rōs, rōris, m. (n., ros nocturnum, Marc. Emp. 8; cf. infra, II. B.) [perh. kindr. with the Gr. ἔρση, dew; Sanscr. varshas, rain].
- I. Lit., dew: herbae gemmantes rore recenti, Lucr. 2, 319; cf. id. 5, 461: ros si non cadit, Plaut. Capt. 1, 1, 13: nocturnum excipere rorem, Caes. B. C. 3, 15; cf.: rore mero jejunia pavit, Ov. M. 4, 263: gelidus, Verg. G. 2, 202: pecori gratissimus, id. E. 8, 15; id. G. 3, 326: caelestis, Ov. F. 1, 312: vitreus, id. Am. 1, 6, 55 et saep.
Plur.: gelidos rores, Cic. poët. Div. 1, 8, 14: cadunt rores, Plin. 18, 29, 69, § 292: roribus, id. 16, 26, 46, § 109; 17, 24, 37, § 225: quod inter aquam et rorem interest, Sen. Q. N. 4, 3, 6.
- II. Transf.
- A. Of any liquid falling in drops, moisture (poet.): infuso lympharum rore superne, Lucr. 1, 496, cf. liquoris, id. 1, 777: salis, id. 4, 438; and simply ros, of water, Prop. 3, 21, 2; Verg. A. 6, 230; Hor. C. 3, 4, 61; Ov. M. 3, 164; 5, 635; 11, 57 al.
In plur.: pluvii, i. e. rain clouds, Hor C. 3, 3, 56.
Of tears: lacrimarum, Ov. M. 14, 708; and simply ros, id. ib. 10, 360; Hor. A. P. 430; plur., Stat. S. 5, 1, 36.
Of breastmilk: natos vitali rore rigabat, Cic. poët. Div. 1, 12, 20.
Of blood; plur.: sanguineos, Verg. A. 12, 339; cf. cruentis, Stat. Th. 2, 673.
Of perfumes: Syrius, Tib. 3, 4, 28: Arabus, Ov. H. 15, 76.
- B. Ros marinus, marinus ros, or in one word, rosmarinus, and in a neutr. collat. form, rosmarinum (post-Aug.), rosemary: rosmarinus, Col. 9, 4, 2; Pall. Mart. 15, 1: marinus ros, Col. 9, 4, 6: rorismarini, id. 12, 36 (twice): marino rore, Hor. C. 3, 23, 16: rosmarinum, nom., Plin. 24, 11, 59, § 99; acc., id. 19, 12, 62, § 187; App. Herb. 79; cf. Isid. Orig. 17, 9, 81; in Ovid also: ros maris, Ov. M. 12, 410; id. A. A. 3, 690; and in Vergil simply ros, Verg. G. 2, 213 Serv.; cf. Plin. 24, 11, 60, § 101.