stilicidium

stillĭcĭdĭum (also written stilĭcĭd-; v. Lachm. ad Lucr. p. 33), ii, n. [stilla-cado], a liquid which falls drop by drop, a dripping moisture, stillicide:

stillicidium eo quod stillatim cadat,

Varr. L. L. 5, § 27 Müll.

I.

In gen. ( poet. and in post-Aug. prose):

stillicidi casus lapidem cavat,

Lucr. 1, 313:

grandinis,

Sen. Q. N. 4, 3, 2:

urinae,

Plin. 30, 8, 21, § 66; cf.

vesicae,

id. 28, 8, 32, § 122:

arborum,

id. 17, 12, 18, § 89:

mellis,

Tert. Spect. 27 fin.: raritas nubium stillicidia dispergit, App. de Mundo, p. 61.—

B.

Trop.:

per stillicidia emittere animam quam semel exhalare,

little by little, Sen. Ep. 101, 14.—

II.

In partic., falling rain, rain-water falling from the eaves of houses (class.):

jura parietum, luminum, stillicidiorum,

Cic. de Or. 1, 38, 173; id. Or. 21, 79; id. Top. 5, 27; Vitr. 2, 1; Dig. 8, 6, 8; 8, 2, 20; Pall. Aug. 8, 2.