acumen
ὁ Σιμωνίδης τὴν μὲν ζωγραφίαν ποίησιν σιωπῶσαν προσαγορεύει, τὴν δὲ ποίησιν ζωγραφίαν λαλοῦσαν → Simonides relates that a picture is a silent poem, and a poem a speaking picture | Simonides, however, calls painting inarticulate poetry and poetry articulate painting
English > Greek (Woodhouse)
substantive
P. and V. σύνεσις, ἡ, γνώμη, ἡ, P. φρόνησις, ἡ, ἀγχίνοια, ἡ (Plato).
Latin > English
acumen acuminis N N :: sharpened point, spur; sting; peak, promontory; sharpness/cunning/acumen; fraud
Latin > English (Lewis & Short)
ăcūmĕn: ĭnis, n. acuo,
I a point to prick or sting with; diff. fr. cacumen, which designates merely the summit or extremity of a thing, Doed. Syn. 2, 108.
I Lit.: tum clupei resonunt et ferri stridit acumen, Enn. ap. Prisc. p. 838 P. (Ann. v. 369 ed. Vahl.): coni, Lucr. 4, 431: nasi, id. 6, 1193 (i.e. the pointed contraction of the nose before death; cf. Bentl. ad Hor. S. 1, 3, 29): stili, Cic. de Or. 1, 33: ferrum Diana volanti abstulerat jaculo: lignum sine acumine venit, Ov. M. 8, 353; 3, 84.—Hence, also, the sting of an animal: scorpii, Cic. Arat. 685:—auspicium ex acuminibus, a military omen of victory, when the spears stuck in the ground suddenly begin to burn or shine at the points, Cic. Div. 2, 36, 77, and id. N. D. 2, 3; cf. Liv. 22, 1; 43, 13.—In Plin., of the taste: sharpness or pungency, 14, 20, 25.—
II Fig., of the mind, like acies.
A Acuteness, shrewdness, keenness, acumen: sermonis leporem, ingeniorum acumen, dicendi copiam, Cic. Fl. 4; so Nep. Alc. 11; Plin. 2, 27, 27, § 97.—Also without a gen.: ubi est acumen tuum? Cic. Tusc. 1, 6; so Lucr. ap. Cic. Fam. 5, 14, 2: Empedocles an Stertinium deliret acumen, Hor. Ep. 1, 12, 20.—Poet. also in plur.: serus Graecis admovit acumina chartis, Hor. Ep. 2, 1, 161.—
B Cunning, subtlety: argutiae et acumen Hyperidis, Cic. Or. 31; so id. de Or. 2, 63.—Also in plur.: dialectici ipsi se compungunt suis acuminibus, id. de Or. 2, 38: meretricis acumina, Hor. Ep. 1, 17, 55. —Hence,>
Latin > French (Gaffiot 2016)
ăcūmen,¹¹ ĭnis, n., (acuo), pointe :
1 [au propre] pointe de glaive, de lance : Ov. M. 12, 84, etc.; auspicia ex acuminibus Cic. Nat. 2, 9, auspices tirés des pointes de lance [étincelantes en temps d’orage] ; sub acumen stili subeunt Cic. de Or. 1, 151, [les idées] viennent sous la pointe du stylet (de la plume) || extrémité [du nez] Lucr. 6, 1193 ; des doigts] Ov. M. 11, 72 ; [sommet d’une montagne] Ov. M. 12, 337 ; [pointe d’un cône] Lucr. 4, 431
2 [fig.] a) pénétration [en parlant de l’intelligence] : Cic. de Or. 2, 147 ; ingeniorum Cic. Fl. 9, finesse des esprits ; dialecticorum Cic. de Or. 1, 128, finesse (pénétration) des dialecticiens || verbi aut sententiæ Cic. de Or. 2, 244, finesse piquante de l’expression ou de la pensée ; acumen habere Cic. de Or. 2, 257, avoir du piquant ; b) subtilités, finesses : Cic. de Or. 2, 158 ; meretricis acumina Hor. Ep. 1, 17, 55, les ruses d’une courtisane.
Latin > German (Georges)
acūmen, minis, n. (acuo), die Spitze, I) eig., nasi (Sterbender), Lucr.: rostri, Plin.: scorpii, der Stachel, Cic. poët.: obscurum coni, Lucr.: verba sub acumen stili veniant, vor die Spitze des Griffels (wir: »vor die Feder«) kommen, Cic.: lignum (Schaft der Lanze) sine acumine venit, Ov.: acumina (gladiorum) densis ictibus hebescebant, Amm.: auspicium ex acuminibus, Vorbedeutung (für den Sieg) aus leuchtenden Spitzen (der Speere, wenn an ihnen elektrische Flämmchen sich zeigten), Cic. (vgl. acumina auspicata, Arnob.). – II) übtr.: A) übh. die Spitze, der Stachel, acuminibus dolorum tortari, Arnob. 3, 10. – B) insbes.: a) das Pikante des Geschmackes, acumina saporis, Plin. 14, 124. – b) die Schärfung des Tones (Ggstz. gravitas), Boëth. inst. mus. 4, 5. – c) die Pointe, die Spitze des Witzes, verbi aut sententiae quoddam acumen, Cic. de or. 2, 244: etiam interpretatio nominis habet acumen, ibid. 2, 257. – d) der Scharfsinn, scharfe Verstand, ingenii, Cic.: absol., ubi est acumen tuum? Cic.: ac. dialecticorum, Cic.: acumen eius et sollertia ad aedificia paranda, Vitr.: poet. im Plur., Hor. ep. 2, 1, 161: dah. auch verständiger Sinn acuminis strenui magister, Col. 1, 9, 3. – e) die Spitzfindigkeit, scharfe spitzfindige Rede, Pfiffe u. Kniffe, argutiae et acumen eius, Cic. or. 110: acumina meretricis, Hor. ep. 1, 17, 55: argutiae sunt, ut apparet, atque acumina haec omnia, Arnob. 5, 33: se compungere suis acuminibus, Cic. de or. 2, 158.
