rēmus, i, m. [ἐρετμός], an oar.
I Lit., Plaut. As. 3, 1, 16: ut retinet navis cursum, intermisso impetu pulsuque remorum, Cic. de Or. 1, 33, 153; Caes. B. G. 3, 13: remis navem incitare, id. ib. 3, 14; 4, 25: remis contendere, id. ib. 5, 8; Verg. A. 1, 104; 552; Hor. Epod. 10, 6; id. A. P. 65: incumbere remis, Verg. A. 10, 294: remis insurgere, id. ib. 3, 207; 560: inpellere aequora remis, Ov. M. 3, 657.—Prov.: remis velisque, velis remisque, remis ventisque; also, ventis remis, with sails and oars , i. e. with all one’s might , with all possible speed : ita citi remis velisque impellite puppim, Sil. 1, 568: res omni contentione, velis, ut ita dicam, remisque fugienda, Cic. Tusc. 3, 11, 25: laevam cuncta cohors remis ventisque petivit, Verg. A. 3, 563: inde ventis remis in patriam omni festinatione properavi, Cic. Fam. 12, 25, 3 (cf.: remigio veloque festinare, Plaut. As. 1, 3, 5).—
B Poet., transf., of the wings of birds: alarum, Ov. M. 5, 558: pennarum (Icari), Sil. 12, 98.— Of the hands and feet of a swimmer, Ov. H. 18, 215.—
II Trop.: quaerebam, utrum panderem vela orationis statim, an eam ante paululum dialecticorum remis propellerem, Cic. Tusc. 4, 5, 9 (shortly before, remigare; opp. vela facere).