linum

līnum, i, n. [Gr. linon; Goth. lein; Germ. Leinwand; Engl. linen], flax.

I.

Lit.:

reticulum, tenuissimo lino,

Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 11, § 27:

urit lini campum seges,

Verg. G. 1, 77; cf. Plin. 19 prooem. § 2;

19, 1, 1, § 9: lino legato tam factum quam infectum continetur, quodque netum quodque in tela est,

Dig. 32, 70, 11.—

II.

Transf.

A.

A thread, Cels. 7, 14:

consuto vulnere, crassum atque recens linum ostendit non una cicatrix,

Juv. 3, 151.—Esp., the thread with which letters were bound and legal instruments sealed:

effer cito stilum, ceram et tabellas et linum,

Plaut. Bacch. 4, 4, 64:

per ceram et linum litterasque interpretes salutem mittit,

id. Ps. 1, 1, 40:

linum incidimus, legimus,

Cic. Cat. 3, 5.—Hence:

solvere vincula epistolae,

to open a letter, Nep. Paus. 4, 1:

lino consignare tabulas,

Paul. Sent. 5, 25, 6:

easque tabulas proprio lino propriaque cera consignamus,

Gai. Inst. 2, 181:

linum ruptum,

Quint. 12, 8, 13.—

B.

A fishing line:

nunc in mole sedens moderabar arundine linum,

Ov. M. 13, 923.—

C.

A linen cloth or garment, linen:

Massica Integrum perdunt lino vitiata saporem,

strained through linen, Hor. S. 2, 4, 54; Ov. F. 5, 519:

velati lino et verbena tempora cincti,

Verg. A. 12, 120:

lino vestiri aut lanis,

Mel. 3, 7, 3.—

D.

A sail: lina sinu Tendere toto, Sen. Med. 320.—

E.

A rope, cable:

subducere carbasa lino,

Ov. F. 3, 587.—

F.

A net for hunting or fishing; a hunter's net, toils:

positarum lina plagarum,

Ov. M. 7, 768:

nec lina sequi nodosa sinebam,

id. ib. 7, 807; 3, 153.— A fisher's net, drag-net, Verg. G. 1, 142; Ov. M. 13, 931.— Plur., Juv. 5, 102:

cymbae linique magister,

i. e. the fisherman, id. 4, 45; Sil. 7, 503.—

G.

A linen corselet, habergeon:

fugit hasta per oras Multiplicis lini,

Sil. 4, 292:

tempora multiplici mos est defendere lino,

id. 3, 272:

thorax Multiplicis lini,

id. 9, 587.—

H.

A string of pearls:

uno lino decies sestertium inseritur,

Tert. Cult. Fem. 1, 9.—

K.

A lampwick:

fumigans,

Vulg. Isa. 42, 3; Tert. adv. Marc. 4, 23:

ardens,

id. adv. Jud. 9.