Lewis & Short

vindicta, ae, f. [vindico], the staff or rod with which a slave was touched in the ceremony of manumission, a liberating-rod, manumission-staff.

  1. I. Lit., Dig. 4, 16; Just. Inst. 1, 5, 1: si neque censu neque vindictā nec testamento liber factus est, non est liber, Cic. Top. 2, 10; id. Rab. Perd. 5, 16; Plaut. Curc. 1, 3, 56: te quoque servari, modo quam vindicta redemit, Quis ferat? Ov. A. A. 3, 615; id. R. Am. 74; Liv. 2, 5, 9; Hor. S. 2, 7, 76; Pers. 5, 88; Plin. Ep. 7, 16, 4; Gai Inst. 1, 17 sq.; 1, 18; 1, 38; Paul. Sent. 4, 12, 2.
  2. II. Transf. (not ante-Aug.).
    1. A. (Cf. vindico, II. B.) A means of asserting or defending, a vindication, protection, defence; esp. with libertatis: civitas in ipsā vindictā libertatis peritura, Liv. 34, 49, 3: vindictam aliquam libertatis suae quaerere, id. 24, 37, 10: utrique vindicta libertatis morte stetit, Vell. 2, 64, 3.
      In other connections: petatur a virtute invisae hujus vitae vindicta, Liv. 26, 15, 14: mors, inquit, una vindicta est, id. 40, 4, 13: legis severae, Ov. P. 4, 6, 33.
    2. B. (Cf. vindico, II. C.) Vengeance, revenge, punishment (syn. ultio), Juv. 16, 22; Phaedr. 1, 29, 10; Juv. 13, 180; 13, 191; Petr. 136; Plin. 29, 1, 8, § 18; Tac. A. 6, 32; Paul. Sent. 5, 4, 12.