I. Dark-colored, blackish-gray, dusky, blackish: “lepus superiore parte pulla, ventre albo,” Varr. R. R. 3, 12, 5: “nigra terra, quam pullam vocant,” Col. 1, praef. § “24: color lanae pullus atque fuscus,” id. 7, 2, 4: “ne maculis infuscet vellera pullis,” Verg. G. 3, 389: “hostia,” Tib. 1, 2, 62: “capilli,” Ov. Am. 2, 4, 41: “myrtus,” dusky, dark-green, Hor. C, 1, 25, 18; cf. “ficus,” id. Epod. 16, 46.—ESD. freq.: pulla vestis, a dark-gray garment (of dark-gray or undyed wool, the dress of mourners and of the lower orders), of mourners, Varr. ap. Non. 549, 33; “also called toga pulla, not worn at funeral repasts,” Cic. Vatin. 12, 30; 13, 31.—Hence, subst.: pullum , i, n., a dark - gray garment, Ov. M. 11, 48: “pullo amictus,” Liv. 45, 7; Flor. 4, 2, 45.—Plur.: “pulla decent niveas (puellas),” Ov. A. A. 3, 189.—
II. Transf.
a. In allusion to the clothing of the poor: “pulla paupertas,” Calp. Ecl. 7, 26; “80: ipse praetor cum tunicā pullā sedere solebat,” Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 24, § 54.— “Prov.: non possum togam praetextam sperare, cum exordium pullum videam,” i. e. a bad beginning cannot make a good ending, Quint. 5, 10, 71.—