View source for morsus

{{Lewis
|lshtext=<b>morsus</b>: a, um, Part., from [[mordeo]].<br /><b>morsus</b>: ūs, m. [[mordeo]],<br /><b>I</b> a [[biting]], a [[bite]].<br /><b>I</b> Lit.: [[contra]] avium minorum [[morsus]] munitur [[vallo]] aristarum. Cic. Sen. 15, 51: serpentis, id. Fat. 16, 36: morsu apprehendere, to [[bite]], Plin. 11, 24, 28, § 84: morsibus insequi, Ov. M. 13, 568: morsu appetere, Tac. H. 4, 42: nec tu mensarum [[morsus]] horresce futuros, the [[eating]], Verg. A. 3, 394: mucida frusta farinae ... non admittentia [[morsum]], Juv. 5, 69: vertere [[morsus]] Exiguam in Cererem [[penuria]] adegit edendi, [[their]] bites, [[their]] teeth, id. ib. 7, 112; so, zonam morsu [[tenere]], by the teeth, Juv. 14, 297.—<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<b>B</b> Transf.<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<b>1</b>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; A [[catching]] [[hold]]; and, concr., [[that]] [[which]] takes [[hold]], a [[catch]] (of a [[buckle]], etc.; [[poet]].): quā fibulā [[morsus]] Loricae [[crebro]] laxata resolverat ictu, Sil. 7, 624: roboris, i. e. the [[cleft]] of the [[tree]] [[which]] held [[fast]] the [[javelin]], Verg. A. 12, 782: patulis agitatos morsibus ignes spirent, Grat. Falisc. 270.—<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<b>2</b>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Sharpness of flavor, [[sharp]] [[taste]], pungency: nec [[cibus]] [[ipse]] juvat morsu fraudatus aceti, Mart. 7, 25, 5: [[marinus]], [[acrid]] [[quality]], Plin. 36, 26, 65, § 191: et scabros nigrae morsu rubiginis enses, i. e. a corroding, [[consuming]], Luc. 1, 243.—<br /><b>II</b> Trop., a [[bite]], [[sting]], [[pain]], [[vexation]], etc.: (carmina) [[odio]] [[obscuro]] morsuque venenare, a [[malicious]] [[attack]], Hor. Ep. 1, 14, 38: perpetui curarum [[morsus]], gnawings, pains, Ov. P. 1, 1, 73: doloris, a [[bite]], [[sting]], Cic. Tusc. 4, 7, 15: libertatis intermissae, id. Off. 2, 7, 24: dubiā [[morsus]] famae depellere pugnā, Sil. 2, 271.
}}
{{Gaffiot
|gf=(1) <b>[[morsus]], a, um, part. p. de [[mordeo]].<br />(2) <b>morsŭs</b>,¹⁰ ūs, m.,<br /><b>1</b> morsure : Cic. CM 51 ; Tac. H. 4, 42 || [poét., en parl. d’une agrafe, d’une ancre, etc., de qqch. qui saisit et retient] Sil. 7, 624 ; Virg. En. 12, 782<br /><b>2</b> goût âpre ou piquant : Mart. 7, 25, 5 ; Plin. 36, 191<br /><b>3</b> [fig.] rubiginis Luc. 1, 243, la rouille qui ronge || doloris Cic. Tusc. 2, 53 ; 4, 15, la morsure de la douleur || morsure, attaque : Cic. Off. 2, 24 ; [de l’envie] Hor. Ep. 1, 14, 38.
}}