I.a going, passing, motion, course (poet. and post-Aug.).
I. Lit.: “solis lunaeque meatus,” Lucr. 1, 128: “caeli,” Verg. A. 6, 850: “aquilae,” flight, Tac. H. 1, 62: “spiritus,” i. e. the breathing, respiration, Quint. 7, 10, 10: “animae,” Plin. Ep. 6 16, 13. —
II. Transf., concr., a way, path, passage, Val. Fl. 3, 403: “meatum vomiticnibus praeparare,” Plin. 19, 5, 26, § 85: “spirandi,” id. 28, 13, 55, § 197: cur signa meatus Deseruere suos, left their paths, i. e. became darkened, eclipsed, Luc. 1, 664: “Danubius in Ponticum sex meatibus erumpit,” discharges itself through six channels, Tac. G. 1; cf.: “bifido meatu divisus Rhenus,” divided into two channels, Claud. B. G. 336. —
