luctus, ūs (gen. lucti, Att. ap. Non. 485, 30 and 32), m. [lugeo], sorrow, mourning, grief, affliction, distress, lamentation, esp. over the loss of something dear to one.
I Lit.: filius luctu perditus, Cic. Rosc. Am. 8, 23: orat, ne suum luctum patris lacrimis augeatis, id. Fl. 42, 106: in sordibus, lamentis, luctuque jacuisti, id. Pis. 36, 89: afflictus et confectus luctu, id. Att. 3, 8, 4: re cognitā tantus luctus excepit, ut, etc., Caes. B. C. 2, 7: luctu atque caede omnia complentur, Sall. J. 97: furere luctu filii, Cic. de Or. 2, 46, 193: in maximos luctus incidere, id. Off. 1, 10, 32: luctum alicui importare, Phaedr. 1, 28, 6: dare animum in luctus, Ov. M. 2, 384: luctus aliquando ridicula fuerit imitatio, Quint. 6, 2, 26: multis in luctibus, inque perpetuo maerore senescere, Juv. 10, 244.—
II Transf.
A The external signs of sorrow in one's dress and gestures, mourning, mourning apparel, weeds (usually worn by the bereaved, and also by accused persons): erat in luctu senatus, squalebat civitas, publico consilio mutatā veste, Cic. Sest. 14, 32: omnia discessu meo plena luctūs et maeroris fuerunt, id. ib. 60, 128: senatusconsulto diebus triginta luctus est finitus, Liv. 22, 56: Plancina luctum amissae sororis tum primum laeto cultu mutavit, Tac. A. 2, 75: minuitur populo luctus aedis dedicatione ... privatis autem, cum liberi nati sunt, etc., Fest. s. v. minuitur, p. 154 Müll.—
B A source of grief : tu non inventa repertā Luctus eras levior, Ov. M. 1, 655; cf.: et luctum et curam effugies, Juv. 14, 157.—
C Personified: Luctus , the god of grief : primisque in faucibus Orci Luctus et ultrices posuere cubilia Curae, Verg. A. 6, 274; Sil. 13, 581; Stat. Th. 3, 126.