I. Lit., a covering.
A. A roof: “quojus (villae) Deturbavit ventus tectum ac tegulas,” Plaut. Rud. prol. 78: “de tecto deturbavit tegulas,” id. ib. 1, 1, 5. tecta domorum, Lucr. 2, 191; Cic. Q. Fr. 3, 1, 4, § 14: “firma tecta in domiciliis habere,” id. Brut. 73, 257; cf.: “disturbata porticus Catuli, quae ad tectum paene pervenerat,” id. Att. 4, 3, 2: “hic se praecipitem tecto dedit,” Hor. S. 1, 2, 41: “culmina tecti,” Verg. A. 2, 695: “tecti a culmine,” Ov. M. 12, 480.—
B. A ceiling (usu. plain; opp. lacunar, a fretted ceiling): tectis caelatis, laqueatis, ceilings, rooms, Enn. ap. Cic. Tusc. 1, 35, 85; 3, 19, 44 (Trag. v. 121 Vahl.); cf.: “qui marmoreis tectis ebore et auro fulgentibus abundant,” Cic. Par. 1, 3, 13; so, “aurata,” id. ib. 6, 3, 49: “laqueata,” Hor. C. 2, 16, 12: “cubilia tectaque,” canopies, id. Epod. 12, 12. —
II. Transf., a roofed building for dwelling in, a roof, house, dwelling, abode; a cover, shelter, quarters, etc. (freq. and class.; cf.: “prosa, ut mucronem pro gladio, et tectum pro domo recipiet, etc.,” Quint. 8, 6, 20; “syn.: domus, aedes, habitatio): recipe me in tectum,” Plaut. Rud. 2, 7, 16; cf.: “exercitus tectis ac sedibus suis recipere,” Cic. Agr. 2, 33, 90: “ne tecto recipiatur ... qui non, etc.,” Caes. B. G. 7, 66; Nep. Att. 13, 2: “exercitatissimi in armis, qui inter annos XIV. tectum non subissent,” Caes. B. G. 1, 36: “milites in tecta Gallorum contegit, Auct. B. G. 8, 5: vos, Quirites, in vestra tecta discedite,” Cic. Cat. 3, 12, 29: “tectis, juvenes, succedite nostris,” Verg. A. 1, 627: “ejusmodi conjunctionem tectorum oppidum vel urbem appellaverunt,” Cic. Rep. 1, 26, 41; id. Att. 5, 16, 3: “tum erat ager incultus sine tecto: nunc est cultissimus cum optimā villā,” id. Rosc. Com. 12, 33: “si vacuum tepido cepisset villula tecto,” Hor. S. 2, 3, 10: “pars densa ferarum Tecta rapit silvas,” Verg. A. 6, 8: “columba plausum Dat tecto ingentem,” id. ib. 5, 216: “solidis Clauditur in tectis,” i. e. in prison, Ov. M. 3, 697: “sed quercus tecta cibumque dabat,” id. A. A. 2, 622: dolos tecti ambagesque resolvit, i. e. of the Labyrinth, Verg. A. 6, 29: “sub tecta Sibyllae,” id. ib. 6, 211.