Lewis & Short

artĭcŭlus, i, m. dim. [2. artus], a small member connecting various parts of the body, a joint, knot, knuckle.

  1. I.
    1. A. Lit.: nodi corporum, qui vocantur articuli, Plin. 11, 37, 88, § 217: hominis digiti articulos habent ternos, pollex binos, id. 11, 43, 99, § 244: summus caudae articulus, id. 8, 41, 63, § 153 al.: crura sine nodis articulisque, Caes. B. G. 6, 27: ipso in articulo, quo jungitur capiti cervix, Liv. 27, 49: auxerat articulos macies, i. e. had made more joints, had made the bones visible, Ov. M. 8, 807: articulorum dolores habere, i. e. gouty pains, Cic. Att. 1, 5 fin.; cf. Cels. 5, 18: postquam illi justa cheragra Contudit articulos, * Hor. S. 2, 7, 16; cf. Pers. 5, 58: gladiatorem vehementis impetus excipit adversarii mollis articulus, Quint. 2, 12, 2.
      Hence, molli articulo tractare aliquem, to touch one gently, softly, Quint. 11, 2, 70.
      Of plants: ineunte vere in iis (vitibus), quae relicta sunt, exsistit, tamquam ad articulos sarmentorum, ea quae gemma dicitur, Cic. Sen. 15, 53; Plin. 16, 24, 36, § 88: ante quam seges in articulum eat, Col. 2, 11, 9; so Plin. 18, 17, 45, § 159.
      Of mountains, a hill connecting several larger mountains: montium articuli, Plin. 37, 13, 77, § 201.
    2. B. With an extension of the idea, a limb, member, in gen. (cf. 2. artus), * Lucr. 3, 697.
      Hence also for a finger, Prop. 2, 34, 80; so Ov. H. 10, 140; id. P. 2, 3, 18: quot manus atteruntur, ut unus niteat articulus! Plin. 2, 63, 63, § 158: ab eo missus est articulus manūs, Vulg. Dan. 5, 24: aspiciebat articulos manūs, ib. ib. 5, 5: erexit me super articulos manuum mearum, on the fingers or palms of my hands, ib. ib. 10, 10.
  2. II. Trop.
    1. A. Of discourse, a member, part, division: articulus dicitur, cum singula verba intervallis distinguuntur caesā oratione, hoc modo: acrimoniā, voce, vultu adversarios perterruisti, Auct. ad Her. 4, 19: continuatio verborum soluta multo est aptior atque jucundior, si est articulis membrisque (κόμμασι καὶ κώλοις) distincta, quam si continuata ac producta, Cic. de Or. 3, 48, 186: (genus orationis) fluctuans et dissolutum eo quod sine nervis et articulis fluctuat huc et illuc, Auct. ad Her. 4, 11.
      Hence, a short clause, Dig. 36, 1, 27; also, a single word, ib. 35, 1, 4: articulus Est praesentis temporis demonstrationem continet, ib. 34, 2, 35: hoc articulo Quisque omnes significantur, ib. 28, 5, 29.
      In gram. the pronn. hic and quis, Varr. L. L. 8, § 45 Müll.; the article, Quint. 1, 4, 19.
    2. B. Of time.
      1. 1. A point of time, a moment: commoditatis omnes articulos scio, Plaut. Men. 1, 2, 31.
        With tempus: qui hunc in summas angustias adductum putaret, ut eum suis conditionibus in ipso articulo temporis astringeret, at the most critical moment, Cic. Quinct. 5, 19: in ipsis quos dixi temporum articulis, Plin. 2, 97, 99, § 216: si de singulis articulis temporum deliberabimus, August. ap. Suet. Claud. 4; also without tempus: in ipso articulo, at the fit moment, at the nick of time, Ter. Ad. 2, 2, 21.
        With dies: in articulo diei illius ingressus est, on that very day, Vulg. Gen. 7, 13.
        And with res: in articulo rerum, Curt. 3, 5; also in articulo, instantly, immediately, = statim, Cod. Just. 1, 33, 3.
        Hence with the idea extended,
      2. 2. A space, division of time: hi cardines singulis articulis dividuntur, Plin. 18, 25, 59, § 222: octo articuli lunae, id. 18, 35, 79, § 350: articulus austrinus, i. e. in which auster blows, id. 17, 2, 2, § 11.
    3. C. Of other abstract things, part, division, point: per eosdem articulos (i.e. per easdem honorum partes) et gradus producere, August. ap. Suet. Claud. 4: stationes in mediis latitudinum articulis, quae vocant ecliptica, Plin. 2, 15, 13, § 68; Dig. 1, 3, 12: ventum est ergo ad ipsum articulum causae, i. e. ventum ad rei cardinem, the turning-point, Arn. 7, p. 243.