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ŏpĕra, ae, f. [opus], service, pains, exertion, work, labor (opus is used mostly of the mechanical activity of work, as that of animals, slaves, and soldiers; opera supposes a free will and desire to serve).

  1. I. Lit.
    1. A. In gen.: omnes, quorum operae, non quorum artes emuntur, Cic. Off. 1, 42, 150: sine hominum manu atque operā, id. ib. 2, 4, 14: operam exigere, id. ib. 1, 13: perdere, id. de Or. 1, 28, 126: praebere amicis, id. Brut. 47, 174: in re ponere, id. Clu. 57, 157: curamque in rebus honestis ponere, id. Off. 1, 6, 19: et laborem consumere in aliquā re, to bestow labor and pains on any thing, id. de Or. 1, 55, 234: studiumque in res obscuras conferre, id. Off. 1, 6, 19: tribuere rei publicae, id. Div. 2, 2, 7; sumere, id. Verr. 2, 4, 31, § 69: impendere, id. ib. 2, 2, 30, § 68: polliceri, Sall. C. 28, 1; 40, 6: insumere, Liv. 10, 18: dicare alicui, Ter. Phorm. 1, 2, 12: interponere, to bestow, employ, Cic. Div. in. Caecil. 19, 63: ipse dabat purpuram tantum, amici operas, gave their work thereto, i. e. wrought it, id. Verr. 2, 4, 26, § 59: pleraque sunt hominum operis effecta, id. Off. 2, 3, 12: ibo, atque illam adducam, Quam propter opera est mihi, on whose behalf I am engaged, Plaut. Mil. 4, 2, 93: operam navare, Cic. Fam. 15, 12, 2; Liv. 25, 6, 15.
    2. B. In partic., a service, rendering of service: Cn. Pupius, qui est in operis ejus societatis, in the service of the society or company, Cic. Fam. 13, 9, 3: operae forenses, id. Fin. 1, 4, 10: P. Terentius, qui operas in portu et scripturā pro magistro dat, serves as director, id. ib. 13, 65, 11: ferrum istud bonas edet operas, will do good service, Sen. Prov. 2, 10: musis operas reddere, to do service to, to serve, Cic. Fam. 16, 10, 2: dare operas alicui, Plaut. Bacch. 1, 1, 11.
  2. II. Transf.
    1. A. Care, attention, exertion bestowed on any thing: deditā operā, seriously, with a purpose, Plaut. Trin. 1, 2, 29.
      So esp. freq.,
      1. 1. Operam dare, to bestow care or pains on, to give attention to any thing.
        Constr. with dat., with ut or ne ( = studere).
          1. (α) With dat.: dant operam simul auspicio augurioque, Enn. ap. Cic. Div. 1, 48, 107 (Ann. v. 81 Vahl.): dare operam funeri, to attend, Cic. Att. 15, 1, 1: bellis, Sive foro, Ov. R. Am. 165: amori, Ter. Heaut. 1, 1, 58: liberis (to the begetting of children), Cic. Fam. 9, 22, 3: memoriae alicujus, to attend to what brings a person to mind, Cael. ap. Cic. Fam. 8, 1, 1: tonsori, to get shaved, Suet. Aug. 79: alicui, to attend to one, listen to him, Plaut. Trin. 4, 2, 52: sermoni, Cic. Leg. 2, 1, 4: amico, to serve, Plaut. Merc. 2, 2, 17: me huic dedisse operam malam, that I have done him an ill turn, id. Capt. 3, 5, 43.
            For dat. the acc. with ad occurs: benigne operam detis ad nostrum gregem, Plaut. Cas. prol. 21.
          2. (β) With ut and subj.: da operam, ut valeas, Cic. Att. 16, 16, A, 5: omnem operam do, ut cognoscam, Sen. Contr. 4, 24, 15; id. Vit. Beat. 3, 2.
