mācĕrĭa, ae (post-class. form, mācĕ-rĭes, only nom. and acc., Afran. ap. Non. 138; Varr. R. R. 3, 5, 11; Prud. Hamart. 227; Inscr. Grut. 611, 13; Inscr. Orell. 4057), f. [from macero, to soften; orig. a wall built of soft clay; cf. Gr. μάσσω],
- I. an enclosure, a wall (class.): maceriam sine calce ex caementis et silice altam pedes quinque facito, Cato, R. R. 15; cf. Varr. R. R. 1, 14, 4; 3, 5, 12: quid maceria illa ait in horto, quaest quae in noctes singulas latere fit minor? Plaut. Truc. 2, 2, 49: hanc in horto maceriam jube dirui, Ter. Ad. 5, 7, 10: herba in maceriis nascens, Plin. 25, 5, 19, § 43: nulla maceria, nulla casa, Cic. Fam. 16, 18, 2: post villarum macerias, Sisenn. ap. Non. 141, 23: fossam et maceriam sex in altitudinem pedum praeduxerant, Caes. B. G. 7, 69; 7, 70: maceria ab laeva semitae paulum exstans a fundamenta, Liv. 42, 15.
- II. Affliction: facere illi satis vis, quanta illius mors sit maceries tibi? Afran. ap. Non. 138, 13 (Com. Rel. v. 150 Rib.).