noun · neutersecond declension
tergum
tergum n (genitive tergī)
Classical[ˈtɛr.ɡũː]Ecclesiastical[ˈtɛr.ɡum]
№ 474 of the 1,000 commonest wordsMille Verba core vocabulary
Meaning
- neuterback, rear; surface
tergum/terga vertere
be on the run, to escape
Latīnē defined in Latin in our graded readers
pars corporis post; vir in tabulā tergum tibi mōnstrat.tergum -ī n — in Mille Verba, Corpus Hūmānum
pars corporis āversatergum -ī (n) — in IVLIANVS I: Gallia, ch. 10
posterior corporis parstergum -ī (n) — in Evangelium secundum Matthaeum, ch. 7
pars corporis posteriortergum -ī (n) — in Metamorphoses I, †
Choosing the right word Döderlein's Latin Synonyms
Dorsum · Tergum
Dorsum (from δέρας) denotes the back, in an horizontal direction, consequently the back of an animal, in opp. to the belly, like νῶτον; tergum (from τράχηλος), the back, in a perpendicular direction, consequently the part between the shoulders in a man, in opp. to the breast, like μετάφρενον. Hence dorsum montis denotes the uppermost surface; tergum montis, the hinder part of a mountain. (v. 15.)
Tergus · Cutis · Pellis · Vellus
Tergus and cutis denote the outermost covering of the flesh, as merely bare skin; tergus (from στορχάζειν, to enclose), the coarse skin of an animal, which covers the soft and eatable flesh, like δέρμα; cutis (κύτος), the finer skin of human beings, which protects the sensitive flesh like χρώς; whereas pellis and vellus denote the flesh together with a covering; pellis (from palla) more bristly, consisting of pili, like δορά; vellus (from εἶλαρ? or villus?), more woolly, consisting of villi, like μαλλός. Men have cutis; elephants, snakes, etc. tergora; lions, goats, dogs, etc., pelles; sheep, vellera. Juven. x. 192. Deformem pro cute pellem. (v. 17.)
Declension
| form | singular | plural |
|---|---|---|
| nominative | tergum | terga |
| genitive | tergī | tergōrum |
| dative | tergō | tergīs |
| accusative | tergum | terga |
| ablative | tergō | tergīs |
| vocative | tergum | terga |
Phrases from Meissner's Latin Phrase-Book
- terga dare hosti
- to run away from the enemy.
- terga vertere or dare
- to flee, run away.
- hostes a tergo adoriri
- to attack the enemy in the rear.
- tergis hostium inhaerere
- to be on the heels of the enemy.
- circumvenire hostem aversum or a tergo (B. G. 2. 26)
- to surround the enemy from the rear.
tergum, i (poet. and in post-Aug. prose also tergus, ŏris), n. (
I. masc.:
familiarem tergum, Plaut. As. 2, 2, 53; cf. Non. 227, 23) [cf. Gr. τράχηλος, neck; perh. root τρέχω, to run], the back of men or beasts (syn. dor sum). I. Lit.
(a). Form tergum:
dabitur pol supplicium mihi de tergo vestre, Plaut. As. 2, 4, 75: vae illis virgis miseris quae hodie in tergo morientur meo, id. Capt 3, 4, 117: manibus ad tergum rejectis, Asin ap. Cic. Fam. 10, 32, 3: boum terga, id. N D. 2, 63, 159; cf. tergo poenae pendere Ter. Heaut. 4, 4, 6: tergo ac capite puniri, Liv 3, 55, 14.—Of cranes eaeque in tergo praevolantium Colla reponunt, Cic. N. D. 2 49, 125. — Of the dolphin, Ov F 2, 113.— Of the crocodile: ejus terga cataphracta, Amm. 22, 15, 16.—(b). Form tergus aurea quam molli tergore vexit ovis, Prop. 2, 26 (3, 21), 6:
ut equa facilem sui tergoris ascensum praebeat, Col. 6, 37, 10.—II. Transf.
