Lewis & Short

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fĭgūra, ae, f. [v. fingo], a form, shape, figure (syn.: forma, species; tropus).

  1. I. Lit.
    1. A. In gen.: corporis nostri partes totaque figura et forma et statura quam apta ad naturam sit, apparet, Cic. Fin. 5, 12, 35; cf.: hominum, vel etiam ceterarum animantium forma et figura, id. de Or. 3, 45, 179; and: quae figura, quae species humanā potest esse pulchrior? … Quod si omnium animantium formam vincit hominis figura, deus autem animans est: ea figura profecto est, quae pulcherrima sit omnium, etc., id. N. D. 1, 18, 47 sq.; with this cf.: esse aliquem humana specie et figura, qui, etc., id. Rosc. Am. 22, 63; Liv. 29, 17, 11: uri sunt specie et colore et figura tauri, Caes. B. G. 6, 28, 1: gemina tauri juvenisque, the Minotaur, Ov. M. 8, 169: Himera in muliebrem figuram habitumque formata, Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 35, § 87; cf.: figura et lineamenta hospitae, id. ib. 36, § 89: conformatio quaedam et figura totius oris et corporis, id. de Or. 1, 25, 114: pulmonum vis et figura, id. Tusc. 1, 16, 37: formae figura, id. N. D. 1, 32, 90: formaï servare figuram, Lucr. 4, 69: navium figura (shortly before: navium species), Caes. B. G. 4, 25, 2: lapidis, Ov. M. 3, 399: dohorum, Plin. 2, 25, 22, § 90: lenticulae dimidiae, id. 27, 12, 98, § 124: quadriangula grani, id. 13, 22, 38, § 118: triquetra, id. 3, 16, 20, § 121: rotunditatis aut proceritatis, id. 13, 4, 9, § 49 et saep.
      1. 2. Concr., a sketch, figure, drawing (lat. Lat.): figurae quae σχηματα vocant, Gell. 1, 20, 1; 2, 21, 10: κύβος est figura ex omni latere quadrata, id. 1, 20, 4.
    2. B. In partic.
      1. 1. In the lang. of the Epicurean philosophy applied to the atoms or molecular parts of bodies: caelestem fulminis ignem Subtilem magis e parvis constare figuris, Lucr. 2, 385; 2, 682 sq.; 778; 3, 190 al.; cf.: illas figuras Epicuri, quas e summis corporibus dicit effluere, Quint. 10, 2, 15 Spald.
      2. 2. Poet., a form, shade, phantom of the dead: in somnis, cum saepe figuras Contuimur miras simulacraque luce carentum, Lucr. 4, 34: morte obita quales fama est volitare figuras, Verg. A. 10, 641: CVM VITA FVNCTVS IVNGAR TIS (i. e. tuis) VMBRA FIGVRIS, Inscr. Orell. 4847.
  2. II. Trop., quality, kind, form, species, nature, manner.
    1. A. In gen.: de figura vocis satis dictum est, Auct. Her. 3, 15, 25: majus et minus et aeque magnum ex vi et ex numero et ex figura negotii consideratur, Cic. Inv. 1, 28, 41: figura orationis plenioris et tenuioris, id. de Or. 3, 55, 212; cf.: suam quandam expressit quasi formam figuramque dicendi, id. ib. 2, 23, 98: occurrunt animo pereundi mille figurae, kinds, Ov. H. 10, 81: edidit innumeras species, partimque figuras rettulit antiquas, etc., id. M. 1, 436; cf.: capiendi figurae (for which, shortly after: species capiendi), Dig. 39, 6, 31: condicionis, ib. 35, 2, 30.
    2. B. In partic.
      1. 1. Gram. t. t., form of a word, inflection: alia nomina, quod quinque habent figuras, habere quinque casus, Varr. L. L. 9, § 52; cf.: non debuisse ex singulis vocibus ternas vocabulorum figuras fieri, ut albus, alba, album, id. ib. 9, § 55: quaedam (verba) tertiae demum personae figura dicuntur, ut licet, piget, Quint. 1, 4, 29; 8, 2, 15 Spald.
      2. 2. Rhet. t. t., a figure of speech, σχῆμα, Cic. de Or. 3, 53 sq.; id. Or. 39 sq.; Quint. 9, 1 sq. et saep.
        1. b. Esp., one which contains hints or allusions, Suet. Vesp. 13; id. Dom. 10; cf. Quint. 9, 2, 82.

fĭgūro, āvi, ātum, 1, v. a. [figura], to form, fashion, shape (rare but class.).

  1. I. Lit.: mundum ea forma figuravit, qua una omnes reliquae formae concluduntur, Cic. Univ. 6: aes in habitum statuae, Sen. Ep. 65: medullas in lapidis naturam, Plin. 36, 22, 45, § 161: caseos, id. 16, 38, 72, § 181: barbam peregrina ratione, Petr. 102.
    Absol., Cic. N. D. 1, 39, 110.
  2. II. Trop.
    1. A. In gen.: voces lingua, to pronounce, utter, Lucr. 4, 550; cf. id. 2, 413: os tenerum pueri balbumque poëta figurat, forms, trains, Hor. Ep. 2, 1, 126: dum tempora nostra figurat, represents, Prud. Psych. 66.
    2. B. In partic.
      1. 1. To imagine, fancy, picture: qui in crepidine viderat Marium in sella figuravit, Sen. Contr. 3, 17 med.: quales ad bella excitanda exeunt Furiae, talem nobis iram figuremus, Sen. Ira, 2, 35 med.: inanes species anxio animo, Curt. 7, 1 fin.
      2. 2. In rhet. lang., to adorn with figures: tam translatis verbis quam propriis figuratur oratio, Quint. 9, 1, 9: plurima mutatione figuramus, id. 10, 1, 12.
        Absol.: affectus efficaciter movit, figurabat egregie, Sen. Contr. 3 praef.
        Hence, fĭgū-rātus, a, um, P. a.
    1. A. Lit., formed, fashioned, shaped: boum ipsa terga declarant non esse se ad onus accipiendum figurata, Cic. N. D. 2, 63, 159: (hominis) ita figuratum corpus, id. Fin. 5, 12, 34: signum in modum Liburnae figuratum, Tac. G. 9: venter ei, qui a periculo tutus est, reddit mollia, figurata, well-formed stools, Cels. 2, 3; 2, 8 med.
      Of a word, derived: dicatur a Graeca voce figurata esse, Gai. Inst. 3, 93 fin.
    2. B. Trop., of speech, figurative (not in Cic., but very freq. in Quint.): oratio ἐσχηματισμένη, id est figurata (opp. ἀσχημάτιστος, figuris carens), Quint. 9, 1, 13; cf. id. 8, 3, 59: verba, id. 8, 1, 1; 9, 2, 7: controversiae, id. 9, 2, 65; 88; 9, 1, 14.
      Adv. (acc. to B.), figuratively; in two forms: fĭgūrāto, Tert. adv. Marc. 3, 14 al.: fĭgūrāte, Ascon. ap. Cic. Verr. 2, 6: figuratius, Sid. Ep. 5, 8.