bĭdens (old form duidens), entis (abl. bidenti, Lucr. 5, 209; Verg. Cir. 212; Pomp. ap. Gell. 16, 6, 7: bidente, Tib. 2, 3, 6; Verg. Cat. 8, 9; Plin. 17, 21, 35, § 159; gen. plur. bidentium, Hor. C. 3, 23, 14: bidentum, Ov. M. 15, 575), adj. [bis-dens], with two teeth (not in Cic.).
I Adj.
A Lit.: amica, i.e. anus, Auct. Priap. 82: bos, Paul. ex Fest. p. 35 Müll.: hostiae, Plin. 8, 51, 77, § 206.—
B Transf., with two prongs , points , etc.: ancora, Plin. 7, 56, 57, § 209: forfex, Verg. Cat. 8, 9: ferrum = forfex, id. Cir. 212.—
II Subst.
A Masc. , a heavy hoe or mattock with two crooked iron teeth; Gr. δίκελλα: valido bidenti ingemere, Lucr. 5, 209: Tib. 1, 1, 29; 1, 10, 49; 2, 3, 6: glaebam fran/gere bidentibus, Verg. G. 2, 400: duros jactare bidentis, id. ib. 2, 355: durus bidens et vomer aduncus, Ov. F. 4, 927: bidentibus soli terga convertere, Col. 4, 14, 1; 4, 17, 8; Pall. Jul. 5; cf. id. ib. 1, 43, 1; Dig. 33, 7, 8 al.—Hence, meton. for agriculture : bidentis amans, Juv. 3, 228.—
B Fem. (old form duidens , Paul. ex Fest. p. 66 Müll.; cf. the letter B), an animal for sacrifice (swine, sheep, ox): bidentes hostiae, quae per aetatem duos dentes altiores habent, Jul. Hyg. ap. Gell. 16, 6, 14: bidentes sunt oves duos dentes longiores ceteris habentes, Paul. ex Fest. p. 33 Müll.; Isid. Orig. 12, 1, 9. It is more correct to understand by bidens an animal for sacrifice whose two rows of teeth are complete; cf. Paul. ex Fest. p. 4 Müll.: ambidens sive bidens ovis appellabatur, quae superioribus et inferioribus est dentibus, and in Heb., the dual of, of the two rows of teeth; v. Gesen. Heb. Lex. under: mactant lectas de more bidentīs Legiferae Cereri, Verg. A. 4, 57 Forbig. ad loc; id. ib. 7, 93; 12, 170; * Hor. C. 3, 23, 14; Ov. M. 10, 227; 15, 575; Pompon. ap. Gell. 16, 6, 7; Plin. 8, 51, 77, § 206.— Transf. from the lang. of offerings to a general use = ovis, a sheep , Phaedr. 1, 17, 8.