A. The back or hinder part, the back, rear,
1. Esp. in the phrases terga vertere or dare, to turn the back, pregn., for to take to flight, to flee: omnes hostes terga verterunt;
neque prius fugere destiterunt, quam, etc., Caes. B. G. 1, 53; so, terga vertere, id. ib. 3, 19; 3, 21; id. B. C. 3, 63; and even of a single person: terga vertit, Sen. Ep. 22, 7: qui plures simul terga dederant, etc., Liv 22, 29, 5: terga dare, id. 36, 38, 4: inter duas acies Etrusci, cum in vicem his atque illis terga darent, id. 2, 51, 9; Ov. M. 13, 224: terga fugae praebere, id. ib. 10, 706: terga praestare (fugae), Tac. Agr 37; Juv. 15, 75. — Trop. jam felicior aetas Terga dedit, tremuloque gradu venit aegra senectus, Ov M. 14, 143.—2. In gen.:
inflexo mox dare terga genu, i. e. yield to the burden, Prop. 3, 9 (4, 8), 6: praebere Phoebo terga, to sun itself, Ov. M. 4, 715: concurrit ex insidiis versisque in Lucretium Etruscis terga caedit, the rear, Liv. 2, 11, 9; Flor. 4, 12, 7: terga Parthorum dicam, the flight, Ov. A. A. 1, 209: terga collis, Liv. 25, 15, 12; cf.: terga vincentium, Tac. Agr. 37: summi plena jam margine libri Scriptus et in tergo necdum finitus Orestes, written on the back, Juv. 1, 6: retro atque a tergo, behind one, Cic. Div. 1, 24, 49; cf.: a tergo, a fronte, a lateribus tenebitur, id. Phil. 3, 13, 32: ut a tergo Milonem adorirentur, behind, id. Mil. 10, 29; 21, 56; id. Verr 2, 5, 38, § 98: tumultum hostilem a tergo accepit, Sall. J. 58, 4; Caes. B. G 7, 87; Curt. 3, 1, 19; 3, 8, 27; 8, 5, 1: post tergum hostium legionem ostenderunt, Caes. B. G. 7, 62: ne nostros post tergum adorirentur, id. B. C. 3, 44: Germani post tergum clamore audito, id. B. G. 4, 15: post tergum hostem relinquere, id. ib. 4, 22: qui jam post terga reliquit Sexaginta annos, has left behind him, has passed, Juv. 13, 16: omnia jam diutino bello exhausta post tergum sunt, Curt. 4, 14, 11: omnia, quae post tergum erant, strata, id. 3, 10, 7: tot amnibus montibusque post tergum objectis, id. 4, 13, 7.—B. The back of any thing spread out horizontally, as land or water, i. e. the surface (poet.):
proscisso quae suscitat aequore terga, Verg. G. 1, 97: crassa, id. ib. 2, 236: amnis, Ov. P. 1, 2, 82; Claud. B. G. 338; Luc. 5, 564; 9, 341.—C. (Pars pro toto.) The body of an animal (poet.).
(a). Form tergum:
(serpens) Squamea convolvens sublato pectore terga, Verg. G. 3, 426; so of a serpent, id. A. 2, 208; Petr 89; of Cerberus, Verg. A. 6, 422: horrentia centum Terga suum, i. e. a hundred head of swine, id. ib. 1, 635: nigrantis terga juvencos, id. ib. 6, 243: perpetui tergo bovis, id. ib. 8, 183.—(b). Form tergus:
resecat de tergore (suis) partem, of a chine of bacon, Ov. M. 8, 649: diviso tergore (juvenci), Phaedr. 2, 1, 11: squalenti tergore serpens, Sil. 3, 209.—D. The covering of the back, the skin, hide, leather, etc. (in this signif. tergus freq. occurs; syn.: pellis, corium).
