cĭbus, i, m. [perh. root of capio],
I food for man and beast, victuals , fare , nutriment , fodder (class. in prose and poetry, both in sing. and plur.; syn.: esca, epulae; opp. potio, Cic. Fin. 1, 11, 37; cf. id. N. D. 2, 54, 136; so, cibus potusque, Tac. A. 13, 16: cibus et vinum, Cic. Div. 1, 29, 60; Juv. 10, 203: unda cibusque, Ov. M. 4, 262): cibum capere, Plaut. Trin. 4, 2, 60; Ter. Eun. 368: petere, id. ib. 491; id. Heaut. 978: capessere (of animals), Cic. N. D. 2, 47, 122: sumere, Nep. Att. 21, 6; Plin. 30, 5, 12, § 36: tantum cibi et potionis adhibendum, etc., Cic. Sen. 11, 36: digerere, Quint. 11, 2, 35; cf. id. 11, 3, 19: coquere, Varr. R. R. 2, 10, 7: concoquere, Cic. Fin. 2, 20, 64: mandere, id. N. D. 2, 54, 134: cibos suppeditare, id. Leg. 2, 27, 67: (Cleanthes) negat ullum esse cibum tam gravem, quin is die et nocte concoquatur, id. N. D. 2, 9, 24; cf.: suavissimus et idem facillimus ad concoquendum, id. Fin. 2, 20, 64: flentes orabant, ut se cibo juvarent, Caes. B. G. 7, 78 fin. : cibus animalis, the means of nourishment in the air , Cic. N. D. 2, 55, 136: cibi bubuli, Varr. R. R. 2, 11, 3; 1, 23, 2: cibus erat caro ferina, Sall. J. 18, 1: cum tenues hamos abdidit ante cibus, the bait , Tib. 2, 6, 24; Ov. M. 8, 856; 15, 476.—
B Transf. to the nourishment of plants, the nutritive juice , Lucr. 1, 353; Plin. 17, 2, 2, § 12.—
II Trop., food , sustenance (rare): quasi quidam humanitatis cibus, Cic. Fin. 5, 19, 54: cibus furoris, Ov. M. 6, 480: causa cibusque mali, id. R. Am. 138.