noun · neuterthird declension
ōs1
ōs n (genitive ōris)
Classical[ˈoːs]Ecclesiastical[ˈɔs]
№ 147 of the 1,000 commonest wordsMille Verba core vocabulary
Meaning
- mouth
opprimet hanc animam flūctūs, frūstrāque precantī
Waves will crush this life, and just as I am uselessly praying, by mouth we will swallow waters soon to destroy us. (The poet laments his storm-tossed sea voyage to exile.)8 CE – 12 CE, Ovidius, Tristia 1.2.35–36at illa venit ad eum ad vesperam portans ramum olivae virentibus foliis in ore suo intellexit ergo Noe quod cessassent aquae super terram
But it came to him in the evening carrying a green-leaved olive branch in its mouth, therefore Noah understood that the waters above the land were coming to an end.Genesis, Vulgate 8.11 - (in general) head or face
ad aliquem ora convertere
to turn the head or face towards someoneGorgonis os pulcherrimum cinctum anguibus revellit atque abstulit,[…]
1856 translation by Charles Duke Yonge […] he tore off and took away a very fine head of the Gorgon with snakes for hair;70 BCE, Cicero, In Verrem 2.4.124 - (in general) facial features, countenance, appearance
“[...] Sī quis mihi parvulus aulā / lūderet Aenēās, quī tē tamen ōre referret, [...].” “If [only] for me someone were playing in the hall – a little Aeneas – who, although [lizards were gone], would recall lizards by his appearance, ….”
29 BCE – 19 BCE, Vergilius, Aeneis 4.328–329 - poeticspeech
[…]primi clipeos mentitaque tela / adgnoscunt, atque ora sono discordia signant.
1697 translation by John Dryden They first observe, and to the rest betray, / Our diff'rent speech; our borrow'd arms survey.29 BCE – 19 BCE, Vergilius, Aeneis 2.423 - mouth, lips, opening, entrance, aperture, orifice
Dīxit et ōs impressa torō, [...] / ait [...].
[Dido] spoke and, having pressed her lips upon the bed, cried out: …. (Although many translations have Dido bury her “face” in the “couch,” still others convey the symbolism of a farewell kiss. See: Fitzgerald, 1981: “And here she kissed the bed”; Ruden, 2021: “She kissed the bed”.)29 BCE – 19 BCE, Vergilius, Aeneis 4.659–660 - beak of a ship
- edge of a sword
Latīnē defined in Latin in our graded readers
quō loquimur et edimus; in ōre lingua et dentēs sunt.ōs ōris n — in Mille Verba, Corpus Hūmānum
hīc: apertūraōs, ōris (n) — in IVLIANVS II: Imperium, ch. 23
per quod homō cibum sūmit et loquiturōs ōris (n) — in Evangelium secundum Matthaeum, ch. 13
per quod loquimurōs, ōris (n) — in Evangelium secundum Matthaeum, ch. 3
pars dūra corporis intusos ossis (n) — in Metamorphoses I, ch. 2
mouth, face
ōs, ōris (n) — in De Bello Gallico III
Choosing the right word Döderlein's Latin Synonyms
Margo · Ora
Margo (ἀμέργων) denotes the brink, the natural boundary of a surface, considered almost as a mere mathematical line, and only improperly as including an exterior portion of the surface; whereas ora (ὤα, οὖρος, ὅρος) denotes the brim, or border, the artificial edging of a surface, generally for the sake of ornament, and therefore necessarily including a certain portion of the surface. Hence we say, ora togæ, but not margo; and, on the other hand, margo fluminis and ripæ, if the mere line of shore is meant, without any portion of the bank. (iii. 212.)
