Lewis & Short

testa, ae, f. [ = tosta, from torreo], a piece of burned clay, a brick, tile, ὄστρακον.

  1. I. Lit., Cic. Dom. 23, 61; Cato, R. R. 18, 7; 18, 110; Varr. R. R. 2, 3, 6; Vitr. 2, 8 fin.; 7, 1; 7, 4; Aus. Parent. 11, 9.
  2. II. Transf.
    1. A. A piece of baked earthen-ware, an earthen pot, pitcher, jug, urn, etc. (cf. testu): si Prometheus … a vicinis cum testā ambulans carbunculos corrogaret, Auct. Her. 4, 6, 9: testā cum ardente viderent Scintillare oleum, a lamp, Verg. G. 1, 391: quo semel est imbuta recens, servabit odorem Testa diu, Hor. Ep. 1, 2, 70; cf. Tib. 2, 3, 47: accipiat Manes parvula testa meos, Prop. 2, 13, 32 (3, 5, 16): vinum Graeca quod testā conditum levi, Hor. C. 1, 20, 2; 3, 21, 4: mihi fundat avitum Condita testa merum, Ov. A. A. 2, 696; Mart. 12, 48, 8; 12, 63, 2; 13, 7, 1; Plin. 31, 10, 46, § 114.
      Used in applause: audiat ille Testarum crepitus cum verbis, Juv. 11, 170 (cf. F. infra).
    2. B. A broken piece of earthen-ware, pottery, brick, etc.; a sherd, potsherd: dissipatis imbricum fragminibus ac testis tegularum, Sisenn. ap. Non. 125, 18: testa parem fecit, Ov. M. 8, 662: fulcitur testā mensa, Mart. 2, 43, 10; Plin. 32, 8, 28, § 89; 35, 3, 5, § 16; Tac. H. 5, 6; Prop. 4 (5), 7, 28; Juv. 3, 260.
      Hence,
      1. 2. Transf., a piece of bone, Cels. 8, 16; so of fragments of a broken tooth, id. 6, 9 med.; 7, 22.
    3. C. Like ὄστρακον, a sherd, potsherd, in the ostracism or judicial voting of the Greeks: testarum suffragiis, quod illi ὀστρακισμὸν vocant, Nep. Cim. 3, 1; cf. also testula.
    4. D. The shell of shell-fish or of testaceous animals: genera beluarum ad saxa nativis testis inhaerentium, Cic. N. D. 2, 39, 100: ostreae, Plin. 32, 6, 21, § 60: muricum, id. 32, 7, 27, § 84: cochlearum, id. 30, 8, 21, § 66: testudinis, Varr. L. L. 5, § 79 Müll.
      Hence,
      1. 2. Transf.
        1. a. A shell-fish: non omne mare generosae fertile testae, Hor. S. 2, 4, 31: marina, id. ib. 2, 8, 53.
        2. b. A shell or covering, in gen.: lubricaque immotas testa premebat aquas, i. e. an icy shell, covering of ice, Ov. Tr. 3, 10, 38: lubrica, Poët. ap. Anthol. Lat. 2, p. 62 Burm.
        3. c. The skull: testa hominis, nudum jam cute calvitium, Aus. Epigr. 72; Prud. στεφ. 10, 761; Cael. Aur. Tard. 1, 1; 2, 1 fin. (hence, Ital. testa and Fr. tēte).
    5. E. A brick-colored spot on the face, Plin. 26, 15, 92, § 163; 48. 12, 50, § 185.
  3. F. A sort of clapping with the flat of the hands (as if with two tiles), in token of applause, invented by Nero, Suet. Ner 20.