măcŭla, ae, f. [for malocula, malcula, dim.; cf. Sanscr. mala, dirt], a spot, mark, stain (class.).
I Lit.
A In gen., Plin. 37, 10, 56, § 155: (bos) maculis insignis et albo, i. e. with white spots , Verg. G. 3, 56: maculis albis equus, id. A. 9, 49: maculis auro squalentibus ardens (rex apum), id. G. 4, 91: in ipsis quasi maculis (terra), ubi habitatur, in those spots , i. e. small places , Cic. Rep. 6, 19 fin. : parcit cognatis maculis similis fera, Juv. 15, 160; cf. 5, 104.—
2 Transf., a mesh in a net, a hole in network or in a web: rete grandibus maculis, Varr. R. R. 3, 11, 3; Col. 8, 15, 1: reticulum minutis maculis, Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 11, § 27: retia maculis distincta, Ov. H. 5, 19. —Of the meshes of a spider's web, Plin. 11, 24, 28, § 81.—
B In partic., a spot, stain, blot, blemish, mole , etc.: maculari corpus maculis luridis, Plaut. Capt. 3, 4, 63: est corporis macula, naevus, Cic. N. D. 1, 28, 79: maculas auferre de vestibus, Ov. F. 3, 821: extrahere, Plin. 20, 13, 50, § 120: in veste facere, id. 12, 25, 54, § 123: e veste abluere, id. 28, 7, 23, § 109: mederi maculis corporis, id. 36, 19, 33, § 140; cf.: lentigines ac maculas e facie tollere, id. 20, 2, 4, § 9.—
II Trop. (acc. to I. B.), a blot, stain, stigma, blemish, fault in character: quem scis scire tuas omnes maculasque notasque, Lucil. ap. Non. 350, 13: inest amoris macula huic homini in pectore, Plaut. Poen. 1, 1, 70: jam ego ex corpore exigam omnis maculas maerorum tibi, id. Capt. 4, 2, 61: vitium commune omnium est, Quod nimium ad rem in senecta attenti sumus: hanc maculam nos decet Effugere, * Ter. Ad. 954: delenda vobis est illa macula, Mithridatico bello suscepta, Cic. Imp. Pomp. 3, 7: est hujus saeculi labes quaedam et macula, virtuti invidere, id. Balb. 6, 15: vitae splendorem maculis aspergere, id. Planc. 12, 30: furtorum et flagitiorum, id. Verr. 2, 5, 46, § 121: adulescentiae, id. ib. 1, 4, 11: familiae, id. Clu. 5, 12: in oratione nitida notabile humilius verbum et velut macula, Quint. 8, 3, 18; 8, 5, 28: ne Claudiae genti eam inustam maculam vellent, Liv. 3, 58: plurima sunt nitidis maculam haesuram figentia rebus, enduring disgrace , Juv. 14, 2.