auceps, cŭpis (cipis, acc. to Vel. Long. Orthogr. p. 2235), comm. [contr. for aviceps, from avis-capio], a bird-catcher, fowler.
I Lit.: Piscator, pistor apstulit, lanii, coqui, Holitores, myropolae, aucupes, Plaut. Trin. 2, 4, 7: veluti merulis intentus decidit auceps In puteum, Hor. A. P. 458: quasi avis de manu aucupis, Vulg. Prov. 6, 5; ib. Jer. 5, 26; ib. Amos, 3, 5: as a bird-seller : Edicit piscator uti, pomarius, auceps, Hor. S. 2, 3, 227: Non avis aucupibus monstrat, quā parte petatur, Ov. A. A. 3, 669 al.—
II Trop., a spy , eavesdropper : circumspice dum, ne quis nostro hic auceps sermoni siet, Plaut. Mil. 4, 1, 9 (cf. id. ib. 3, 1, 14: ne quis... nostro consilio venator adsit cum auritis plagis): Numquis hic est alienus nostris dictis auceps auribus, id. Stich. 1, 2, 45: voluptatum auceps, Cic. Ac. Fragm. ap. Aug. contra Ac. 3, 7 (Orell. IV. 2, p. 470): praeco actionum, cantor formularum, auceps syllabarum, a minute and trifling critic , a caviller , id. de Or. 1, 55, 236.