Ripa · Litus · Ora · Acta
1. Ripa (ῥιπή, ἐρείπω,) is the bank of a river, like ὄχθη; whereas litus, ora, acta, the shores of the sea. Mela. lii. 9. Oras ad Eurum sequentibus nihil memorabile occurrit; vasta omnia vastis præcisa montibus ripæ potius sunt quam litora: and iii. 3, 4. i. 2, 2. Vitruv. ii. 9, 14. Circa ripam fluminis Padi et litora maris Adriatici. Colum. i. 5. Ovid, Met. i. 42. 2. Litus denotes the shore only as the line which separates the land from the sea, as the strand, like ἠϊών and ῥηγμίν; whereas ora and acta, as the space and tract of land that borders on the sea, as the coast, like ἀκτή and αἰγιαλός; ora (ὤα, οὖρος,) only in geographical reference to the adjacent land, in opp. to the inland country; but acta (ἀκτή) with the accessory notion of being distinguishable by the senses, inasmuch as the coast affords striking views and a pleasant residence. Liv. xxiv. 8. Classem paravimus ut Africæ oram popularemur, ut tuta nobis Italiæ litora essent. Plin. Ep. v. 6, 2. Gravis et pestilens ora Tuscorum, quæ per litus extenditur. Hence litoris ora, that is, ora per litus extensa, Virg. G. ii. 44. Tac. Ann. ii. 78. Appul. Met. iv. p. 92. Avian. Fab. xx. 10.—And Prudent. adv. Symm. iv. 136. Invenit expositum secreti in litoris acta. Cic. Fam. ix. 6. Ea tractes quorum et usus et delectatio est omnibus illis actis et voluptatibus anteponenda. Acta is a foreign word of Greek extraction, which Tacitus (Hist. iii. 76.) expresses by the circumlocution amœna litorum. (iii. 207.)
Facies · Os · Vultus · Oculi
Facies (from species) and oculi (from ὄκκος) denote the face and eyes only in a physical point of view, as the natural physiognomy and the organs of sight; but os and vultus with a moral reference, as making known the temporary, and even the habitual state of the mind by the looks and eyes; os (from ὄθομαι), by the glance of the eye, and the corresponding expression of the mouth; vultus (from ἑλικτός), by the motion of the eye, and the simultaneous expression of the parts nearest to it, the serene and the darkened brow. Tac. Agr. 44. Nihil metus in vultu; gratia oris supererat. (iv. 318.)
Declension
| form | singular | plural |
|---|---|---|
| nominative | ōs | ōra ossua |
| genitive | ōris ossis | ōrum ossium, ossuum |
| dative | ōrī ossī | ōribus ossibus |
| accusative | ōs | ōra ossua |
| ablative | ōre osse | ōribus ossibus |
| vocative | ōs | ōra ossua |
Phrases from Meissner's Latin Phrase-Book
- numeri (-orum)
- arithmetic.
- una voce; uno ore
- unanimously.
- in ora vulgi abire
- to be a subject for gossip.
- arithmetica (-orum)
- arithmetic.
- per omnium ora ferri
- to be in every one's mouth.
- favete ore, linguis = εὐφημειτε
- maintain a devout silence (properly, utter no ill-omened word).
- omnes (uno ore) in hac re consentiunt
- all agree on this point.
- in ore habere aliquid (Fam. 6. 18. 5)
- to harp on a thing, be always talking of it.
7 more phrases
- omnium oculos (et ora) ad se convertere
- to draw every one's eyes upon one.
- nullum verbum ex ore eius excidit (or simply ei)
- no word escaped him.
- physica (-orum) (Or. 34. 119); philosophia naturalis
- physics; natural philosophy.
- in eum sermonem incidere, qui tum fere multis erat in ore
- to talk of a subject which was then the common topic of conversation.
- dialectica (-ae or -orum) (pure Latin disserendi ratio et scientia)
- logic, dialectic.
- mathematica (-ae) or geometria (-ae), geometrica (-orum) (Tusc. 1. 24. 57)
- mathematics.
- in ore omnium or omnibus (hominum or hominibus, but only mihi, tibi, etc.) esse
- to be in every one's mouth.
