coclea

cō̆clĕa ( cō̆chlĕa; cf. the letter C), ae, f. [kochlias, o], a snail:

quom caletur cocleae in occulto latent,

Plaut. Capt. 1, 1, 12; Plin. 9, 56, 82, § 173 sq.; Varr. R. R. 3, 14; Cic. Div. 2, 64, 133; Auct. Her. 4, 49, 62; Hor. S. 2, 4, 59:

nudae,

without shells, Plin. 29, 6, 36, § 112;

an emblem of slowness,

Plaut. Poen. 3, 1, 29.—

b.

In cocleam, snail-formed, spiral, Cels. 8, 10, 1; Col. 8, 17, 2; cf.:

per cocleam ascendebat in cenaculum,

Vulg. 3 Reg. 6, 8.—

II.

Meton.

A.

A snail-shell, Mart. 11, 18, 23.—

B.

A screw of a press, Vitr. 6, 9.—

C.

A machine for drawing water, a water-snail, waterscrew, Vitr. 5, 12; 10, 8; 10, 11.—

D.

A door that moves easily, Varr. R. R. 3, 5, 3 Schneid.