membrum, i, n. [etym. dub.; perh. for mems-trum; cf. Sanscr. māmsa, flesh], a limb, member of the body (class.).
I Lit.: jam membrorum, id est partium corporis, alia videntur propter eorum usum a natura esse donata, ut manus, crura, pedes, etc. . . . alia quasi ad quendam ornatum, ut cauda pavoni, plumae versicolores columbis, viris mammae atque barba, Cic. Fin. 3, 5, 18; Plaut. Am. 5, 1, 66: defessa, Verg. G. 4, 438; Suet. Vesp. 20: hispida membra, Juv. 2, 11: membrum lacerum laesumve, Gell. 4, 2, 15: propter membrum ruptum talio, Gai. Inst. 3, 223.—
B In partic., = membrum virile, Auct. Priap. 70, 17. So plur. membra, Ov. Am. 3, 7, 65; cf. Ap. Met. 5, 6, 27; id. ib. 10, 31, 9; Aus. Epigr. 120, 4.—
II Transf.
A In gen.
1 Of inanim. and abstr. things, a part, portion, division : omnes philosophiae partes atque omnia membra, Cic. N. D. 1, 4, 9: solvere quassatae parcite membra ratis, Ov. Tr. 1, 2, 2: per omnia philosophiae membra prudenter disputando currere, Amm. 16, 5, 6: eadem sunt membra in utrāque disputatione, Cic. de Or. 3, 30, 119 —
2 Of persons: Ponticus . . . Bassus . . . dulcia convictūs membra fuere mei, Ov. Tr. 4, 10, 48: membra et partes alienae potentiae, Sen. Ep. 21, 6; cf. poet.: fluctuantia membra Libyae, Sil. 2, 310.—
B Esp.
1 A member of the state : per multa membra civitas in unum tantum corpus redigitur, Just. 5, 10, 10: membra partesque imperii, Suet. Aug. 48: reipublicae totius membra, Amm. 18, 5, 1: urbis, id. 15, 7, 5: Achaei scilicet per civitates velut per membra divisi sunt, unum tamen corpus et unum imperium habent, Just. 34, 1, 2: corpore sic toto ac membris Roma usa. Sil. 12, 318: cur ut decisa atque avulsa a corpore membra despiciar, id. 1, 670.—
2 An apartment, chamber in a house: dormitorium membrum, a bed-chamber , Plin. Ep. 2, 17, 9: domūs membra, Ap. Met. 3, 28, 3; 7, 1, 24; modus membrorum numerusque, Col. 6, 1, 1: cubicula et ejusmodi membra, Cic. ad Q. Fr. 3, 1, 1, § 2.—
3 Of speech, a member or clause of a sentence: quae Graeci κόμματα et κῶλα nominant, nos recte incisa et membra dicimus, Cic. Or. 62, 211; cf. Auct. Her. 4, 19, 26.—
4 Of the Church of Christ: singuli autem alter alterius membra, Vulg. Rom. 12, 5; cf. the context: membra sumus corporis ejus, i. e. Christ's , id. Eph. 5, 30.