velum

vēlum, i, n. [root var, to cover; cf. vellus, and v. Corss. Ausspr. 1, 459], a cloth, covering, awning, curtain, veil:

tabernacula carbaseis intenta velis,

Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 12, § 30:

velis amictos non togis,

id. Cat. 2, 10, 22:

eadem (i. e. uxor) si quando recito, in proximo, discreta velo, sedet,

Plin. Ep. 4, 19, 3.—So of chamber-curtains, hangings, Suet. Claud. 10; Juv. 6, 228; 9, 105:

adlevare,

Sen. Ep. 80, 1.—Of the awnings stretched over the theatre or other public places as a protection from the sun, Lucr. 4, 75; Prop. 4 (5), 1, 15; Ov. A. A. 1, 103; Inscr. Orell. 2219; Val. Max. 2, 4, 6; cf. Plin. 19, 1, 6, § 23:

multis simulationum involucris tegitur et quasi velis quibusdam obtenditur unius cujusque natura,

Cic. Q. Fr. 1, 1, 5, § 15.—

II.

Esp., a sail (in good prose usually in plur.).

(α).

Plur.:

scindere vela,

Plaut. Trin. 4, 1, 18:

ad id, unde aliquis flatus ostenditur, vela do,

Cic. de Or. 2, 44, 187:

dare,

id. Or. 23, 75; Liv. 31, 45, 11; Quint. 10, 3, 7; Hor. C. 1, 34, 4:

facere,

Cic. Tusc. 4, 4, 9; Verg. A. 5, 281; cf.

fieri,

Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 34, § 88:

pandere,

Quint. 6, 1, 52:

solvere,

Verg. A. 4, 574:

deducere,

Ov. M. 3, 663:

dirigere ad castra Corneliana,

Caes. B. C. 2, 25:

quo utinam velis passis pervehi liceat!

Cic. Tusc. 1, 49, 119:

contrahere,

id. Att. 1, 16, 2; Quint. 12, praef. § 4; Hor. C. 2, 10, 24:

subducere, Auct. B. Alex. 45, 3: legere,

Verg. G. 1, 373:

tendunt vela Noti,

id. A. 3, 268:

ventis inplere,

id. ib. 7, [p. 1966] 23:

classem velis aptare,

id. ib. 3, 472.— Poet., of wings:

pennarum,

Lucr. 6, 744. —

(β).

Sing.:

navale velum,

Macr. S. 5, 21, 5:

in pontum vento secundo, velo passo pervenit,

Plaut. Stich. 2, 2, 45; id. Mil. 4, 8, 7; id. Ep. 1, 1, 47; Verg. A. 1, 103; 1, 400; Ov. H. 13, 101:

pleno concita velo puppis,

id. M. 7, 491; 11, 483 al.—

b.

Prov.: remis velisque, with oars and sails, i. e. with tooth and nail, with might and main:

res velis, ut ita dicam, remisque fugienda,

Cic. Tusc. 3, 11, 25; cf.:

remigio veloque quantum potis es festina et fuge,

Plaut. As. 1, 3, 5 (cf. the similar phrase, remis ventisque, sub remus); cf.:

non agimur tumidis velis,

Hor. Ep. 2, 2, 201:

plenissimis velis navigare,

Cic. Dom. 10, 24.—

B.

Trop.:

utrum panderem vela orationis statim, an, etc.,

Cic. Tusc. 4, 5, 9:

dare vela Famae,

Mart. 8, 70, 6:

voti contrahe vela tui,

Ov. P. 1, 8, 72:

velis majoribus,

with more zeal, id. A. A. 2, 725; id. F. 2, 3:

in quo tu ingenii simul dolorisque velis latissime vectus es,

Plin. Ep. 4, 20, 2:

dedimus vela indignationi, dedimus irae,

id. ib. 6, 33, 10:

pande vela, ac, si quando alias, toto ingenio vehere,

id. ib. 8, 4, 5.