Lewis & Short

1. cănis (cănes, Plaut. Men. 5, 1, 18; id. Trin. 1, 2, 133; 1, 2, 135; Enn. ap. Varr. L. L. 7, § 32 Müll., or Ann. v. 518 Vahl.; Lucil. ap. Varr. ib.; cf. Charis. 1, 17, p. 118 P.; abl. always cane; gen. plur. canum; v. Neue, Formenl. pp. 223, 258 sq.), comm. [Sanscr. cvan; Gr. κύων, κυνός; Germ. Hund; Engl. hound].

  1. I. Lit., a dog.
    1. A. In gen., v. Varr. R. R. 1, 21; 2, 9, 1 sqq.; Plin. 8, 40, 61, § 142 sqq.; Col. 7, 12, 1: tantidem quasi feta canes sine dentibus latrat, Enn. ap. Varr. L. L. 7, § 32 Müll. (Ann. v. 518 Vahl.): introiit in aedĭs ater alienus canis, Ter. Phorm. 4, 4, 25: inritata canes, Lucil. ap. Charis. 1, p. 100 P.: canem inritatam imitarier, Plaut. Capt. 3, 1, 25: in Hyrcaniă plebs publicos alit canes, optumates domesticos: nobile autem genus canum illud scimus esse, etc., Cic. Tusc. 1, 45, 108: si lupi canibus similes sunt, id. Ac. 2, 16, 50: canes ut montivagae persaepe ferai Naribus inveniunt quietes, Lucr. 1, 405: canis acer, Hor. Epod. 12, 6: acres, Varr. R. R. 1, 21: acriores et vigilantiores, Cato, R. R. 124: assiduus, Col. R. R. 7, 12, 5: catenarius, Sen. Ira, 3, 37, 2: catenă vinctus, Petr. 29: Molossi, Hor. S. 2, 6, 115; cf. Lucr. 5, 1063: obscenae, Verg. G. 1, 470; Ov. F. 4, 936: pastoralis, Col. 7, 12, 3: pecuarius, id. 7, 12, 8: pulicosa, id. 7, 13, 2: rabidi, Lucr. 5, 892; Sen. Oedip. 932: rabiosus, Plin. 29, 4, 32, § 98: saeva canum rabies, Prop. 3, 16 (4, 15), 17; Plin. 8, 40, 63, § 152: est verunculus in linguă canum, quo exempto nec rabidi fuint, etc., id. 29, 4, 32, § 100: rabiosa. Hor. Ep. 2, 2, 75: venatici, Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 13, § 31; Nep. Pel. 2, 5: alere canes ad venandum, Ter. And. 1, 1, 30; Curt. 9, 1, 31: vigiles, Hor. C. 3, 16, 2: canum fida custodia, Cic. N. D. 2, 63, 150: fida canum vis, Lucr. 6, 1222: levisomna canum fido cum pectore corda, id. 5, 864: caput mediae canis praecisae, Liv. 40, 6, 1; cf. Curt. 10, 9, 12: saepe citos egi per juga longa canes, Ov. H. 5, 20: canibus circumdare saltus, Verg. E. 10, 57: hos non inmissis canibus agitant, id. G. 3, 371: leporem canibus venari, id. ib. 3, 410.
    2. B. Esp.
      1. 1. As a term of reproach, to denote,
        1. a. A shameless, vile person, Plaut. Most. 1, 1, 40; Ter. Eun. 4, 7, 33 Donat. ad loc.; Hor. Epod. 6, 1; cf. id. S. 2, 2, 56; Petr. 74, 9; Suet. Vesp. 13.
        2. b. A fierce or enraged person, Plaut. Men. 5, 1, 14, 5, 1, 18; Hyg. Fab. 3; cf. Cic. Rosc. Am. 20, 57; Sen. Cons. Marc. 22, 5.
