Lewis & Short

2. ŏs, ossis (collat. form ossum, i, Varr. ap. Charis. p. 112 P.; Att. ap. Prisc. p. 750 ib.; Tert. Carm. adv. Marc. 2, 196: ossu, u, Charis. p. 12 P.
In plur.: OSSVA for OSSA, freq. in inscrr., Inscr. Orell. 2906; 4361; 4806; Inscr. Osann. Syll. p. 497, 1; Cardin. Dipl. Imp. 2, 11: ossuum for ossium, Prud. στεφ. 5, 111), n. [prop. ossis for ostis, kindred with Sanscr. asthi, os; Gr. ὀστέον; Slav. kostj], a bone (class.).

  1. I. Lit.: quid dicam de ossibus? Cic. N. D. 2, 55, 139: cur hunc dolorem cineri ejus atque ossibus inussisti? (i. e. mortuo), id. Verr. 2, 1, 44, § 113; id. ib. 2, 5, 49, § 128: ossa legere, to gather up the bones that remain after burning a corpse, Verg. A. 6, 228; Sen. Ira, 2, 33, 6: condere, to bury, Verg. A. 5, 47: ossa legere, to extract fragments of bone from a wound, Sen. Ben. 5, 24, 3; id. Prov. 3; Quint. 6, 1, 30: tum vero exarsit juveni dolor ossibus ingens, in his bones, i. e. in his inmost part, in his soul, Verg. A. 5, 172: cui versat in ossibus Durus amor, id. G. 3, 258; id. A. 6, 55; cf. Vulg. Job, 4, 14.
    1. B. Transf., the hard or innermost part of trees or fruits: arborum ossa, i. e. the inside wood, the heart, Plin. 17, 27, 43, § 252: olearum ac palmularum, i. e. the stones, Suet. Claud. 8.
  2. II. Trop., the bones, the solid parts or outlines of a discourse: utinam imitarentur (Atticos dicendo), nec ossa solum, sed etiam sanguinem, Cic. Brut. 17, 68; cf. id. Fin. 4, 3, 6; Quint. 1, p. 34.