Lewis & Short

hĭems or hiemps, ĕmis, f. [Gr. χιών, χεῖμα; Sanscr. himas, snow], the winter, winter time, rainy season (cf.: bruma, solstitium).

  1. I. Lit.: aestatem autumnus sequitur, post acer hiemps fit, Enn. ap. Prisc. p. 647 P. (Ann. v. 406 Vahl.): solvitur acris hiems grata vice veris et Favoni, Hor. C. 1, 4, 1: crudelis, Enn. ap. Prisc. p. 891 P. (Ann. v. 482 Vahl.); opp. to aestas, Dig. 43, 20, 1, §§ 31 and 32: dies primus est veris in Aquario, aestatis in Tauro, autumni in Leone, hiemis in Scorpione, Varr. R. R. 1, 28, 1; cf. id. ap. Col. 11, 2, 84; Plin. 2, 47, 47, § 125; 18, 25, 60, § 224 sq.: prodit hiems, sequitur crepitans hanc dentibus algor. Lucr. 5, 747: hanc vim frigorum hiememque, quam nos vix hujus urbis tectis sustinemus, excipere, Cic. Rab. Post. 15, 42: summa, id. Verr. 2, 4, 40, § 86; id. de Imp. Pomp. 12, 32: gravissimā hieme, Caes. B. C. 3, 8 fin.: jamque hiems appropinquabat, id. ib. 3, 9, 8: initā hieme, id. B. G. 3, 7, 1: jam prope hieme confectā, id. ib. 7, 32, 2: ante exactam hiemem, id. ib. 6, 1, 4: hiems jam praecipitaverat, id. B. C. 3, 25, 1: modestia hiemis, Tac. A. 12, 43: bellum difficillimum gessit hieme anni, in winter time, Suet. Caes. 35: stridebat deformis hiems, Juv. 4, 58: Arabes campos et montes hieme et aestate peragrantes, winter and summer, i. e. in all seasons, Cic. Div. 1, 42, 94.
    In plur.: confligunt hiemes aestatibus acres, Lucr. 6, 373: est ubi plus tepeant hiemes? Hor. Ep. 1, 10, 15: informīs hiemes reducit Juppiter, idem Summovet, id. C. 2, 10, 15; 3, 1, 32: in his locis maturae sunt hiemes, Caes. B. G. 4, 20, 1; Cic. N. D. 2, 19, 49: seu plures hiemes, seu tribuit Juppiter ultimam, years, Hor. C. 1, 11, 4: post certas hiemes, id. ib. 1, 15, 35; cf.: sic multas hiemes atque octogensima vidit solstitia, Juv. 4, 92.
    Personified: Hiems, Ov. M. 2, 30; 15, 212; 4, 436; Verg. A. 3, 120.
    1. B. Transf. (mostly poet.).
      1. 1. Rainy, stormy weather, a storm, tempest: imber Noctem hiememque ferens, Verg. A. 5, 11; cf.: non tam creber agens hiemem ruit aequore turbo, id. G. 3, 470: Juppiter horridus austris Torquet aquosam hiemem, id. A. 9, 671; id. G. 1, 321; Hor. Epod. 2, 52; Ov. M. 11, 490; 521; 13, 709 al.
        In plur., Val. Fl. 2, 22; Stat. S. 5, 1, 36.
        In prose: maritimos cursus praecludebat hiemis magnitudo, Cic. Planc. 40 fin.: qui (gubernator) navem ex hieme marique scopuloso servat, Nep. Att. 10 fin.
      2. 2. In gen., cold, chill; tempest, violence (poet.): sic letalis hiems paulatim in pectora venit, a deadly chill, Ov. M. 2, 827; cf. Mart. 2, 46, 7: Vesuvinus apex et flammea diri Montis hiems, the fiery tempest, Stat. S. 3, 5, 72; so of Vesuvius: vix dum ignea montem Torsit hiems, Val. Fl. 4, 508: instamus jactu telorum et ferrea nimbis Certat hiems, the iron storm, shower of weapons, Stat. Th. 5, 386.
  2. II. Trop.
      1. 1. Cold, storm (poet.): ab illa Pessima (die) mutati coepit amoris hiems, cold, Ov. H. 5, 34: hiems rerum, the storm of war, disturbance of war, Claud. B. Get. 151.
      2. 2. Trouble, distress: suae senectuti acriorem hiemem parat, quom illam inportunam tempestatem conciet, Plaut. Trin. 2, 3, 7.