Lewis & Short

scriptūra, ae, f. [scribo], a writing, written characters.

  1. I. In gen. (acc. to scribo, I.; Cic. uses scriptio instead): minium in voluminibus quoque scriptura usurpatur clarioresque litteras vel in auro vel in marmore etiam in sepulchris facit, Plin. 33, 7, 40, § 122: (meorum librorum) scriptura quanti constet, Mart. 1, 67, 3; Suet. Aug. 80: mendum scripturae, an error in writing, Caecin. ap. Cic Fam. 6, 7, 1.
      1. * 2. Concr., a line (syn. scriptum): supercilia usque ad malarum scripturam currentia, the boundary line between the cheeks and eyelids, Petr. 126, 15.
  2. II. In partic. (freq. and class.).
    1. A. (Acc. to scribo, II.) A writing, composing, composition (cf. scriptura).
      1. 1. Abstr., = scriptio: stilus optimus dicendi effector … Nam si subitam et fortuitam orationem commentatio facile vincit: hanc ipsa profecto assidua ac diligens scriptura superabit, Cic. de Or. 1, 33, 150; cf. id. Fam. 15, 21, 4: neminem posse omnis res per scripturam complecti, id. Inv. 2, 50, 152: quod si scripturam sprevissem in praesentiā, writing, composing, Ter. Hec. prol. alt. 16: scriptura levis, id. Phorm. prol. 5; cf.: genus scripturae, Caecin. ap. Cic. Fam. 6, 7, 3; Liv 25, 12; Suet. Vit. Juven.; Nep. praef. § 1; cf. also: Naevii Punicum bellum continenti scripturā expositum, Suet. Gram. 2: C. Furnio legato plura verbo quam scriptura mandata dedimus, rather orally than in writing, Planc. ap. Cic. Fam. 10, 8, 5; cf.: edebat per libellos scripturā brevi, written briefly, Suet. Caes. 41.
      2. 2. Concr., = scriptum.
        1. a. Something written, a writing (rare, and not in Cic., for scriptum, liber, libellus): ne cum poëtā scriptura evanesceret, Ter. Hec. prol. alt. 5; id. Ad. prol. 1: diurna actorum, i. e. acta diurna, the public paper of the State, Tac. A. 3, 3: nemo annales nostros cum scripturā eorum contenderit, id. ib. 4, 32: in alterā scripturā, Val. Max. 1, 1, 12; Vitr. 5, 4, 1; Vulg. Dan. 5, 17; 25.
          Of an inscription: statuae aetatem scriptura indicat, Vell. 2, 61, 3.
        2. b. In eccl. writers: κατ’ ἐξοχὴν Scriptura, or, in the plur., Scripturae, the Scriptures, Vulg. Matt. 21, 42; id. Johan. 7, 42.
          Esp. sing.: scriptūra, ae, a scripture, a passage of Scripture, Vulg. Marc. 14, 49; id. Johan. 19, 24.
    2. B. Publicists’ and jurid. t. t.
      1. 1. Public.
        1. a. A tax paid on public pastures: advorsum legem a me ob meam scripturam pecudem accepit Aeraque, Plaut. Truc. 1, 2, 42 sq.; Cic. Imp. Pomp. 6, 15; id. Verr. 2, 2, 70, § 169; id. Att. 11, 10, 1; id. Fam. 13, 65, 1.
        2. * b. A written law (syn. lex scripta): cum per ignorantiam scripturae multa commissa fierent, Suet. Calig. 41.
      2. 2. Jurid. t. t.
        1. a. A testamentary provision: primum demonstrandum est, non esse ambigue scriptum … Deinde ex superiore et ex inferiore scripturā docendum, etc. … quae autem ex omni consideratā scripturā perspicua fiant, haec ambigua non oportere existimari, Cic. Inv. 2, 40, 117; cf. Quint. 9, 2, 34: dubia, id. 7, 9, 6.
        2. b. A will: suprema, Cod. Th. 16, 1, 40.