Lewis & Short

1. calx, calcis, f. (m., Pers. 3, 105 dub.; Sil. 7, 696; cf. App. M. 7, p. 483 Oud.; Pers. 3, 105; Grat. Cyn. 278. Whether Lucil. ap. Charis, p. 72 P. belongs here or to 2. calx is undecided) [Sanscr. kar-, wound, kill; akin with λάξ, calcar, calceus], the heel.

  1. I. Lit.: calces deteris, you tread on my heels, Plaut. Merc. 5, 2, 111: quod si ipsa animi vis In capite aut umeris aut imis calcibus esse Posset, Lucr. 3, 792; 5, 136: incursare pug nis, calcibus, πὺξ καὶ λάξ, Plaut. Poen. 4, 1, 3; Ter. Eun. 2, 2, 53: certare pugnis, calcibus, unguibus, Cic. Tusc. 5, 27, 77: uti pugnis et calcibus, id. Sull. 25, 71: concisus pugnis et calcibus, id. Verr. 2, 3, 23, § 56: subsellium calce premere, Auct. Her. 4, 55, 68: ferire pugno vel calce, Quint. 2, 8, 13: quadrupedemque citum ferratā (al. ferrato) calce fatigat, Verg. A. 11, 714: nudā calce vexare ilia equi, Stat. S. 5, 2, 115; Sil. 7, 697; 13, 169; 17, 541: nudis calcibus anguem premere, Juv. 1, 43.
    Also of the heels of animals, Varr. R. R. 2, 5, 8; Col. 8, 2, 8: quadrupes calcibus auras Verberat, Verg. A. 10, 892.
    Hence, caedere calcibus, to kick, λακτιζω, Plaut. Poen. 3, 3, 71: calce petere aliquem, to kick, Hor. S. 2, 1, 55: ferire, Ov. F. 3, 755: extundere frontem, Phaedr. 1, 21, 9: calces remittere, to kick, Nep. Eum. 5, 5; so, reicere, Dig. 9, 1, 5: aut dic aut accipe calcem, take a kick, Juv. 3, 295 al.
      1. 2. Prov.: adversus stimulum calces (sc. jactare, etc.) = λακτίζειν πρὸς κέντρον (Aesch Agam. 1624; Pind. Pyth. 2, 174; W. T. Act. 9, 5), to kick against the pricks, Ter. Phorm. 1, 2, 28 Don. and Ruhnk.; cf. Plaut. Truc. 4, 2, 55, and s. v. calcitro: calcem impingere alicui rei, to abandon any occupation: Anglice, to hang a thing on the nail, Petr. 46.
    1. B. Meton. (pars pro toto), the foot, in gen.: calcemque terit jam calce, Verg. A. 5, 324 Serv. and Heyne.
  2. II. Transf. to similar things.
    1. A. In architecture: calces scaporum, the foot of the pillars of a staircase; Fr. patin de l’échiffre, Vitr. 9, praef. § 8.
    2. B. Calx mali, the foot of the mast, Vitr. 10, 3, 5.
    3. C. In agriculture, the piece of wood cut off with a scion, Plin. 17, 21, 35, § 156.