sĕnĭum, ii, n. [seneo, II.].
I Lit., the feebleness of age , decline , decay , debility (cf. senectus; class.): tardigemulo senio oppressum, Laev. ap. Gell. 19, 7, 3: opus perfectum, quod omni morbo seniove careret, Cic. Univ. 5 fin. ; (with aegritudo) id. Tusc. 3, 12, 27; cf.: senio debilis, Phaedr. 3, epil. 16: senio vel aliquā corporis labe insignes, Suet. Aug. 38: senio confectos gladiatores, id. Calig. 26 fin. : senium Galbae et juventa Othonis, Tac. H. 1, 22: principis, id. ib. 2, 1: curvata senio membra, id. A. 1, 34: fessus senio, id. ib. 2, 42: fluxa senio mens, id. ib. 6, 38; cf.: torpor mentis ac senium, Sen. Ben. 7, 26, 4; Sil. 16, 14: ita se ipse (mundus) consumptione et senio alebat sui, by its own consumption and decay , Cic. Univ. 6: lunae, i. e. waning , Plin. 7, 48, 49, § 155: lentae velut tabis, Liv. 7, 22, 5: senium repellere templis, decay , Sil. 3, 20: senium defendere famae, the growing old , passing away , Stat. Th. 9, 318: passus est leges istas situ atque senio emori, Gell. 20, 1, 10.—
II Transf.
A Concr., an old man , old fellow (very rare; anteclass. as an epithet of abuse): senex ad aetatem refertur, senium ad convicium. Sic Lucilius ait: At quidem te senium atque insulse sophista, Don. ad Ter. Eun. 302. And on account of its personal signif. with a masc. pron. : ut illum di deaeque senium perdant, qui hodie me remoratus est, Ter. l. l. (cf. scortum, II. fin. ).—Once in Silius, without an odious access. signif., for senex, Sil. 8, 467.—
B (Effectus pro causā.) Peevishness , moroseness; vexation , chagrin , mortification; grief , trouble , affliction produced by decay (syn.: maeror, aegritudo, etc.; class.): mors amici subigit, quae mihi est senium multo acerrimum, Att. ap. Non. 2, 23: hae res mihi dividiae et senio sunt, Plaut. Stich. 1, 1, 19; cf.: id illi senio est, id. Truc. 2, 5, 13: odio ac senio mihi nuptiae, Turp. ap. Non. 2, 33: luget senatus, maeret equester ordo, tota civitas confecta senio est, Cic. Mil. 8, 20: senio et maerore consumptus, Liv. 40, 54; Pers. 6, 16: surge et inhumanae senium depone Camenae, peevishness , moroseness , Hor. Ep. 1, 18, 47; cf.: triste morum, Sen. Hippol. 917: en pallor seniumque! Pers. 1, 26.— Plur. : quot pestes, senia et jurgia emigrarunt, Titin. ap. Non. 2, 18.☞ The words ille senius, in Cic. de Or. 3, 38, 154, are doubtless corrupt; v. Orell. and Ellendt ad loc.