      2. 2. As the regular designation of the hangers-on or parasites of an eminent or rich Roman; a follower, dog, creature: multa sibi opus esse, multa canibus suis quos circa se habuit, Cic. Verr. 2, 1, 48, § 126: cohors ista quorum hominum est? Volusii haruspices et Canelii medici et horum canum quos tribunal meum vides lambere, id. ib. 2, 3, 11, § 28: apponit de suis canibus quendam, id. ib. 2, 4, 19, § 40; 2, 5, 56, § 146; id. Att. 6, 3, 6; id. Pis. 10, 23.
      3. 3. In mythical lang.
        1. a. Tergeminus, i. e. Cerberus. Ov. A. A. 3, 322; id. Tr. 4, 7, 16; called also viperius, id. Am. 3, 12, 26: Tartareus, Sen. Herc. Fur. 649: triformis, id. Herc. Oet. 1202: Echidnaea. Ov. M. 7, 409; cf.: infernae canes, Hor. S. 1, 8, 35; Verg. A. 6, 257; Luc. 6, 733.
        2. b. Semidei canes, Anubis, Luc. 8, 832.
      4. 4. Prov.
        1. a. Stultitia est venatum ducere invitas canes, Plaut. Stich. 1, 2, 82.
        2. b. Cane pejus et angui Vitare aliquid, Hor. Ep. 1, 17, 30.
        3. c. Ut canis a corio numquam absterrebitur uncto, will never be frightened from the greasy hide, Hor. S. 2, 5, 83.
        4. d. Canis caninam non ēst (cf. Engl. dog won’t eat dog), Auct. ap. Varr. L. L. 7, § 32 Müll.
        5. e. A cane non magno saepe tenetur aper, Ov. R. Am. 422.
      5. 5. CAVE CANEM, beware of the dog, a frequent inscription of warning to trespassers on doors, etc., Petr. 29; Varr. ap. Non. p. 153, 1; Inscr. Orell. 4320.
        Hence: Cave Canem, the title of a satire by Varro, Non. p. 75, 22.
  2. II. Transf.
    1. A. A constellation; the Dog.
      1. 1. Esp.: Canis Major, or simply Canis, a constellation of twenty stars, Hyg. Astr. 3, 34; of which the brighest is Sirius or Canicula, Cic. N. D. 2, 44, 114; id. Arat. 108 (349); 123 (367); 138 (382); 276 (522); Vitr. 9, 5, 2; Verg. G. 1, 218; 2, 353; Hor. S. 1, 7, 25; id. Ep. 1, 10, 16; Tib. 3, 5, 2; Ov. F. 4, 904; Plin. 18, 26, 64, § 234 sqq.
      2. 2. Canis Minor, or Minusculus, the Little Dog, = Προκύων, commonly called Antecanis (hence the plur. canes), Vitr. 9, 52; Plin. 18, 28, 68, § 268; Ov. F. 4, 904.
        Acc. to the fable, the dog of Erigone, daughter of Icarius; hence, Erigoneïus, Ov. F. 5, 723, and Icarius, id. ib. 4, 939.
    2. B. The sea-dog, called canis marinus, Plin. 9, 35, 55, § 110; and mythically, of the dogs of Scylla, Lucr. 5, 890; Verg. A. 3, 432; Tib. 3, 4, 89; Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 56, § 146; Luc. 1, 549 Cort.; Sen. Med. 351.
    3. C. The worst throw with dice, the dog-throw (cf. canicula and alea): damnosi, Prop. 4 (5), 8, 46; Ov. Tr. 2, 474: canem mittere, Suet. Aug. 71; cf. Isid. Orig. 18, 65.
      Prov.: tam facile quam canis excidit, Sen. Apocol. 10, 2.
    4. D. A Cynic philosopher: Diogenes cum choro canum suorum, Lact. Epit. 39, 4.
    5. E. A kind of fetter, Plaut. Cas. 2, 6, 37 dub. (al. camum; v. camus); cf. 1. catulus.