ōs, ōris (no
I. gen. plur.), n. kindr. with Sanscr. āsya, os, vultus, facies, the mouth (syn. bucca): quam tibi ex ore orationem duriter dictis dedit, Enn. ap. Non. p. 512, 8:
ex ore in ejus os inflato aquam dato palumbo, Cato, R. R. 90: ad haec omnia percipienda os est aptissimum, Cic. N. D. 2, 54, 184: oris hiatus, id. ib. 2, 47, 122: os tenerum pueri, Hor. Ep. 2, 1, 126: fetidum, Cic. Pis. 7, 13: trilingue, Hor. C. 2, 19, 31: os loquentis Opprimere, Ov. M. 3, 296: in ore omnium esse, to be in everybody's mouth, to be the common talk: in ore est omni populo, Ter. Ad. 1, 2, 13: istius nequitiam in ore vulgi atque in communibus proverbiis esse versatam, Cic. Verr. 2, 1, 46, § 121: Harmodius in ore est, id. Tusc. 1, 49, 116: in ore omnium, Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 23, § 56: habere aliquid in ore, to have a thing in one's mouth, be constantly talking of it, id. Fam. 6, 18, 6; id. ib. 5, 16, 2; id. Fin. 3, 11, 37; id. Att. 14, 22, 2: poscebatur ore vulgi dux Agricola, with one voice, one consent, unanimously, Tac. Agr. 41.—So, uno ore, unanimously, Ter. Phorm. 4, 3, 20; id. And. 1, 1, 69; Curt. 10, 2, 18; Cic. Lael. 23, 86; Sen. Ep. 81, 31: uno omnes eadem ore fremebant, Verg. A. 11, 132: volito vivus per ora virūm, soon become famous, Enn. ap. Cic. Tusc. 1, 15, 34 (Epigr. v. 4 Vahl.): virūm volitare per ora, Verg. G 3, 9: in ora vulgi, or hominum pervenire, or abire, to get into people's mouths, become the common talk, Cat. 40, 5; Liv. 2, 36, 3: ire per ora Nomen, Sil. 3, 135: hic Graecā doctrinā ore tenus exercitus animum bonis artibus non induerat, i. e. only as far as his tongue, only so as to talk, Tac. A. 15, 45.—Hence, os suum aperire (eccl. Lat.), to begin to speak, Vulg. Job, 33, 2; id. Ecclus. 51, 33 et saep.: os alicujus aperire, to cause to speak, id. Ezech. 33, 22; cf. id. ib. 24, 27; 3, 27.—But: aperuerunt super me os suum, sicut leo, threatened, Vulg. Psa. 21, 13: os sublinere alicui, to cheat, befool, v. sublino.—B. Esp.: pleno ore, i. e. heartily, zealously:
ea nescio quomodo quasi pleniore ore laudamus, Cic. Off. 1, 18, 61.—II. Transf.
A. In gen.: the face, countenance (syn.:
vultus, facies), acutis oculis, ore rubicundo, Plaut. Ps. 4, 7, 118: figura oris, Ter. Eun. 2, 3, 26: iratorum, Cic. Off. 1, 29, 102: in ore sunt omhia, in eo autem ipso dominatus est omnis oculorum, i. e. every thing depends on the countenance, id. de Or. 3, 59, 221: in tuo ore vultuque acquiesco, id. Deiot. 2, 5: concedas hinc aliquo ab ore eorum aliquantisper, come out from them, out from their presence, leave them alone, Ter. Heaut. 3, 3, 11. —So of lower animals: insignis et ore Et rutilis clarus squamis, Verg. G. 4, 92: ore rubicundo (gallina), Plin. 10, 56, 77, § 156: ales cristati cantibus oris, Ov. M. 11, 597: coram in os aliquem laudare, to praise one to his face, Ter. Ad. 2, 4, 5: alicui laedere os, to insult one to his face, id. ib. 5, 4, 10: praebere os, to expose one's self to personal insults, id. ib. 2, 2, 7; so, os praebere ad contumeliam, Liv. 4, 35: in ore parentum liberos jugulat, before their parents' eyes, Sen. Ben. 7, 19, 8: quae in ore atque in oculis provinciae gesta sunt, Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 33, § 81: in ore omnium cotidie versari, id. Rosc. Am. 6, 16: ut esset posteris ante os documentum Persarum sceleris sempiternum, id. Rep. 3, 9, 15: illos aiunt epulis ante ora positis excruciari fame, Macr. Somn. Scip. 1, 10, 13: ante ora conjugum omnia pati, Liv. 28, 19, 12.—So of the face, front, as indicative of modesty or impudence: os habet, linguam, perfidiam, = Engl. cheek, Plaut. Mil. 2, 2, 33: os durum! you brazen face! Ter. Eun. 4, 7, 36: os durissimum, very bold, Cic. Quint. 24, 77: impudens, Ter. Eun. 3, 5, 49: quo redibo ore ad eam, quam contempserim? with what face? id. Phorm. 5, 7, 24; cf. id. ib. 5, 9, 53; id. Heaut. 4, 3, 22; Liv. 26, 32.—Hence, transf., boldness, effrontery, impudence: quod tandem os est illius patroni, qui, etc., Cic. de Or. 1, 38, 175: nostis os hominis, nostis audaciam, Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 20, § 48; id. Rab. Post. 12, 34: non, si Appii os haberem, id. Fam. 5, 10, a, 2; id. ib. 9, 8, 1.—On the contrary: os molle, modest, bashful: nihil erat mollius ore Pompeii, Sen. Ep. 11, 3.—B. The head:
Gorgonis os pulcherrimum, cinctum anguibus, Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 56, § 124: truncis arborum antefixa ora, Tac. A. 1, 61. —D. A mouth, opening, entrance, aperture, orifice:
os lenonis aedium, Plaut. Ps. 4, 1, 41: porta velut in ore urbis, Liv. 25, 11 fin.: ingentem lato dedit ore fenestram, Verg. A. 2, 482: Ponti, Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 58, § 129: os atque aditus portus, id. ib. 2, 5, 12, § 30: specūs, entrance, Tac. A. 4, 59: vascula oris angusti, Quint. 1, 2, 28: ulceris, Verg. G. 3, 454: Tiberis, Liv. 1, 33: venarum, Cels. 2, 7.— Also of the sources of a stream: fontem superare Timavi, Unde per ora novem, etc., Verg. A. 1, 245.—E. The beak of a ship:
ora navium Rostrata, Hor. Epod. 4, 17.— F. Os leonis, lion's-mouth, a plant, Col. 10, 98.—
G. The edge of a sword:
interfecit in ore gladii, Vulg. 1 Reg. 15, 8; id. 4 Reg. 10, 25 et saep.Charlton Lewis's shorter dictionary for students: the same scholarship in plain, modern definitions.
