dens, dentis (gen. plur. usually dentium, but dentum is approved by Varr. L. L. 7, 38, 67), m. [root in Sanscr. dantas, Gr. ὀδούς, Goth. tunthus, Germ. Zahn, and Engl. tooth; cf. edo, Engl. eat], a tooth.
I Prop.: cui auro dentes juncti escunt, XII. Tab. 10, 9; Plin. 11, 37, 61, § 160 sq.; Cels. 8, 1; Cic. N. D. 2, 54; Isid. 11, 1, 52: primores, the front teeth , Plin. 7, 16, 15, § 68; also called adversi acuti, Cic. N. D. 2, 54: praecisores, Isid. 11, 1, 52; and in beasts: rapaces, Veg. Vet. 6, 1, 1: canini, the canine teeth, eye-teeth , Varr. R. R. 2, 7, 3; Cels. 8, 1; Plin. 11, 37, 61, § 160; in horses: columellares, Varr. R. R. 2, 7, 2; Plin. 11, 37, 61, § 160: maxillares, the jaw-teeth, grinders , Cels. 8, 1; called also genuini, Cic. l.l.; and molares, Isid. l. l. et saep.: dentes scalpere, Plin. 30, 4, 9, § 27: fricare, id. ib.: scariphare, id. 28, 11, 49, § 179; cf. id. 30, 3, 8, § 21: mobiles confirmare, id. 28, 11, 49, § 178; cf.: mobiles stabilire, id. 32, 7, 26, § 80: eximere, to extract , Cels. 6, 9; so, evellere, Plin. 30, 3, 8, § 25: extrahere, id. 32, 7, 26, § 79: excutere, Juv. 16, 10 et saep.: dens Indus, i. e. the elephant's , Ov. M. 8, 288; hence for ivory , id. ib. 11, 167; also called dens Libycus, Prop. 2, 31, 12 (3, 29, 12 M.): Numida, Ov. P. 4, 9, 28; and Erythraeus, Mart. 13, 100.—
2 Prov.
a Albis dentibus deridere aliquem, i. e. to laugh heartily at a person (so as to show one's teeth), Plaut. Ep. 3, 3, 48.—
b Venire sub dentem, to fall into the jaws, under the clutches of , Petr. 58, 6.—
c Dentem pro dente, tooth for tooth , Vulg. Matt. 5, 38.—
B Meton. of things resembling a tooth, a tooth, point, spike, prong, tine, fluke , etc.: aratri, Col. 2, 4, 6; Verg. G. 2, 423 al.; cf. Varr. L. L. 5, § 135 Müll.: (irpicis) acc. to id. ib.: pectinis, id. ib.; Tib. 1, 9, 68: (clavi) id. 1, 2, 18: serrae, Plin. 16, 43, 83, § 227; Vitr. 1, 5; cf. Ov. M. 8, 246, and 6, 58; hence, in architecture, the walls indentated like the teeth of a saw, which connected the two main walls, Vitr. 6, 11: forcipis, id. 10, 2: (ancorae) Verg. A. 6, 3; for falx (vinitorum), the pruning-hook , id. G. 2, 406 et saep.—
II Trop., the tooth of envy, envy, ill-will : more hominum invident, in conviviis rodunt, in circulis vellicant: non illo inimico sed hoc maledico dente carpunt, Cic. Balb. 26: invidus, Hor. Od. 4, 3, 16: ater, id. Epod. 6, 15.—
B Of a destroying power : leti sub dentibus ipsis, Lucr. 1, 852; cf. of time: vitiataque dentibus aevi consumere omnia, Ov. M. 15, 235; and of water: aqua dentes habet, Petr. 42; of malice: malignitatis dentes vitare, Val. Max. 4, 7, extr. 2.