Lewis & Short

mŏdŭlus, i, m. dim. [modus], a small measure, a measure (not in Cic. or Cæs.).

  1. I. Lit.: relinquitur de numero, quem faciunt alii majorem, alii minorem, nulli enim hujus moduli naturales, Varr. R. R. 2, 2, 20: ab imo Ad summum moduli bipedalis, two feet high, Hor. S. 2, 3, 309.
    Prov.: metiri se quemque suo modulo ac pede, i. e. to be content with his own condition, Hor. Ep. 1, 7, 98.
      1. 2. In archit., a module: si Dorici generis erunt columnae, dimetiantur earum altitudines cum capitulis in partes quindecim, et ex eis partibus una constituatur, et fiat modulus, Vitr. 5, 9, 3; 3, 3, 7; 4, 3, 3 sq.
      2. 3. In aqueducts, a watermeter: est autem calix modulus aeneus, qui rivo, vel castello induitur: huic fistulae applicantur, Front. Aquaed. 36.
      3. 4. Rhythmical measure, rhythm, music, time, metre, mode, melody: moduli Lydii, Dorii, Phrygii, Plin. 7, 56, 57, § 204: verborum, Gell. 5, 1, 1: tibiarum modulis in proeliis uti, id. 1, 11, 1.
  2. II. Trop.: cur non ponderibus modulisque suis ratio utitur? Hor. S. 1, 3, 78: ganeones, quibus modulus est vitae culina, measure, Varr. ap. Non. 119, 11.