Lewis & Short

plumbĕus, a, um, adj. [plumbum], of or belonging to lead, made of lead, leaden, lead-.

  1. I. Lit.: plumbea glans, Lucr. 6, 306: pistillum, Plin. 34, 18, 50, § 169: vas, id. 33, 6, 35, § 109: ictus, blows given with a scourge to which a leaden ball is attached, Prud. στεφ. 10, 122.
    Subst.
      1. 1. plum-bĕum, i, n., a leaden vessel, Cato, R. R. 105: Nicerotiana, Mart. 6, 55, 3.
      2. 2. plum-bĕa, ae, f., a leaden ball: ut mortuus ictu plumbeae crederetur, Spart. Sever. 11, 2.
    1. B. Transf.
      1. 1. Leaden, blunt, dull (class.): plumbeo gladio jugulatus, Cic. Att. 1, 16, 2: o plumbeum pugionem! id. Fin. 4, 18, 48.
      2. 2. Leaden, bad, vile, poor, worthless (poet.): nummus, Plaut. Cas. 2, 3, 40; id. Trin. 4, 2, 120: faber, qui cudere soles plumbeos nummos, to coin leaden money, i. e. bad jokes, id. Most. 4, 2, 11; so, plumbei, as subst. (sc. nummi), Mart. 10, 74, 4: vina, Mart. 10, 49, 5: mala, id. 10, 94, 4: carmina, Aus. Ep. 6, 1.
      3. 3. Leaden, i. e. heavy, oppressive, burdensome (poet.): nec plumbeus Auster Auctumnusque gravis, Hor. S. 2, 6, 18.
  2. II. Trop.
    1. A. Leaden, i. e. heavy, weighty (ante-class.): si quid peccatum est, plumbeas iras gerunt, Plaut. Poen. 3, 6, 16.
    2. B. Leaden, dull, stupid, stolid (class.): caudex, stipes, asinus, plumbeus, Ter. Heaut. 5, 1, 4: nisi plane in physicis plumbei sumus, Cic. Tusc. 1, 29, 71: cor, without feeling, Licin. ap. Suet. Ner. 2.