          3. (γ) With ne: dent operam consules, ne quid respublica detrimenti capiat, Caes. B. C. 1, 5: ego omnem operam dabo, ne pervenire ad me erubescat, Sen. Polyb. 13, 3: studiose te operam dare, ut ne quid meorum tibi esset ignotum, Cic. Fam. 13, 11, 1.
          4. (δ) With subj. alone: dabo operam, quoad exercitus huc summittatis, etc., Planc. ap. Cic. Fam. 10, 21, 6.
            (ε) With inf.: id scire, Ter. Hec. 4, 1, 38.
      2. 2. In abl.: operā meā, tuā, etc., through my (thy, etc.) means, agency, fault: fateor Abiisse eum abs te, meā operā atque astutiā, Plaut. Capt. 3, 5, 21: quid mihi nisi malum vostra opera’st? id. Ps. 1, 2, 50: non meā operā, neque pol culpā evenit, Ter. Hec. 2, 1, 31: meā operā, Q. Fabi, Tarentum recepisti, Cic. Sen. 4, 11.
      3. 3. Unā or eādem operā, in the same manner, at the same time (ante-class.): unā operā mihi sunt sodales, quā iste, Plaut. Capt. 3, 4, 31: eādem operā a praetore sumam syngrapham, id. ib. 2, 3, 89.
      4. 4. Operā, by experience (ante-class.): nam te omnes saevom commemorant … ego contra operā expertus, Plaut. Trin. 4, 1, 7: id operā expertus sum esse ita, id. Bacch. 3, 2, 3: magis non factum possum velle quam operā experiar persequi, id. Capt. 2, 3, 65.
      5. 5. Operae pretium, v. pretium, II. B.
    2. B. Leisure, spare time for any thing (class., but in the phrase operae est, only ante-class. and Livian): operae ubi mihi erit, ad te venero, as soon as I can spare the time, Plaut. Truc. 4, 4, 30: si operae illi esset, if he had time, Liv. 5, 15; 4, 8; 44, 36: dicam, si tibi videam esse operam, aut otium, Plaut. Merc. 2, 2, 15: operae non est, id. ib. 5, 2, 77: quos tu operam gravare mihi, id. Rud. 2, 4, 21: de versibus, quos tibi a me scribi vis, deest mihi quidem opera, I have not time or leisure, Cic. Q. Fr. 3, 4, 4.
    3. C. In concr.
      1. 1. A day’s work or labor (usu. in plur.): quaternis operis singula jugera confodere, Varr. R. R. 1, 18: puerilis una opera, Col. 11, 2, 44: bubulcorum operae quatuor, id. 2, 13: operae (filiorum) locari possunt, Paul. Sent. 5, 1, 1.
      2. 2. A day-laborer, journeyman; also, in gen., a laborer, workman (usu. in plur.): ipse dominus dives operis et laboris expers, Plaut. Am. 1, 1, 16: plures operas conducere, Col. 3, 21: nona, a ninth laborer (on his farm), Hor. S. 2, 7, 118; Suet. Oct. 3.
        Hence, transf., in a bad sense: operae, hired aiders, abettors, tools, etc. (of political or theatrical parties): mercenariae (corresp. to multitudo conducta), Cic. Phil. 1, 9, 22; cf.: erat mihi contentio cum operis conductis et ad diripiendam urbem concitatis, id. Sest. 17, 38: Claudianae, id. Q. Fr. 2, 3, 2; cf. id. Att. 4, 3, 3: theatrales, parties for the purpose of applauding, theatrical factions, Tac. A. 1, 16: VETERES A SCENA, Inscr. Grut. 467, 7.
      3. 3. That which is wrought or produced, a work: operae aranearum, i. e. spiders’ webs, Plaut. As. 2, 4, 19: exstabit opera peregrinationis hujus, Cic. Att. 15, 13, 6.

