fibra

fī̆bra, ae, f. [acc. to Doed. Syn. 3, p. 22, kindr. with filum (cf. the Eng. string in both senses)], a fibre, filament, in a plant, in a part of an animal's body, etc. (cf. nervus).

I.

Lit.:

viriditas herbescens, nixa fibris stirpium, sensim adolescit,

Cic. de Sen. 15, 51:

omnes radicum fibras evellere,

id. Tusc. 3, 6, 13:

recurvae radicis,

Ov. M. 14, 633:

alliorum,

Verg. M. 88:

tubera undique terra circumdata nullisque fibris nixa aut saltem capillamentis,

Plin. 19, 2, 11, § 33; Col. 11, 2, 9; 11, 3, 21:

pulmo in duas fibras ungulae bubulae modo dividitur..jecur in quatuor fibras dividitur,

i. e. parts, divisions, Cels. 4, 11:

perlucentes numerare in pectore fibras,

Ov. M. 6, 391:

quid fissum in extis, quid fibra valeat, accipio,

Cic. Div. 1, 10, 16; cf.:

pericula praemonent, non fibris modo extisque, sed alia quadam significatione,

Plin. 8, 28, 42, § 102:

altera fibra (jecoris),

id. 11, 37, 76, § 196; 32, 6, 21, § 60: fibrae cincinnorum madentes, Cic. Fragm. ap. Serv. Verg. G. 1, 120 et saep.—

II.

Transf., entrails in gen. ( poet. and in post-Aug. prose):

tura focis, vinumque dedit fibrasque bidentis,

Ov. F. 4, 935; cf.:

caesorumque boum fibris de more crematis,

id. M. 13, 637:

Promethea,

i. e. the liver devoured by the vulture, Val. Fl. 7, 355; cf. Verg. A. 6, 600: conscia deorum (as giving prognostics;

v. above I.),

Tib. 1, 8, 3; cf.:

sibi commissos fibra locuta deos,

Prop. 4 (5), 1, 104:

fibraeque repente Conticuere,

Sil. 1, 138:

neque mihi cornea fibra est,

i. e. I am not so callous, insensible, Pers. 1, 47.—

2.

Trop., like our word bowels, of the interior of the earth:

persequimur omnes ejus (terrae) fibras,

Plin. 33 praef. § 1.