Lewis & Short

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† bărā̆thrum, i, n., = βάραθρον,

  1. I. an abyss, chasm, a deep pit, the Lower World (mostly poet; cf. vorago), Plaut. Rud. 2, 7, 12: o barathrum ubi nunc es? ut ego te usurpem lubens (words of one in despair), id. Bacch. 1, 2, 41; Lucr. 3, 966; Cat. 68, 108; 68, 117; 95, 5.
    Esp., of the infernal regions: ferri in barathrum, Lucr. 6, 606: imus barathri gurges (Charybdis), Verg. A. 3, 421; 8, 245; Sil. 9, 497: poena barathri, Val. Fl. 2, 86; a pit made by art, a deep dungeon, Vitr. 10, 22, 11.
    1. B. Trop.: quid enim differt, barathrone Dones quidquid habes, an numquam utare paratis? thou throwest into the abyss, i. e. squanderest, Hor. S. 2, 3, 166.
  2. II. Transf.
    1. A. Jocosely or satirically, a maw (as insatiable), Plaut. Curc. 1, 2, 29; Mart. 1, 88, 4.
      Hence Horace calls a greedy man barathrum macelli, an abyss, gulf of the provision market, Ep. 1, 15, 31.
    2. B. In mal. part., Mart. 3, 81, 1.