limes

Latin > English

limes limitis N M :: path, track; limit; strip of uncultivated ground marking boundary

Latin > English (Lewis & Short)

līmĕs: ĭtis, m. root in līmus; cf. limen, and Gr. λέχρις; cf. Just. Inst. 1, 12, 5,
I a cross-path, balk between fields.
I Lit., the Romans usually had in their fields two broad and two narrower paths; the principal balk from east to west was called limes decumanus; that from north to south was called cardo; of the two smaller ones, that running from east to west was called prorus, the other, from north to south, transversus, Hyg. de Limit. Const. 18, 33 and 34; Col. 1, 8, 7: lutosi limites, Varr. R. R. 2, 4, 8. —
   B Transf. (mostly poet.).
   1    A boundary, limit between two fields or estates, consisting of a stone or a balk: partiri limite campum, Verg. G. 1, 126: saxum antiquum, ingens, campo quod forte jacebat, Limes agro positus, litem ut discerneret arvis, id. A. 12, 897: effodit medio de limite saxum, Juv. 16, 38.—
   2    A fortified boundaryline, a boundary-wall: cuncta inter castellum Alisonem ac Rhenum novis limitibus aggeribusque permunita, Tac. A. 2, 7: limite acto promotisque praesidiis, id. G. 29: penetrat interius, aperit limites, Vell. 2, 120.—
   3    In gen., any path, passage, road, way; also, by-street, by-road: eo limite Athenienses signa extulerunt, Liv. 31, 39: profectus inde transversis limitibus, id. ib.: lato te limite ducam, Verg. A. 9, 323: acclivis, Ov. M. 2, 19: limite recto fugere, id. ib. 7, 782: transversi, by-roads, Liv. 22, 12, 2 Fabr.; 31, 39, 5; 41, 14 init.: limes Appiae, the line of the Appian street (for the street itself), id. 22, 15, 11: limite acto (i. e. facto), Tac. G. 29.— Of the channel of a stream: solito dum flumina currant Limite, Ov. M. 8, 558; Prop. 5, 9, 60.—Of the track of light left behind them by comets, fiery meteors, torches, etc.: flammiferumque trahens spatioso limite crinem, Stella micat, Ov. M. 15, 849: tum longo limite sulcus Dat lucem, Verg. A. 2, 697; Plin. 2, 26, 25, § 96: sectus in obliquo est lato curvamine limes, the zodiac, Ov. M. 2, 130: latum per agmen Ardens limitem agit ferro, Verg. A. 10, 514; cf. Sil. 4, 463; 9, 379; Stat. Th. 9, 182.—
   4    A line or vein in a precious stone: nigram materiam distinguente limite albo, Plin. 37, 10, 69, § 184.—
II Trop.
   A A boundary, limit: limes carminis, Stat. Th. 1, 16: aestuat infelix angusto limite mundi, Juv. 10, 169.—
   B A distinction, difference: judicium brevi limite falle tuum, Ov. R. Am. 325: quaedam perquam tenui limite dividuntur, Quint. 9, 1, 3.—
   C A way, path: si maledicitis vostro gradiar limite, Plaut. Poen. 3, 3, 18: bene meritis de patria quasi limes ad caeli aditum patet, Cic. Somn. Scip. 8; Sen. Ben. 1, 15, 2: eundem limitem agere, to go the same way, employ the same means, Ov. A. A. 3, 558.

Latin > French (Gaffiot 2016)

līmĕs,¹⁰ ĭtis, m.,
1 sentier, passage entre deux champs : Col. Rust. 1, 8, 7 ; Varro R. 2, 4, 8 || bordure, limite : Virg. G. 1, 126 ; Juv. 16, 38 || rempart : Tac. Ann. 2, 7 ; G. 29
2 [en gén.] sentier, chemin, route : Liv. 22, 12, 2 ; Ov. M. 2, 19 ; [fig.] Cic. Rep. 6, 26 || veine [dans une pierre précieuse] : Plin. 37, 184 || sillon, trace : Virg. En. 2, 697 || [fig.] limite, frontière : Juv. 10, 169.

Latin > German (Georges)

līmes, itis, m. (1. limus), der Querweg, Rain, I) eig. u. meton.: A) eig., als Grenzlinie zwischen zwei Äckern od. Weinbergen, Varro, Ov. u.a.: limes decumanus, Hauptrain von Osten nach Westen, Plin.: limes transversus, Querrain von Norden nach Süden, Plin. Vgl. Voß Verg. georg. 1, 126. p. 85. – B) meton.: 1) die durch einen Rain od. einen Markstein bezeichnete Grenzlinie, Grenzscheide, Grenzmark, Grenze, zwischen zwei Äckern od. Weinbergen, partiri limite campum, Verg.: saxum ingens, limes agro positus, Verg.: quā potestate limites meos commoves? verrückst du meine Grenzen, Tert. de praescr. haer. 37: limitem agere (eig. u. bildl.), s. ago no. I, 2, e, Bd. 1. s. 263). – bildl., die Grenzlinie, α) als Ziel, carminis, Stat. Theb. 1, 16. – β) als Unterschied, iudicium brevi limite falle tuum, Ov. rem. 326: quaedam perquam tenui limite dividuntur, Quint. 9, 1, 3. – 2) die befestigte Grenzlinie, der Grenzwall, limitem scindere, Tac.: aperit limites, Vell. – II) übtr.: 1) jede Weglinie, Feldweg, Vizinalweg, Steig, u. in einer bestimmten Linie gehender Weg, Straße, Appiae, Liv.: acclivis, Ov.: latus, Liv.: transversus, Liv.: eo limite signa extulerunt, Liv.: lato te limite ducam, Verg.: limite recto fugere, Ov.: fugientibus me pateant limites, Curt. – limes aquarum, Ov.: solitus limes fluminis, Flußbett, Ov.: quasi limes ad caeli aditum patet, Cic.: bes. eines Kometen u. anderer Himmelskörper, Verg., Ov. u. Plin.: sectus limes, der Tierkreis, Ov. – limites circi, die Gänge zwischen den Sitzreihen, Tert. – bildl., benignitatis fines introrsus referre et illi minus laxum limitem aperire, Sen. – 2) die Linie, Ader auf einem Edelsteine, Plin. 37, 184.