Lewis & Short

1. pŏpŭlus (contr. POPLVS, Inscr. Column. Rostr. in Corp. Inscr. Lat. 195, 17, Plaut. Am. prol. 101; 1, 1, 103; id. Aul. 2, 4, 6; id. Cas. 3, 2, 6 et saep.
Also written POPOLVS, Corp. Inscr. Lat. 197, 15 al.; nom. plur. poploe, Carm. Sal. ap. Fest. p. 205 Müll.; v. pilumnoe) [from root pleof pleo; v. plenus], i, m., a people, the people.

  1. I. Lit.
    1. A. In gen. (cf.: gens, natio): res publica res populi: populus autem non omnis hominum coetus quoquo modo congregatus, sed coetus multitudinis juris consensu et utilitatis communione sociatus, Cic. Rep. 1, 25, 39: populus Romanus, id. Phil. 6, 5, 12: exspectabat populus, Enn. ap. Cic. Div. 1, 48, 107 (Ann. v. 90 Vahl.): tene magis salvum populus velit an populum tu, Hor. Ep. 1, 16, 27: casci populi Latini, Enn. ap. Varr. L. L. 7, § 28 Müll. (Ann. v. 24 Vahl.): hi populi: Atellani, Calatini, etc., Liv. 22, 61 fin.
    2. B. Esp.
      1. 1. The people, opp. to the Senate, in the formula senatus populusque Romanus (abbreviated S. P. Q. R.), saep.; cf.: et patres in populi fore potestate, Liv. 2, 56.
      2. 2. Opp. to the plebs: non enim populi, sed plebis eum (tribunum) magistratum esse, Liv. 2, 56: ut ea res populo plebique Romanae bene eveniret, Cic. Mur. 1, 1.
      3. 3. Rarely for plebs, the populace: dat populus, dat gratus eques, dat tura senatus, Mart. 8, 15, 3: urbanus, the citizens (opp. to the military), Nep. Cim. 2, 1.
  2. II. Transf.
      1. 1. A region, district, regarded as inhabited: frequens cultoribus alius populus, Liv. 21, 34, 1 (cf. Gr. δῆμος).
      2. 2. A multitude, host, crowd, throng, great number of persons or things (poet. and in postAug. prose): ratis populo peritura recepto, i. e. with the great multitude of passengers, Luc. 3, 665: fratrum, Ov. H. 14, 115: in tanto populo sileri parricidium potuit, Just. 10, 1: sororum, Ov. H. 9, 52; App. Mag. p. 304: apum, Col. 9, 13, 12: populus totidem imaginum, Plin. 33, 9, 45, § 129; Sen. Q. N. 1, 5: spicarum, Pall. 7, 2: scelerum, Sid. Ep. 6, 1 fin.: concursus in forum populi, Liv. 22, 7, 6.
      3. 3. The public, i. e. the open street (poet.): omnis habet geminas janua frontis, E quibus haec populum spectat; at illa Larem, Ov. F. 1, 136.