instrumentum

instrūmentum, i, n. [id.], an implement of any kind, a utensil, tool, instrument (class.).

I.

Lit.:

militare,

Caes. B. G. 6, 30:

culinarum argentea,

Just. 38, 10, 4:

crudelia jussae instrumenta necis,

Ov. M. 3, 698.—

2.

Esp., sing. collect., instruments, apparatus, material, stock, furniture (freq. and class.):

instrumentum ac ornamenta villae,

Cic. Dom. 24, 62:

orationes magna impensā magnoque instrumento tueri,

id. Verr. 2, 3, 21, § 53:

belli instrumentum et apparatus,

id. Ac. 2, 1, 3: rusticum, Phaedr. 4, 4, 24; Val. Max. 4, 4, 6:

hostium spolia, monumenta imperatorum, decora atque ornamenta fanorum, in instrumento atque in supellectile Verris nominabuntur,

Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 44, § 97; cf. Pall. 1, 43, 1:

hibernorum,

Caes. B. C. 5, 31:

bellicum,

Liv. 42, 53, 4:

nauticum,

id. 30, 10, 3:

venatorium,

Plin. Ep. 3, 19, 3:

piscationis,

Paul. Sent. 3, 6, 41.—Esp., in law, the personalty, chattels, or stock of a farm, business, trade, etc.:

fundo legato, neque instrumentum fundi... ad legatarium pertinet,

Paul. Sent. 3, 6, 34:

instrumento cauponio legato, ea debentur, quae in cauponis usum parata sunt, velut vasa,

id. ib. 3, 6, 61:

pistoris,

id. ib. §

64: medici,

Dig. 33, 7, 18, § 10; cf.:

in fanis alia vasorum sunt et sacrae supellectilis, alia ornamentorum, quae vasorum sunt instrumenti instar habent, quibus sacrificia conficiuntur,

apparatus, Macr. S. 3, 11, 5. —

II.

Trop.

A.

Of writings, an instrument, document, record:

opus est intueri omne litis instrumentum,

Quint. 12, 8, 12:

aerearum tabularum tria milia... instrumentum imperii pulcherrimum ac vetustissimum,

Suet. Vesp. 8:

publici instrumenti auctoritas,

id. Calig. 8:

emtionis,

Dig. 24, 1, 58:

si scriptum fuerit instrumento, promisisse aliquem,

Paul. Sent. 5, 7, 2:

instrumentorum obligatio desideratur,

id. ib. 2, 17, 13. —

B.

Store, provision, supply, means, assistance, furtherance, etc.:

oratoris,

provision, supply, Cic. de Or. 1, 36, 165:

causarum,

id. ib. 2, 34, 146.— Absol.:

quid viatici, quid instrumenti satis sit,

i. e. for a journey, Cic. Att. 12, 32, 2:

instrumenta ad obtinendam sapientiam,

means, id. Leg. 1, 22, 59:

virtutis,

id. Cat. 2, 5, 9:

naturae,

id. Brut. 77, 268:

graviorum artium,

id. ib. 97:

dicendi,

Quint. 12, 11, 24:

ciborum,

i. e. organs of digestion, Plin. 7, 50, 51, § 168.—

C.

Ornament, embellishment:

felices ornent haec instrumenta libellos,

Ov. Tr. 1, 1, 9:

anilia,

apparel, dress, id. M. 14, 766; Suet. Aug. 73.