: “in vitio esse,” id. Off. 1, 19, 62: ne sibi vitio verterent, quod abesset a patriā, reckon it a fault, id. Fam. 7, 6, 1: “te laudem Sex. Roscio vitio et culpae dedisse,” id. Rosc. Am. 16, 48; Matius ap. Cic. Fam. 11, 28, 2.—
b. In respect of female chastity (whether of maidens or wives), a violation: “quia pudicitiae hujus (Alcumenae) vitium me hic absente est additum,” Plaut. Am. 2, 2, 179: “pudicitiae ejus nunquam nec vim nec vitium attuli,” id. Ep. 1, 2, 7: “quoi misere per vim vitium obtulerat,” Ter. Ad. 3, 2, 10; so, “offerre,” id. ib. 3, 1, 9: “virginis,” id. Eun. 4, 4, 55; cf.: “vitium auctore redemit,” Ov. H. 16 (17), 49.—
2. In relig. lang., a defect in the auspices or auguries: si cui servo aut ancillae dormienti evenit, quod comitia prohibere solet, ne id quidem mihi vitium facit, Cato ap. Fest. s. v. prohibere, p. 234 fin. Müll.; Ter. Hec. prol. 2; Liv. 8, 23, 16; 4, 7, 3: “id igitur obvenit vitium, quod tu jam Cal. Jan. futurum esse provideras,” Cic. Phil. 2, 33, 83: “tabernaculum vitio captum,” id. N. D. 2, 4, 11; cf.: “vitio navigare,” id. Div. 1, 16, 29: “comitiorum solum vitium est fulmen,” id. ib. 2, 18, 43.—
3. A fault of language: “barbarismi ac soloecismi foeditas absit ... haec vitia, etc.,” Quint. 1, 5, 5.—