Lewis & Short

Parsing inflected forms may not always work as expected. If the following does not give the correct word, try Latin Words or Perseus.

3. pullus, a, um, adj. [kindr. with πελλός].

  1. I. Dark-colored, blackish-gray, dusky, blackish: lepus superiore parte pulla, ventre albo, Varr. R. R. 3, 12, 5: nigra terra, quam pullam vocant, Col. 1, praef. § 24: color lanae pullus atque fuscus, id. 7, 2, 4: ne maculis infuscet vellera pullis, Verg. G. 3, 389: hostia, Tib. 1, 2, 62: capilli, Ov. Am. 2, 4, 41: myrtus, dusky, dark-green, Hor. C, 1, 25, 18; cf. ficus, id. Epod. 16, 46.
    ESD. freq.: pulla vestis, a dark-gray garment (of dark-gray or undyed wool, the dress of mourners and of the lower orders), of mourners, Varr. ap. Non. 549, 33; also called toga pulla, not worn at funeral repasts, Cic. Vatin. 12, 30; 13, 31.
    Hence, subst.: pullum, i, n., a dark-gray garment, Ov. M. 11, 48: pullo amictus, Liv. 45, 7; Flor. 4, 2, 45.
    Plur.: pulla decent niveas (puellas), Ov. A. A. 3, 189.
  2. II. Transf.
        1. a. In allusion to the clothing of the poor: pulla paupertas, Calp. Ecl. 7, 26; 80: ipse praetor cum tunicā pullā sedere solebat, Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 24, § 54.
          Prov.: non possum togam praetextam sperare, cum exordium pullum videam, i. e. a bad beginning cannot make a good ending, Quint. 5, 10, 71.
        2. b. Of language: pullus sermo, the vulgar speech, Varr. L. L. 9, 26, 33.
        3. c. (From mourning attire.) Sad, sorrowful, mournful (poet.): si mihi lanificae ducunt non pulla sorores stamina, Mart. 6, 58, 7: nere stamina pulla, Ov. Ib. 246.