Lewis & Short

1. lŭpus, i, m. [kindred with λύκος; Sanscr. vrika, and our wolf], a wolf.

  1. I. Lit.: torva leaena lupum sequitur, lupus ipse capellam, Verg. E. 2, 63; Plin. 10, 63, 88, § 173; 8, 22, 34, § 80: Martialis lupus, sacred to Mars, Hor. C. 1, 17, 9; so, Martius, Verg. A. 9, 566: lupus femina for lupa, a she-wolf, Enn. ap. Serv. Verg. A. 2, 355 (Ann. v. 70 Vahl.); id. ap. Non. 378, 18 (ib. v. 73): lupus masculinum (est), quamquam Varro … lupum feminam dicit, Ennium Pictoremque Fabium secutus, Quint. 1, 6, 12.
    According to the belief of the Romans, if a wolf saw a man before the latter saw him, the man became dumb: vox quoque Moerim Jam fugit ipsa; lupi Moerim videre priores, Verg. E. 9, 53; cf. Plin. 8, 22, 34, § 80.
    Prov.: lupus in fabulā or sermone, said of the appearance of a person when he is spoken of; as we say in English, talk of the devil, and he appears: atque eccum tibi lupum in sermone, Plaut. Stich. 4, 1, 71; Ter. Ad. 4, 1, 21; Serv. Verg. E. 9, 54: de Varrone loquebamur: lupus in fabulā: venit enim ad me, Cic. Att. 13, 33, 4.
          1. (β) Lupum auribus tenere, to have a wolf by the ears, to be unable to hold and afraid to let go, i. e. to be in a situation of doubt and difficulty, Ter. Phorm. 3, 2, 21; Suet. Tib. 25.
          2. (γ) Hac urget lupus, hac canis angit, on this side the wolf, on that the dog, i. e. to be placed between two fires, Hor. S. 2, 2, 64.
          3. (δ) Lupos apud oves custodes relinquere, Plaut. Ps. 1, 28: ovem lupo committere, to intrust sheep to a wolf, Ter. Eun. 5, 1, 16; cf. o praeclarum custodem ovium, ut aiunt, lupum! Cic. Phil. 3, 11, 27; cf.: plenum montano credis ovile lupo? Ov. A. A. 2, 363.
            (ε) Lupo agnum eripere, of a difficult undertaking; as in English, to snatch the meat from a dog’s mouth, Plaut. Poen. 3, 5, 31.
            (ζ) Lupus observavit, dum dormitaret canes, of one who watches his opportunity to be unobserved, Plaut. Trin. 1, 2, 133.
            (η) Ovīs ultro fugiat lupus, of a very improbable act, Verg. E. 8, 52.
            (θ) Tantum curamus frigora, quantum numerum (ovium) lupus, i. e. do not care at all, as the wolf does not care whether the number of the sheep is right or not, Verg. E. 7, 51.
  2. II. Transf.
    1. A. A voracious fish, the wolf-fish or pike, Hor. S. 2, 2, 31; Plin. 9, 54, 79, § 169; 9, 17, 28, § 61; Col. 8, 16; Mart. 13, 89; Macr. S. 2, 12 bis.
    2. B. A kind of spider, Plin. 29, 4, 27, § 85; 11, 24, 28, § 80.
    3. C. A bit armed with points like wolves’ teeth (frena lupata): et placido duros (equus) accipit ore lupos, Ov. Tr. 4, 6, 3; Stat. Ach. 1, 281.
    4. D. A hook with which things were hoisted: in alios lupi superne ferrei injecti, Liv. 28, 3, 7; Isid. Orig. 23, 15.
    5. E. A small handsaw, Pall. 1, 43, 2.
  3. F. The hop, a plant (Humulus lupulus), Plin. 21, 15, 50, § 86.