View source for limen

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|lshtext=<b>līmen</b>: ĭnis, n. Gr. [[λέχρις]], [[λοξός]]>; Lat. [[obliquus]], līmus; [[hence]] [[prop]]. a [[cross]]-[[piece]],<br /><b>I</b> a [[threshold]]; the [[head]]-[[piece]] or [[foot]]-[[piece]] of a doorway, the [[lintel]] or the sill ([[limen]] superum et inferum).<br /><b>I</b> Lit.: [[limen]] superum inferumque, [[salve]], Plaut. Merc. 5, 1, 1: [[limen]] superum, [[quod]] mihi [[misero]] [[saepe]] confregit [[caput]]: Inferum [[autem]], ubi ego [[omnis]] digitos defregi meos, [[Novius]] ap. Non. 336, 14: [[sensim]] [[super]] attolle [[limen]] [[pedes]], nova [[nupta]], Plaut. Cas. 4, 4, 1: imponere foribus, Plin. 36, 14, 21, § 96: ad [[limen]] consulis adesse, Liv. 2, 48: curiae, id. 3, 41: [[primo]] limine, at the [[outer]] [[threshold]], Juv. 1, 96.—Plur. ([[poet]].): haec limina, [[intra]] quae [[puer]] est, Juv. 14, 45; 220.—The [[moment]] of [[touching]] the [[threshold]] [[was]] regarded as [[ominous]]: ter [[limen]] tetigi, Ov. Tr. 1, 3, 55.—Prov.: salutare a limine, to [[greet]] in [[passing]], i. e. to [[touch]] [[upon]] [[slightly]], not go [[deeply]] [[into]], Sen. Ep. 49, 6.—<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<b>B</b> Transf.<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<b>1</b>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; A [[door]], [[entrance]]: ubi hanc ego tetulero [[intra]] [[limen]], Plaut. Cist. 3, 19: intrare [[intra]] [[limen]], id. Men. 2, 3, 63: [[intra]] [[limen]] cohibere se, to [[keep]] [[within]] doors, id. Mil. 3, 1, 11: marmoreo stridens in limine [[cardo]], Verg. Cir. 222; Hor. Ep. 1, 18, 73: fores in liminibus profanarum aedium januae nominantur, Cic. N. D. 2, 27, 67: ad valvas se templi limenque convertisse, Caes. B. C. 3, 105: penetrare aulas et limina regum, the courts and doors, Verg. G. 2, 504: ipso in limine portae, id. A. 2, 242; cf.: tremuitque [[saepe]] limite in [[primo]] [[sonipes]], Sen. Agam. 629: famuli ad limina, doorkeepers, porters, Sil. 1, 66: in limine portūs, at the [[very]] [[entrance]] of the [[haven]], Verg. A. 7, 598: densos per limina tende corymbos, Juv. 6, 52.—<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<b>2</b>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Still [[more]] gen., a [[house]], [[dwelling]], [[abode]]: matronae nulla auctoritate virorum contineri limine poterant, in the [[house]], at [[home]], Liv. 34, 1: ad [[limen]] consulis adesse, etc., id. 2, 48: limine pelli, Verg. A. 7, 579.—<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<b>3</b>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Poet., the [[barrier]] in a [[race]]-[[course]]: [[limen]] relinquunt, Verg. A. 5, 316.—<br /><b>II</b> Trop., [[both]] [[entrance]] and [[exit]].<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<b>A</b> A [[beginning]], [[commencement]] ([[poet]]. and in [[post]]-Aug. [[prose]]): leti limine in ipso, Lucr. 6, 1157: in limine belli, Tac. A. 3, 74: in ipso [[statim]] limine obstare, Quint. 2, 11, 1: in limine victoriae, Curt. 6, 3, 10; 6, 9, 17; 9, 10, 26: a limine ipso mortis revocatus, Plin. 7, 44, 45, § 143; Sen. Ep. 22, 16; Just. 14, 3, 9.—<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<b>B</b> An [[end]], [[termination]] ([[post]]-[[class]].): in ipso finitae lucis limine, App. M. 11, p. 267, 18; cf.: limina [[sicut]] in domibus finem quendam faciunt, sic et imperii finem [[limen]] esse veteres voluerunt, Just. Inst. 1, 12, § 5.
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