venter, tris, m. [perh. for gventer; cf. Gr. γαστήρ; Sanscr. gatharas].
I Lit.
A In gen., the belly (syn.: alvus, abdomen), Plin. 11, 37, 82, § 207; Cels. 7, 16; Varr. R. R. 2, 7, 4; Cic. Div. 2, 58, 119.— Plur. , Mart. 13, 26, 1; Plin. 9, 50, 74, § 157. —
B In partic., as the seat of the stomach, conveying the accessory idea of greediness, gormandizing, the paunch , maw : Cyclopis venter, velut olim turserat alte, Carnibus humanis distentus, Enn. ap. Prisc. p. 870 P. (Ann. v. 326 Vahl.); Plaut. Mil. 1, 1, 33: ventri operam dare, id. Ps. 1, 2, 43; id. Pers. 1, 3, 18; Hor. S. 1, 6, 128; 2, 8, 5; id. Ep. 1, 15, 32; Juv. 3, 167; 11, 40: proin tu tui cottidiani victi ventrem ad me adferas, i. e. an appetite for ordinary food , Plaut. Capt. 4, 2, 75: vivite lurcones, comedones, vivite ventres, ye maws , for ye gluttons , gormandizers , Lucil. ap. Non. 11, 8.—In partic.: ventrem facere, to have a passage at stool , Veg. Vet. 3, 57.—
II Transf.
A The womb : homines in ventre necandos Conducit, Juv. 6, 596.—
2 The fruit of the womb , foetus : ignorans nurum ventrem ferre, Liv. 1, 34, 2; Varr. R. R. 2, 1, 19; Col. 6, 24, 2; Dig. 5, 4, 3; 25, 6, 1; 37, 9, 1, § 13; 29, 2, 30; Ov. M. 11, 311; Hor. Epod. 17, 50.—
B The bowels , entrails , Col. 9, 14, 6; Plin. 11, 20, 23, § 70.—
C Of any thing that swells or bellies out, a belly , i. e. a swelling , protuberance : tumidoque cucurbita ventre, Prop. 4, 2, 23 (5, 2, 43); Verg. G. 4, 122: lagonae, Juv. 12, 60: concavus tali, Plin. 11, 46, 106, § 255: parietis, Dig. 8, 5, 17: aquae ductus, Vitr. 8, 7.