Lewis & Short

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vallo, āvi, ātum, 1, v. a. [vallum], in milit. lang., to surround with a rampart and palisades, to palisade, intrench, circumvallate (syn. saepio).

  1. I. Lit.: castra vallantem Fabium adorti sunt, Liv. 9, 41, 15: castra vallari placuit, Tac. H. 2, 19; so, castra, Auct. B. Alex. 27, 6; 30, 2; Plin. 15, 18, 20, § 76: vallare noctem, i. e. to intrench themselves at night, Tac. G. 30: nulli vallārant oppida muri, Luc. 4, 224.
    Absol.: muniendo vallandoque militem firmabant, Tac. H. 4, 26.
  2. II. Transf., in gen., to fortify, protect, defend with something: elephantis aciem utrimque vallaverat, Flor. 2, 8 fin.: Macedoniam suam armis ferroque, id. 2, 12, 4: Pontus et regiis opibus et ipsā naturā regionis vallatus, Cic. Arch. 9, 21: urbs Capsa in mediā Africā sita anguibus arenisque vallata, Flor. 3, 1, 14: cum gladio te vallare scieris, vallum ferre desinito, Liv. Epit. 57: vallatus bello, Luc. 6, 29: videbant Catilinam … vallatum indicibus atque sicariis, Cic. Mur. 24, 49: haec omnia quasi saepimento aliquo vallabit disserendi ratione, id. Leg. 1, 24, 62: jus legatorum divino jure esse vallatum, id. Har. Resp. 16, 34: ignotae cumulis vallatus harenae, Prop. 3, 16 (4, 15), 29: templa praesenti numine vallata, Val. Max. 9, 11, ext. 4: hydra venenatis vallata colubris, Lucr. 5, 27; cf. Val. Fl. 1, 697; Sen. Herc. Oet. 1932; Sil. 7, 407: sol radiis frontem vallatus acutis, Ov. H. 4, 159: vallantur planctibus arae, Stat. Th. 10, 564.
    To surround: abyssus vallavit me, Vulg. Jonae, 2, 6.

vallum, i, n. [collective of 1. vallus; the line of palisades about an intrenchment; hence], an earthen wall or rampart set with palisades, a palisaded rampart, intrenchment, circumvallation.

  1. I. Lit., Varr. L. L. 5, § 117 Müll.; Liv. 33, 5, 4 sq.: castra vallo fossāque munire, Caes. B. G. 2, 5: aliquem vallo et fossā saeptum tenere, Cic. Att. 9, 12, 3: oppidum vallo et fossā cingere, id. ib. 5, 20, 5: oppidum vallo et fossā circumdare, id. Fam. 15, 4, 10; Sall. J. 76, 2; Liv. 7, 23, 5; Verg. A. 9, 146; 9, 506; 9, 524; Hor. Epod. 9, 13 al.
  2. II. Transf., in gen., a wall, rampart, fortification; with gen.: non Alpium vallum contra ascensum transgressionemque Gallorum obicio et oppono, Cic. Pis. 33, 81: India vallo munitur eburno, Lucr. 2, 538: saepes pastorum munita vallo arboris, Plin. 12, 5, 11, § 22: (spica) contra avium minorum morsus munitur vallo aristarum, Cic. Sen. 15, 51: munitae sunt palpebrae tamquam vallo pilorum, id. N. D. 2, 57, 143: dentium, App. Dogm. Plat. 1, p. 10, 9.
    Absol.: si interdicta petes vallo (i. e. stola) circumdata, etc., Hor. S. 1, 2, 96.

1. vallus, i, m. [cf. Gr. ἧλος, nail], a stake, pale.

  1. I. In gen. (rare).
        1. a. For supporting vines, Verg. G. 1, 264; 2, 25.
        2. b. A pole set with teeth and fastened to a cart, pushed forwards by oxen placed behind; used by the Gauls for cutting grain, Plin. 18, 30, 72, § 296 (in Pall. 7, 2, called vehiculum).
  2. II. Esp., in milit. lang., a stake, palisade, used for intrenchment (freq. and class.): qui labor, quantus agminis; ferre plus dimidiati mensis cibaria … ferre vallum, etc., Cic. Tusc. 2, 16, 37: Scipio Africanus militem cottidie in opere habuit et triginta dierum frumentum, ad septenos vallos ferre cogebat, Liv. Epit. 57: virgulta vallo caedendo, id. 25, 36, 5: vallum cae dere et parare jubet, id. 33, 5, 4: vallum secum ferente milite, id. 33, 6, 1: quo qui intraverant, se ipsi acutissimis vallis induebant: hos cippos appellabant, Caes. B. G. 7, 73.
    1. B. Transf.
      1. 1. Collect. for vallum, a rampart set with palisades, Caes. B. C. 3, 63; Auct. B. Alex. 2, 3; Tib. 1, 10, 9.
      2. 2. In gen., a point, spike: pectinis, a tooth, Ov. Am. 1, 14, 15.

2. vallus, i, f. dim. [contr. for vannulus, from vannus], a little winnowing-van for grain or provender, Varr. R. R. 1, 52, 2; 1, 23, 5; id. ap. Serv. ad Verg. G. 1, 166.