ŏpĕrĭo, ŭi, ertum, 4 (archaic fut. operibo: ego operibo caput, Pompon. ap. Non. 507, 33; imperf. operibat, Prop. 4, 12, 35), v. a. [pario, whence the opp. aperio, to uncover; cf. paro], to cover, cover over any thing (class.; syn.: tego, velo, induo).

  1. I. Lit.
    1. A. Operire capita, Plaut. Poen. 3, 4, 34; cf.: capite operto esse, Cic. Sen. 10, 34: operiri umerum cum toto jugulo, Quint. 11, 3, 141; id. praef. § 24.
      Esp., of clothing: aeger multā veste operiendus est, Cels. 3, 7 fin.; so in Vulg. Isa. 58, 7; id. Ezech. 18, 7 et saep.: fons fluctu totus operiretur, nisi, Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 53, § 118: summas amphoras auro et argento, Nep. Hann. 9, 3: mons nubibus, Ov. P. 4, 5, 5: (rhombos) quos operit glacies Maeotica, Juv. 4, 42.
      Comically: aliquem loris, to cover over, i. e. to lash soundly, Ter. Ad. 2, 1, 28: reliquias malae pugnae, i. e. to bury, Tac. A. 15, 28: operiet eos formido, Vulg. Ezech. 7, 18; id. Jer. 3, 25.
    2. B. Transf., to shut, close (syn.: claudo, praecludo, obsero): fores, Plaut. Men. 2, 3, 1: ostium, Ter. Heaut. 5, 1, 33: iste opertā lecticā latus est, Cic. Phil. 2, 41, 106: oculos, to shut, close (opp. patefacere), Plin. 11, 37, 55, § 150; cf.: opertos compressosve (oculos), Quint. 11, 2, 76.
  2. II. Trop.
      1. 1. To hide, conceal, keep from observation, dissemble: quo pacto hoc operiam? Ter. Hec. 4, 4, 6 Bentl. (al. aperiam): non in oratione operiendā sunt quaedam, Quint. 2, 13, 12: quotiens dictu deformia operit, id. 8, 6, 59; cf. id. 5, 12, 18: luctum, Plin. Ep. 3, 16, 6: domestica mala tristitia, Tac. A. 3, 18.
      2. 2. To overwhelm, burden, as with shame, etc. (only in part. perf. pass.): contumeliis opertus, loaded, overwhelmed, Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 50, § 111; cf.: judicia operta dedecore et infamiā, id. Clu. 22, 61: infamiā, Tac. H. 3, 69.
      3. 3. Of sin, to atone for, cover, cause to be forgotten (eccl. Lat.): qui converti fecerit peccatorem, operiet multitudinem peccatorum, Vulg. Jac. 5, 20; id. 1 Pet. 4, 8.—ŏpertus, a, um, P. a., hidden, concealed (class.): operta quae fuere, aperta sunt, Plaut. Capt. 3, 3, 9: res, Cic. Fin. 2, 2, 5: operta bella, Verg. G. 1, 465: cineres, Hor. C. 2, 8, 9: hamum, id. S. 1, 16, 50.
        As subst.: ŏpertum, i, n., a secret place or thing, a secret; an ambiguous answer, dark oracle, etc.: Apollinis operta, the dark, ambiguous oracles, Cic. Div. 1, 50, 115: telluris operta subire, the depths, Verg. A. 6, 140: opertum Bonae Deae, the secret place or secret service, Cic. Par. 4, 2, 32: litterarum, a secret, Gell. 17, 9, 22.
        Adv.: ŏpertē, covertly, figuratively (post-class.): operte et symbolice, Gell. 4, 11, 10.

1. ŏpus, ĕris, n. [Sanscr. ap-as, work; whence apuas, gain; v. ops; cf. also Germ. üben].

  1. I. Lit.
    1. A. In gen., work, labor (cf.: labor, ars, opera): quod in opere faciundo operae consumis tuae, in doing your work, Ter. Heaut. 1, 1, 21: menses octo continuos opus hic non defuit, cum vas nullum fieret, nisi aureum, Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 24, § 54: oratio in causarum contentionibus magnum est quoddam opus, atque haud sciam, an de humanisoperibus longe maximum, id. de Or. 2, 17, 71.
