ŏlĕum, i, n., = ἔλαιον, oil, olive-oil.
I Lit., Cato R. R. 64 sq.; Varr. R. R. 1, 55; Col. 12, 50; Plin. 15, 6, 6, § 21; Lex. Thor. lin. 95 Rudorff. p. 191: instillare oleum lumini, Cic. Sen. 11, 36: juventus Nudatos umeros oleo perfusa nitescit, Verg. A. 5, 135; Ov. Tr. 3, 12, 21: ungere caules oleo meliore, Hor. S. 2, 3, 125; Inscr. Orell. 748: BALNEVM CVM OLEO GRATVITO DEDIT, ib. 3738. —As a fig. of softness, gentleness: oleo tranquillior, quieter , gentler , stiller than oil , Plaut. Poen. 5, 4, 66.—Prov.: oleum et operam perdere (alluding to nocturnal labors), to lose one's time and trouble , to spend them in vain , Plaut. Poen. 1, 2, 119; Cic. Fam. 7, 1, 3: ne et opera et oleum philologiae nostrae perierit, id. Att. 2, 17, 1; cf.: ante lucem cum scriberem contra Epicureos, de eodem oleo et operā exaravi nescio quid ad te, id. ib. 13, 38, 1: petit hic (labor) plus temporis atque olei plus, Juv. 7, 99: oleum addere camino, to add oil to the fire , i. e. to aggravate an evil , Hor. S. 2, 3, 321 (cf. the Gr. πίττῃ καὶ ἐλαίῳ πῦρ κατασβεννύναι).—
II Trop.
A The palaestra (from the use of oil to anoint the bodies of wrestlers): ego eram decus olei, Cat. 63, 65.—
B Transf., literary contests or rhetorical exercises : genus verborum nitidum, sed palaestrae magis et olei, quam hujus civilis turbae ac fori, more proper for exercises in the school or for disputations , than for use in public , Cic. de Or. 1, 18, 81.—
C (In eccl. Lat.) The spirit , inspiration : unxit te Deus oleo exultationis, Vulg. Heb. 1, 9; id. Isa. 61, 3.