plumbĕus, a, um, adj. [plumbum], of or belonging to lead, made of lead, leaden, lead-.
I Lit.: plumbea glans, Lucr. 6, 306: pistillum, Plin. 34, 18, 50, § 169: vas, id. 33, 6, 35, § 109: ictus, blows given with a scourge to which a leaden ball is attached , Prud. στεφ. 10, 122.—Subst.
1 plum-bĕum , i, n., a leaden vessel , Cato R. R. 105: Nicerotiana, Mart. 6, 55, 3.—
2 plum-bĕa , ae, f., a leaden ball : ut mortuus ictu plumbeae crederetur, Spart. Sever. 11, 2. —
B Transf.
1 Leaden , blunt , dull (class.): plumbeo gladio jugulatus, Cic. Att. 1, 16, 2: o plumbeum pugionem! id. Fin. 4, 18, 48.—
2 Leaden , bad , vile , poor , worthless (poet.): nummus, Plaut. Cas. 2, 3, 40; id. Trin. 4, 2, 120: faber, qui cudere soles plumbeos nummos, to coin leaden money , i. e. bad jokes , id. Most. 4, 2, 11; so, plumbei, as subst. (sc. nummi), Mart. 10, 74, 4: vina, Mart. 10, 49, 5: mala, id. 10, 94, 4: carmina, Aus. Ep. 6, 1.—
3 Leaden , i. e. heavy , oppressive , burdensome (poet.): nec plumbeus Auster Auctumnusque gravis, Hor. S. 2, 6, 18.—
II Trop.
A Leaden , i. e. heavy , weighty (ante-class.): si quid peccatum est, plumbeas iras gerunt, Plaut. Poen. 3, 6, 16.—
B Leaden , dull , stupid , stolid (class.): caudex, stipes, asinus, plumbeus, Ter. Heaut. 877: nisi plane in physicis plumbei sumus, Cic. Tusc. 1, 29, 71: cor, without feeling , Licin. ap. Suet. Ner. 2.