    2. B. Esp.
      1. 1. Work, art, workmanship: naturā et opere munitus, Caes. B. G. 5, 21.
      2. 2. Of agricultural labor: opus faciam, ut defatiger usque, Ter. Eun. 2, 1, 14; Cic. Sen. 7, 24: grave Martis opus, Verg. A. 8, 515.
      3. 3. Of honey-making: foris pascuntur (apes), intus opus faciunt, Varr. R. R. 3, 16.
      4. 4. Of literary labor: (Graeci) opus quaerunt, seek employment, Cic. Tusc. 3, 34, 81; cf. Liv. 5, 3.
      5. 5. In mal. part., Plaut. As. 5, 2, 23.
  2. II. Transf., a work that has been done or made.
    1. A. A military work, either a defensive work, fortification, or a work of besiegers, a siege-engine, machine, etc.: nondum opere castrorum perfecto, Caes. B. C. 2, 26; so, opere perfecto, id. B. G. 1, 8; Nep. Them. 7, 1: Mutinam operibus munitionibusque saepsit, Cic. Phil. 13, 9, 20: operibus Toletum cepit, Liv. 35, 22; 37, 5.
    2. B. Any result of labor.
      1. 1. Of public works, esp. buildings: aedium sacrarum, publicorumque operum depopulatio, Cic. Verr. 1, 4, 12; Liv. 1, 56, 2; 1, 57, 1; Quint. 3, 11, 13: de exstruendis reficiendisve operibus, Suet. Tib. 30: opera, templum theatrumque, id. Calig. 21; cf. of an aqueduct, etc., id. Claud. 20: in titulis operum, in public inscriptions, id. ib. 41 fin.
      2. 2. Of writings, a work, book: habeo opus magnum in manibus, Cic. Ac. 1, 1, 3: an pangis aliquid Sophocleum? Fac opus appareat, id. Fam. 16, 18, 3: quod Homerus atque Vergilius operum suorum principiis faciunt, Quint. 4, 1, 34; 3, 6, 64; 10, 1, 83.
      3. 3. Of a work of art: quorum iste non opere delectabatur, sed pondere, Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 56, § 124: hydria Boëthi manu facta praeclaro opere, of admirable workmanship, id. ib. 2, 4, 14, § 32: haec omnia antiquo opere, id. ib. 2, 4, 21, § 46.
    3. C. In gen., a deed, action, performance, business: miserum’st opus, Plaut. Most. 2, 1, 2: ut si mures corroserint aliquid, quorum est opus hoc unum, monstrum putemus, Cic. Div. 2, 27, 59: opus meae hastae, Ov. M. 12, 112.
      For magno opere, tanto opere, quanto opere (and, joined in one word, magnopere, tantopere, quantopere), lit., with great, such, or what labor, v. h. vv.
    4. D. Esp. (eccl. Lat.).
      1. 1. A work of superhuman power, a miracle, Vulg. Joh. 5, 36; 7, 21; 14, 10.
      2. 2. Bona opera, = καλὰ ἔργα, good works, deeds wrought by grace, Cypr. Ep. 18, 2; Lact. 3, 9, 15; 6, 18, 9; Vulg. Matt. 5, 16.
  3. III. Transf., abstr. in nom. and acc., need, necessity; hence,
    1. A. Opus est, it is needful, wanting; there is need of, use for: opus est mihi, tibi, etc., I (thou, etc.) have need of, need, want. It is contrasted with necesse est: emas non quod opus est, sed quod necesse est. Quod non opus est, asse carum est, Cato ap. Sen. Ep. 94, 28. Also with indigere: ait (Chrysippus) sapien. tem nullā re indigere, et tamen multis illi rebus opus esse, contra stulto nullā re opus est, nullā re enim uti scit, sed omnibus eget, Sen. Ep. 9, 12. The person who needs any thing is put in the dat., and the thing needed in the nom. or abl. (prop. abl. instrum.: opus est mihi, I have work with, i. e. I need), rarely in the gen., acc., inf., acc. and inf., or with ut.
