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.
2. The fruit of the womb, fœtus: 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.
