Lewis & Short

1. scōpa, ae, and plur.: scōpae, ārum (cf. on plur., Varr. L. L. 8, § 7 Müll.; 10, § 24 ib.; Quint. 1, 5, 16; Charis. p. 20 P.; 72 ib.; Diom. p. 315 ib.; sing., v. infra, B.), f. [root skap-, to support; cf.: scipio, scamnum].

  1. I. Lit., thin branches, twigs, shoots (rare), Cato, R. R. 152; Pall. 3, 24, 8; 4, 9, 12; Auct. B. Afr. 47, 5; Plin. 20, 22, 89, § 241; 22, 18, 21, § 46 al.
    1. B. In partic.: scō-pa rēgĭa, a plant, a species of the goosefoot: Chenopodium scoparia, Linn.; Plin. 21, 6, 15, § 28; 25, 5, 19, § 44.
  2. II. Meton., a broom, besom made of twigs (class. in plur.): munditias volo fieri: efferte huc scopas, etc., Plaut. Stich. 2, 2, 23; 2, 2, 27; 2, 2, 51; Petr. 34, 3; Hor. S. 2, 4, 81: scopis mundata, swept, Vulg. Luc. 11, 25: in scopā, id. Isa. 14, 23.
        1. b. Prov.: scopas dissolvere, to untie a broom, i. e. to throw any thing into disorder or confusion, Cic. Or. 71, 235; hence, scopae solutae, of a man in utter perplexity, id. Att. 7, 13, b, 6.