bilinguis

σιγή ποτ' ἐστὶν αἱρετωτέρα λόγου → sometimes silence is preferable to words (Menander)

Latin > English (Lewis & Short)

bĭlinguis: e, adj. bis - lingua,
I twotongued, double-tongued.
I Lit., having two tongues; humorously, of voluptuous persons kissing, Plaut. Ps. 5, 1, 15; cf. id. Poen. 5, 4, 65.—
   B Transf.
   1    Tibiae, with two keys, Varr. ap. Non. p. 229, 24.—
   2    Speaking two languages: bilinguis δίγλωσσος, Gloss.: bilingues Bruttates Ennius dixit, quod Bruttii et Osce et Graece loqui soliti sint, Paul. ex Fest. p. 35 Müll.; cf. Commod. p. 350: corvinus, Canusini more bilinguis, Hor. S. 1, 10, 30: sed jam bilingues erant, paulatim a domestico externo sermone degeneres, Curt. 7, 5, 29.—
II Trop.
   A Double-tongued, hypocritical, deceitful, false, treacherous: tamquam proserpens bestia, est bilinguis et scelestus, Plaut. Pers. 2, 4, 28: edico prius, Ne duplicis habeatis linguas, ne ego bilinguis vos necem, id. Truc. 4, 3, 7 (cf. id. Poen. 5, 2, 74: bisulcilingua quasi proserpens bestia): quippe domum timet ambiguam Tyriosque bilinguis, Verg. A. 1, 661: homo, Phaedr. 2, 4, 25; Sil. 2, 56: os, Vulg. Prov. 8, 13: socii, Sil. 16, 157: insidiae, Claud. B. Gild. 284.—
   B Fabulae, having a double meaning, allegorical, Arn. 5, p. 228.