gutta, ae (archaic gen. sing. guttaiï, Lucr. 6, 614), f. [etym. dub.], a drop of a fluid (cf.: stilla, stiria).
I Lit.: numerus quem in cadentibus guttis, quod intervallis distinguitur, notare possumus, Cic. de Or. 3, 48, 186: guttae imbrium quasi cruentae, id. N. D. 2, 5, 14: gutta cavat lapidem, consumitur annulus usu, Ov. P. 4, 10, 5: si ego in os meum hodie vini guttam indidi, Plaut. Cas. 2, 3, 30: guttam haud habeo sanguinis (prae metu), id. Most. 2, 2, 76; cf. Verg. A. 3, 28: gutta per attonitas ibat oborta genas, i. e. tears , Ov. P. 2, 3, 90: succina, i. e. amber , Mart. 6, 15, 2; the same, Phaëthontis, id. 4, 32, 1: Arabicae, perh. oil of myrrh , Ap. Met. 2, 9, 7; cf. Sid. Carm. 5, 43: sanguinis in facie non haeret gutta, i. e. no blush , Juv. 11, 54.—
B Transf.
1 Guttae, natural spots , specks on animals , stones , etc.: nigraque caeruleis variari corpora (anguis) guttis, Ov. M. 4, 578; cf. id. ib. 5, 461: (apium) paribus lita corpora guttis, Verg. G. 4, 99: lapis interstinctus aureis guttis, Plin. 36, 8, 13, § 63; 29, 4, 27, § 84.—
2 In archit., a small ornament under the triglyphs of a Doric column , drops , Vitr. 4, 3.—
II Trop., a drop , i. e. a little bit , a little (ante-class. and very rare): gutta dulcedinis, Lucr. 4, 1060: certi consilī, Plaut. Ps. 1, 4, 4.