Lewis & Short

făba, ae, f. [for fag-va, Sanscr. root bhaj-, to divide, share; bhak-tam, food; Gr. φαγ-εῖν, to eat; cf. fāgus], a bean, Vicia faba, Linn.; Gr. κύαμος, more correctly, perh., our horse-bean.

  1. I. Prop., Cato, R. R. 35, 1; Varr. R. R. 1, 44, 1; Col. 2, 10, 5; Plin. 18, 12, 30, § 117; 19, 8, 40, § 133; 27, 5, 23, § 40: perque fabam repunt (grues) et mollia crura reponunt, Enn. ap. Serv. Verg. G. 3, 76 (Ann. v. 545 ed. Vahl.); not eaten by the Pythagoreans, Cic. Div. 1, 30, 62; 2, 58, 119; Hor. S. 2, 6, 63; Gell. 4, 11, 4; and neither to be touched nor named by the Flamen Dialis, Fab. Pict. ap. Gell. 10, 15, 12; Paul. ex Fest. p. 87, 13 Müll.
    1. B. Prov.
      1. 1. St. Repperi. Ly. Quid repperisti? St. Non quod pueri clamitant, In faba se repperisse, Plaut. Aul. 5, 11.
      2. 2. Istaec in me cudetur faba, i. e. I shall have to smart for it, Ter. Eun. 2, 3, 89 Don.
      3. 3. Tam perit quam extrema faba, in proverbio est, quod ea plerumque aut proteritur aut decerpitur a praetereuntibus, Fest. S. V. TAM, p. 363, 17 Müll.
  2. II. Transf., of things of a similar shape: of grains of wheat, Plin. 18, 10, 21, § 95: faba caprini fimi, goat’s dung, id. 19, 12, 60, § 185.
    As a measure, Veg. Vet. 3, 12, 3.