I.a finger.
I. Prop.: “tot (cyathos bibimus), quot digiti sunt tibi in manu,” Plaut. Stich. 5, 4, 24; id. Most. 5, 1, 69; id. Mil. 2, 2, 47; 4, 2, 57 et saep.—The special designations: pollex, the thumb; index or salutaris, the forefinger; medius, also infamis and impudicus, the middle finger; minimo proximus or medicinalis, the ring-finger; minimus, the little finger, v. under those words.—
B. Special connections: “attingere aliquem digito (uno),” to touch one lightly, gently, Plaut. Pers. 5, 2, 15; Ter. Eun. 4, 6, 2 Ruhnk.; Licinius ap. Gell. 19, 9, 13; Cic. Tusc. 5, 19, 55; cf. “with tangere,” Plaut. Rud. 3, 5, 30; id. Poen. 5, 5, 29: “attingere aliquid extremis digitis (with primoribus labris gustare),” to touch lightly, to enjoy slightly, Cic. Cael. 12: “attingere caelum digito,” to be exceedingly happy, id. Att. 2, 1, 7: colere summis digitis, to adore (to touch the offering or consecrated gift) with the tips of the fingers, Lact. 1, 20; 5, 19 fin.; cf. Ov. F. 2, 573: “computare digitis,” to count on the fingers, to reckon up, Plaut. Mil. 2, 2, 51; Plin. 34, 8, 19, no. 29, § 88; cf.: “numerare per digitos,” Ov. F. 3, 123: “in digitis suis singulas partis causae constituere,” Cic. Div. in Caec. 14, 45.—Hence, venire ad digitos, to be reckoned, Plin. 2, 23, 21, § 87; and: “si tuos digitos novi,” thy skill in reckoning, Cic. Att. 5, 21, 13; cf. “also: digerere argumenta in digitos,” to count on the fingers, Quint. 11, 3, 114: concrepare digitos or digitis, to snap the fingers, as a signal of command, Petr. 27, 5; Plaut. Mil. 2, 2, 53; Cic. Off. 3, 19; v. concrepo; cf. “also: digitus crepans,” Mart. 3, 82, 15: “digitorum crepitus,” id. 14, 119: “digitorum percussio,” Cic. Off. 3, 19, 78: “intendere digitum ad aliquid,” to point the finger at any thing, Cic. de Or. 1, 46 fin.: “liceri digito,” to hold up the finger in bidding at an auction, Cic. Verr. 2, 3, 11; “for which also: tollere digitum,” id. ib. 2, 1, 54. The latter phrase also signifies, to raise the finger in token of submission, said of a combatant, Sid. Ep. 5, 7; cf. Mart. Spect. 29, 5; “and Schol,” Pers. 5, 119: “loqui digitis nutuque,” to talk by signs, Ov. Tr. 2, 453; “different is: postquam fuerant digiti cum voce locuti,” i. e. playing as an accompaniment to singing, Tib. 3, 4, 41; cf.: “ad digiti sonum,” id. 1, 2, 31; cf. also Lucr. 4, 587; 5, 1384: “digito compesce labellum,” hold your tongue, Juv. 1, 160.—For the various modes of employing the fingers in oratorical delivery, cf. Quint. 1, 10, 35; 11, 3, 92 sq.; 103; 120 al.: monstrari digito, i. e. to be pointed out, to become distinguished, famous, Hor. C. 4, 3, 22; Pers. 1, 28; “for which: demonstrari digito,” Tac. Or. 7 fin.; Cic. de Or. 2, 66, 266; id. Rep. 6, 24; Nep. Datam. 11, 5; Suet. Aug. 45.—Prov. phrases: “nescit, quot digitos habeat in manu, of one who knows nothing at all,” Plaut. Pers. 2, 2, 5: “in digitis hodie percoquam quod ceperit,” i. e. he has caught nothing, id. Rud. 4, 1, 11: ne digitum quidem porrigere, not to stretch out a finger, like the Gr. δάκτυλον μὴ προτεῖναι, ἐκτεῖναι, for not to give one's self the least trouble, Cic. Fin. 3, 17, 57; cf.: “exserere digitum,” Pers. 5, 119 Scal.; “and in like manner: proferre digitum,” to move a finger, to make any exertion, Cic. Caecin. 25, 71: “scalpere caput digito, of effeminate men fearful of disarranging their hair,” Juv. 9, 133; cf. Sen. Ep. 52 fin.; a habit of Pompey's, acc. to Calvus ap. Schol. Luc. 7, 726, and Sen. Contr. 3, 19; Amm. 17, 11. (Cf. Echtermeyer's Ueber Namen und symbolische Bedeutung der Finger bei den Griechen und Römern, Progr. d. Hall. Pädagogiums, v. 1835.)
II. Transf.
A. A toe (cf. Heb. , Gr. δάκτυλος, Fr. doigt), Lucr. 3, 527; Verg. A. 5, 426; Petr. 132, 14; Sen. Ep. 111; Quint. 2, 3, 8 et saep.; also of the toes of animals, Varr. R. R. 3, 9, 4; Col. 8, 2, 8; Plin. 10, 42, 59, § 119 al.—
B. A small bough, a twig, Plin. 14, 1, 3, § 12; 17, 24, 37, § 224.—
C. As a measure of length, an inch, the sixteenth part of a Roman foot (pes), Front. Aquaed. 24 sq.; Caes. B. G. 7, 73, 6; id. B. C. 2, 10, 4; Juv. 12, 59 al.: digiti primores, finger-ends, as a measure, Cato R. R. 21, 2; “digitus transversus,” a fingerbreadth, id. ib. 45 fin.; “48, 2.—Prov.: digitum transversum non discedere ab aliqua re,” not to swerve a finger's breadth, Cic. Ac. 2, 18, 58; cf. “without transversum: nusquam ab argento digitum discedere,” Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 15; “and ellipt.: ab honestissima sententia digitum nusquam,” id. Att. 7, 3, 11.