          1. (α) With the nom. of the thing needed as subject: materiem, et quae opus sunt, dominus praebebit, Cato, R. R. 14, 3: minus multi opus sunt boves, Varr. R. R. 1, 18, 4: maritumi milites opus sunt tibi, Plaut. Capt. 1, 2, 61: dux nobis et auctor opus est, Cic. Fam. 2, 6, 1: hujus nobis exempla permulta opus sunt, id. Inv. 2, 19, 57: ullā in re, quod ad valetudinem opus sit, id. Fam. 16, 4, 2: si quid opus erit in sumptum, id. Att. 5, 8, 2: parari, quae ad transitum Hellesponti opus essent, Liv. 37, 18, 10: quae curando vulneri opus sunt, id. 1, 41, 1; cf.: ferociora utraque quam quietis opus est consiliis, id. 30, 30, 11; cf. with esse: nil sibi divitias opus esse, Quadrig. ap. Gell. 17, 2, 15.
          2. (β) With abl.: magistratibus opus est, there is need of, they are needed, Cic. Leg. 3, 2, 5: viro et gubernatore opus est, Liv. 24, 8: opus est auctoritate tuā, Cic. Fam. 9, 25, 3: non longis opus est ambagibus, Ov. M. 4, 475: nunc opus est leviore lyrā, id. ib. 10, 152.
            With pers. subj. (very rare): responderunt regem discordiis opus esse, Just. 11, 7, 10.
            So with abl. of the part. perf.: maturato opus est, there is need of haste, it is necessary to act speedily, Liv. 8, 13; cf.: erat nihil cur properato opus esset, of haste, Cic. Mil. 19, 49 (cf. Zumpt, Gram. § 464, A, 1).
            With abl. of the sup.: ita dictu opus est, it is necessary to say, I must say. Ter. Heaut. 5, 1, 68: quod scitu opus est, Cic. Inv. 1, 20, 28.
          3. (γ) With gen.: ad consilium pensandum temporis opus esse, Liv. 22, 51: quanti argenti opus fuit, id. 23, 31.
          4. (δ) With acc. (ante-class.): puero opus est cibum, Plaut. Truc. 5, 10; 1, 1, 71: opus est modium unum (calcis), Cato, R. R. 15.
            (ε) With inf.: quid opus est de Dionysio tam valde affirmare? Cic. Att. 7, 8, 1.
            Ellipt.: quid opus est plura? (sc. proferre), Cic. Sen. 1, 3.
            (ζ) With acc. and inf.: nunc opus est te animo valere, Cic. Fam. 16, 4, 2.
            (η) With ut: opus nutrici autem, utrem ut habeat veteris vini largiter, Plaut. Truc. 5, 11; Tac. Dial. 31 init.; Vulg. Johan. 2, 25; 16, 30.
            (θ) With subj. alone: non est opus affingas aliquid, Plin. Ep. 9, 33, 11.
            (ι) Absol.: sic opus est, Ov. M. 1, 279.
      1. 2. Sometimes opus est is employed without the notion of strict necessity, as i. q. expedit, juvat, conducit, it is good, useful, serviceable, beneficial: atque haud sciam, an ne opus sit quidem, nihil umquam omnino deesse amicis, Cic. Lael. 14, 51; id. Off. 3, 11, 49; id. ib. 3, 32, 114; Hor. S. 1, 9, 27; 2, 6, 116.
    2. B. Opus habere, to have need of (very rare); with abl., Col. 9, 1, 5: opus habere ut, Ambros. de Fide, 5, 17, 213; cf.: non dicimus opus habeo, sed opus est mihi, Diom. 301 P.