Lewis & Short

serra, ae, f. [perh. = sec-ra, seg-ra, from seco].

  1. I. A saw, the invention of Daedalus, Ov. M. 8, 246; Sen. Ep. 90, 8; Plin. 7, 56, 57, § 198; Hyg. Fab. 274: stridens, Lucr. 2, 410: stridor serrae, Cic. Tusc. 5, 40, 116; Varr. ap. Non. 223, 19; Vitr. 2, 7: arguta, Verg. G. 1, 143 et saep.
    Prov.: serram ducere cum aliquo de aliquā re, to quarrel with one about something, Varr. R. R. 3, 6, 1; so, too, quamdiu per hanc lineam serram reciprocabimus? Tert. Cor. Mil. 3.
    Trop., of the back of a thin person, Mart. 11, 100, 4.
  2. II. Transf.
    1. A. A kind of sawfish, Plin. 9, 2, 1, § 3; 32, 11, 53, § 145.
    2. B. A serrated order of battle: serra proeliari dicitur, cum assidue acceditur recediturque neque ullo consistitur tempore. Cato de re militari: Sive opus est cuneo, aut globo, aut forcipe aut turribus aut serrā uti adoriare, Fest. p. 344 Müll.; cf. Gell. 10, 9, 1; Veg. Mil. 3, 19 fin.
    3. C. A threshingwain, with serrated wheels, Hier. in Amos, 1; Vulg. lsa. 28, 27.
    4. D. Serra, in relig. lang., the name of the Tiber, acc. to Serv. Verg. A. 8, 63.