lutum

1.

lūtum, i, n., a plant used in dyeing yellow, yellow-weed. dyer's-weed, weld:

jam croceo mutabit vellera luto,

Verg. E. 4, 44; Plin. 33, 5, 26, § 87; Vitr. 7, 14.—

II.

Transf., a yellow color, yellow, Verg. Cir. 316:

nimius luto corpora tingit amor,

Tib. 1, 9 (8), 52 Heyne ad loc.

2.

lŭtum, i, n. ( lŭtus, i, m., Quadrig. ap. Non. 212, 17) [luo], mud, mire.

I.

Lit.:

volutari in luto,

Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 24, § 53:

cratesque luto integuntur,

Caes. B. C. 2, 15; Quadrig. ap. Non. 212, 17:

imbre lutoque Aspersus,

Hor. Ep. 1, 11, 11:

luto perfusa porticus,

Juv. 14, 66: pinguia crura luto, id. 3, 247:

luto opplere aliquem,

Suet. Vesp. 5:

in longa via et pulvis et lutum et pluvia,

Sen. Ep. 96, 3:

si quis aliquem luto obliniverit,

Paul. Sent. 5, 4, 13:

te pervolvam in luto,

Ter. And. 4, 4, 38.—In plur.: luta et limum aggerebant, Cic. Fragm. ap. Non. 212, 16.—Prov.: in luto esse or haerere, to stick in the mud, i. e. to be at a dead stop, unable to proceed:

nunc homo in medio luto est: Nomen nescit,

Plaut. Ps. 4, 2, 27:

neque mihi haud imperito eveniet, tali ut in luto haeream,

id. Pers. 4, 3, 66:

in eodem haesitas luto,

Ter. Phorm. 5, 2, 15; cf. Lact. 2, 8, 24; 7, 2, 3: pro luto esse, to be as cheap as dirt:

pro luto erat annona,

Petr. 44:

omnia pro luto habere,

id. 67, 10; cf. id. 51, 6.—As a term of reproach, mud, filth: ludis me. Pa. Tum mihi sunt manus inquinatae. Sc. Quidum? Pa. Quia ludo luto, Plaut. Mil. 2, 3, 54; id. Most. 5, 2, 45:

Lutum lenonium, commictum caeno stercilinum publicum!

id. Pers. 3, 5, 2; 9; Cat. 42, 13:

O tenebrae, o lutum, o sordes,

offscouring of the earth, Cic. Pis. 26, 62.—

II.

Transf.

A.

Loam, clay, potter's clay:

pocula de facili luto componere,

Tib. 1, 1, 40:

ficta Saguntino cymbia malo luto,

Mart. 8, 6, 2: quibus arte benigna Et meliore luto finxit praecordia Titan, of better clay, i. e. of better materials, Juv. 14, 34; cf. Pers. 3, 23:

homines compositi luto,

Juv. 6, 13.—

B.

The dust with which wrestlers besprinkled themselves, Sen. Ep. 88, 18.