offula

A New Latin Dictionary by Charlton T. Lewis Ph.D. and Charles Short, LL. D.

offŭla (sync. offla), ae, f. dim. [offa],

a little bit , a small piece (peculiar to the vulg. lang.; cf. Suet. Claud. 40): offula dicta, ut offa minima e suere, Varr. L. L. 5, § 110 Müll.: offulam cum duabus costis, id. R. R. 2, 4, 11: carnis, spisse componuntur, Col. 12, 53, 4: polentae caseatae, Ap. Met. 1, 4, 2; panis, Veg. Vet. 4, 18; cf. Fall. 1, 29, 4.—Prov.: quis potest sine offulā vivere? Claud. ap. Suet. Cland. 40.—Transf., as a term of abuse applied to a bad slave: quid faciat crucis offla, corvorum cibaria? this gallows-bird , Petr. 58.