ōs ōris (no gen plur.), n
the mouth: ad haec omnia percipienda os est aptissimum: tenerum pueri, H.: os loquentis Opprimere, O.: e foliis natos Ore legunt (apes), V.: Gallica Temperat ora frenis, i. e. controls the horses, H.: nidum sibi construit ore, beak, O.: hostilia Ora canum, jaws, O.— Prov.: equi frenato est auris in ore, H.—The organ of speech, mouth, tongue, lips: in orest omni populo, in everybody's mouth, T.: istius nequitiam in ore volgi esse versatam: Postumius in ore erat, was the common talk, L.: consolatio, quam semper in ore habere debemus, to talk of constantly: poscebatur ore volgi dux Agricola, unanimously, Ta.: uno ore dicere, with one consent, T.: Uno ore auctores fuere, ut, etc., unanimously advised, T.: volito vivus per ora virūm, become famous, Enn. ap. C.: in ora hominum pro ludibrio abire, become a by-word of mockery, L.: quasi pleniore ore laudare, with more zest.—The face, countenance, look, expression, features: figura oris, T.: in ore sunt omnia, i. e. everything depends on the expression: concedas hinc aliquo ab ore eorum aliquantisper, leave them alone, T.: ad tribunum ora convertunt, looks, Cs.: agnoscunt ora parentum, V.: ales cristati cantibus oris, O.: coram in os te laudare, to your face, T.: nulli laedere os, insult to his face, T.: qui hodie usque os praebui, exposed myself to insult, T.: ut esset posteris ante os documentum, etc.: ante ora coniugum omnia pati, L.: Ora corticibus horrenda cavatis, masks, V.—As expressing boldness or modesty, the face, cheek, front, brow<*> os durum! brazen cheek! T.: os durissimum, very bold front: quo redibo ore ad eam, with what face? T.: quo ore ostendi posse? etc., L.: in testimonio nihil praeter vocem et os praestare.—Boldness, effrontery, impudence: quod tandem os est eius patroni, qui, etc.: nostis os hominis.—A voice, speech, expression: ora sono discordia signant, V.: ruit profundo Pindarus ore, H.: falsi ambages oris, O.— A mouth, opening, entrance, aperture, orifice, front: ante os ipsum portūs, L.: ingentem lato dedit ore <*>enestram, V.: os atque aditus portūs: Tiberis, L.: per ora novem, etc., sources, V.: ora navium Rostrata, beaks, H.—Fig., a mouth: ex tot<*>us belli ore ac faucibus.
os ossis, gen plur. ossium, n
a bone.—Sing: devoratum, Ph.: ferrum ex osse revolsum est, O.: duro sudem vix osse revulsit, O.—Plur: cur hunc dolorem cineri eius atque ossibus inussisti?: ossa legere (after burning a corpse), V.: condere, bury, V.—The marrow, inmost part: exarsit iuveni <*>dolor ossibus ingens, in his bones, V.: per ima cu<*>currit Ossa tremor, V.: tremis ossa pavore, H.— Fig., in plur, the bones, outlines: imitari nec ossa solum, sed etiam sanguinem.
Origins
From Proto-Italic *ōs, from Proto-Indo-European *h₃éh₁os. Cognates include Hittite 𒀀𒄿𒅖 (aiš), Sanskrit आस् (ās), Old Irish á, Old English ōr.
Descendants
- Englishos