insŭla, ae, f. [in-sul; cf. con-sul, prop. in-land].
I An island , isle , whether formed by the sea, a lake, or a river: insulam Britanniam, Cic. Fam. 15, 16, 2; id. de Imp. Pomp. 11 fin. ; id. Verr. 2, 4, 64, § 144; Verg. A. 1, 159; 3, 211: in lacu, Cic. Mil. 27, 74: Rheni amnis, Tac. G. 29; Ov. F. 1, 292: in medio flumine nata, Gai. Inst. 2, 72 al.—
B Transf.: apud fustitudinas ferricrepinas insulas, i. e. the mills in which , as a punishment , slaves were forced to grind , Plaut. As. 1, 1, 18.—
II A house for poor people , which was let out in portions to several families; opp. domus, which was the mansion of a rich family, Cic. Off. 3, 16, 66: intellego Clodii insulam esse venalem, id. Cael. 7, 17; Tac. A. 6, 45; 15, 43; Suet. Tib. 48; id. Caes. 41; Mart. 4, 37, 4 al.; sometimes also of a single lodging in such a house, Suet. Ner. 38; cf. Preller, Regionen der Stadt Rom, p. 86 sq.; Becker, Gallus, 2, p. 146 sq. 2d edit.—
III A temple (eccl.); cf. Is. Voss. ad Just. 32, 2, 2.