(a). Form tergum:
taurino quantum possent circumdare tergo, ox-hide, Verg. A. 1, 368: ferre novae nares taurorum terga recusant, Ov. A. A. 2, 655.—(b). Form tergus:
tergora deripiunt costis et viscera nudant, Verg. A. 1, 211; so Cels. 7, 25, 1; 8, 1 med.: durissimum dorso tergus, Plin. 8, 10, 10, § 30; cf. id. 9, 35, 53, § 105; Col. 7, 4 fin.—2. Transf., a thing made of hide or leather.
(a). Form tergum: venti bovis inclusi tergo, i. e. in a bag made of a bull's hide, Ov. M. 14, 225; 15, 305:
et feriunt molles taurea terga manus, i. e. tymbals, id. F. 4, 342; so id. ib. 4, 212: Idae terga, Stat. Th. 8, 221: pulsant terga, id. Achill. 2, 154: rupit Terga novena boum, i. e. the nine thicknesses of bull's hide, Ov. M. 12, 97: tergum Sulmonis, Verg. A. 9, 412; 10, 482; 10, 718; hence even: per linea terga (scuti), id. ib. 10, 784 (v. the passage in connection): duroque intendere bracchia tergo, i. e. cestus, id. ib. 5, 403; so id. ib. 5, 419.—(b). Form tergus:
gestasset laevā taurorum tergora septem, a shield covered with seven layers of hide, Ov. M. 13, 347: Martis tergus Geticum, Mart. 7, 2, 2.Charlton Lewis's shorter dictionary for students: the same scholarship in plain, modern definitions.
tergum ī, n
TRAG-, the back : manibus ad tergum reiectis: tergo poenas pendere, T.: tergo ac capite puniri, L.: recurvum (of the dolphin), O.— The back part, reverse, hinder part, rear : Praebere Phoebo terga, to sun itself , O.: Terga Parthorum dicam, the flight , O.: terga vincentium, Ta.: libri in tergo necdum finitus Orestes, written on the back , Iu.—In phrase, a tergo or post tergum, behind, in the rear : a tergo, fronte, lateribus tenebitur: ut a tergo Milonem adorirentur, behind : tumultum hostilem a tergo accepit, S.: post tergum hostium legionem ostenderunt, Cs.: qui iam post terga reliquit Sexaginta annos, has passed , Iu.: tot amnibus montibusque post tergum obiectis, Cu.—With verto or do, to turn the back, turn back, take flight, run away, flee, retreat : omnes hostes terga verterunt, Cs.: qui plures simul terga dederant, etc., L.: terga fugae praebere, O.: terga praestare (fugae), Ta.— The back, surface : proscisso quae suscitat aequore terga, V.: amnis, O. —Of an animal, the body : (serpens) Squamea convolvens sublato pectore terga, V.: horrentia centum Terga suum, i. e. head of swine , V.: perpetuo tergo bovis, V.— The covering of the back, skin, hide, leather : Taurino quantum possent circumdare tergo, ox-hide , V.: venti bovis inclusi tergo, i. e. in a bag of bull's hide , O.: Et feriunt molles taurea terga manūs, i. e. tymbals , O.: rupit Terga novena boum, i. e. the nine thicknesses of bull's hide , O.: per linea terga (scuti), V.
Origins
Unknown. De Vaan is skeptical of the proposal that it originally referred to the hair on an animal's back and was derived from a Proto-Indo-European *(s)ter- (“to be stiff”) (compare *tr̥nós, *sterbʰ-). It has been speculated to be connected to one or more of Ancient Greek τράχηλος (trákhēlos, “neck”), Ancient Greek τρέχω (trékhō), or Latin trahō, with a debated connection to the root of English drag, draw.
Descendants
- Italiantergo
In English words that came into English from tergum
- tergiversatetergiversātus
- tergiversationtergiversātiō
- tergitetergum
- tergumtergum
- tergiversatortergiversator