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scirpus (sometimes sirpus ), i, m.
I. A rush, bulrush, Plin. 16, 37, 70, § 178; 7, 56, 57, § 206; Fest. p. 330 Müll.; Plaut. Rud. 2, 6, 39; Vulg. Job, 8, 11. —
b. Prov.: nodum in scirpo quaerere, to seek a knot in a bulrush, to find a difficulty where there is none: quaerunt in scirpo, soliti quod dicere, nodum, Enn. ap. Fest. p. 330 (Sat. v. 46 Vahl.); so, “in scirpo nodum quaeris,” Plaut. Men. 2, 1, 22; and: “no dum in scirpo quaeris,” Ter. And. 5, 4, 38.—
II. Transf., deriving the idea of intricacy from plaited work of rushes, a riddle, enigma: “quae Graeci dicunt aenigmata, hoc genus quidam e nostris veteribus scirpos appellaverunt,” Gell. 12, 6, 1.
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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  • Cross-references in general dictionaries from this page (3):
    • Plautus, Menaechmi, 2.1
    • Plautus, Rudens, 2.6
    • Gellius, Noctes Atticae, 12.6.1
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