mĕdulla, ae, f. [medius], the marrow of bones; the pith of plants (class.).
I Lit., Hor. Epod. 5, 37: cumque albis ossa medullis, Ov. M. 14, 208: ossa regum vacuis exsucta medullis, Juv. 8, 90: per media foramina a cerebro medullā descendente, Plin. 11, 37, 67, § 178.—
B Transf., the pith, inside, kernel : vitis medullā, Col. 3, 18, 5; Plin. 16, 25, 42, § 103: frumenta, quae salsā aquā sparsa moluntur, candidiorem medullam reddunt, i. e. meal, flour , Plin. 18, 9, 20, § 87: medulla ventris, the inside , Plaut. Stich. 2, 2, 17.—
II Trop., the marrow, kernel, innermost part, best part, quintessence : at ego pereo, cui medullam lassitudo perbibit, Plaut. Stich. 2, 2, 18: cum hic fervor tamquam in venis medullisque insederit, Cic. Tusc. 4, 10, 24; cf.: in medullis populi Romani ac visceribus haerebant, id. Phil. 1, 15, 36: haec mihi semper erunt imis infixa medullis, Ov. Tr. 1, 5, 9: qui mihi haeres in medullis, who are at the bottom of my heart , Cic. Fam. 15, 16, 2: qui mihi sunt inclusa medullis, id. Att. 15, 4, 3: nondum implevere medullas maturae mala nequitiae, Juv. 14, 215: communes loci, qui in mediis litium medullis versantur, Quint. 2, 1, 11: verborum, inner meaning , Gell. 18, 4, 2: divisio compagum ac medullarum, the innermost parts , Vulg. Heb. 4, 12.—Poet.: suadae, the marrow or quintessence of eloquence , said of Cethegus, Enn. ap. Cic. Brut. 15, 58 (Ann. v. 309 Vahl.); cf. Quint. 2, 15, 4.