Lewis & Short

quincunx. uncis, m. [quinque-uncia], fire twelfths of a whole (of an as, a jugerum, a pound, a sextarius, etc.).

  1. I. Lit.: si de quincunce remota est Uncia, quid superat? from five twelfths of an as, Hor. A. P. 327; so five twelfths of a jugerum, Col. 5, 1, 11; of a pound, id. 12, 28, 1; of a sextarius, five cyathi. Mart. 1, 28, 2; 2, 1, 9: quincunces et sex cyathos bessemque bibamus, id. 11, 36, 7.
    Of five twelfths of an inheritance, Plin. Ep. 7, 11, 1.
    Of interest, five per cent., Pers. 5, 149.
    In apposition with usura: quincunces usuras spopondit, Dig. 46, 3, 102; Inscr. Giorn. Arcad. 28, p. 356.
  2. II. Transf., trees planted in the form of a quincunx (i.e.
    Note:, the five spots on dice); also, trees planted in oblique lines, thus:
    Note: quid illo quincunce speciosius, qui in quamcumque partem spectaveris, rectus est? Quint. 8, 3, 9 Spald.: in quincuncem serere, Varr. R. R. 1, 7, 2; cf.: directi in quincuncem ordines, Cic Sen. 17, 59: in quincuncem disposita, Col. 3, 13, 4; 3, 15, 1: obliquis ordinibus in quincuncem dispositis, Caes. B. G. 7, 73.