stillicidium

Latin > English (Lewis & Short)

stillĭcĭdĭum: (also written stilĭcĭd-; v. Lachm. ad Lucr. p. 33), ii, n. stilla-cado,
I 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.