Lewis & Short

plŭtĕus, i, m., less freq. plŭtĕum, i, n.

  1. I. A penthouse, shed, or mantlet, made of hurdles covered with raw hides, and used to protect besiegers (cf. vineae): plutei crates corio crudo intentae, quae solebant opponi militibus opus facientibus, et appellabantur militares. Nunc etiam tabulae, quibus quid praesepitur, eodem nomine dicuntur, Paul. ex Fest. p. 231 Müll.; cf. Veg. Mil. 4, 15: pluteos praeferre, Amm. 21, 12, 6; so Caes. B. C. 2, 9; Liv. 21, 61, 10 al.
    Transf.: ad aliquem vineam pluteosque agere, i. e. to turn all one’s weapons against him, Plaut. Mil. 2, 2, 111.
  2. II. A permanent breastwork, a parapet, on towers, etc.: pluteos vallo addere, Caes. B. G. 7, 41: plutei turrium, id. ib. 7, 25; id. B. C. 3, 24: rates a fronte atque ab utroque latere, cratibus ac pluteis protegebat, id. ib. 1, 25, 9; 2, 15, 3: viminei, Amm. 19, 5, 1: locus consaeptus cratibus pluteisque, Liv. 10, 38, 5.
  3. III. The back-board, back, of a settee or couch, Suet. Calig. 26; so of the couch on which guests reclined at table: somni post vina petuntur, … puer pluteo vindice tutus erat, Mart. 3, 91, 10.
      1. 2. Meton., a couch, dining-couch, Prop. 4 (5), 8, 68.
  4. IV. The board on which a corpse is placed, Mart. 8, 44, 13.
  5. V. A book-shelf, bookcase, desk, Pers. 1, 106; with busts upon it, Juv. 2, 7; cf. Dig. 29, 1, 17, § 4; Sid. Ep. 2, 9.
  6. VI. A partition-wall between two columns, a balustrade, parapet, Vitr. 4, 4, 1.