1. frĕtum — Lewis & Short
frĕtum, i, n., and frĕtus, ūs, m.root fru, to be in uneasy motion, boil, flash; cf. Sanscr. bhur; Lat. ferveo,
I a strait, sound, channel.
I Lit.
A In gen.
(a) Form fretum:
fretum dictum a similitudine ferventis aquae, quod in fretum saepe concurrat aestus atque differvescat,Varr. L. L. 7, § 22; Isid. Orig. 13, 18:
(presteres) freta circum Fervescunt,Lucr. 6, 427:
quid de fretis aut de marinis aestibus plura dicam?Cic. Div. 2, 14, 34; cf.:
aestus maritimi, fretorumque angustiae,id. N. D. 2, 7, 19; id. Mur. 17, 35:
Seston Abydena separat urbe fretum,Ov. Tr. 1, 10, 28:
fretum Siciliense,the Sicilian Strait, the Strait of Messina, Cic. N. D. 3, 10, 24;
also called fretum Siciliae,Caes. B. C. 2, 3, 1; v. infra:
fretum nostri maris et Oceani,i. e. the Gaditanian Strait, Strait of Gibraltar, Sall. J. 17, 4.—
(b) Form fretus: salis fretus, Lucil. ap. Non. 205, 30; Naev. ib. 27 (Trag. Rel. p. 12 Rib.):
angusto fretu,Lucr. 1, 720; cf.:
ut perangusto fretu divisa servitutis ac libertatis jura cognosceret,Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 66, § 169 (cf. Gell. 13, 20, 15):
in Scyllaeo illo aeris alieni tamquam in fretu,Cic. Sest. 8, 18: inter Italiam et Siciliam qui est fretus, Varr. ap. Non. 205, 31: a Gaditano fretu, Cic. ap. Charis. p. 103 P.: angustiae fretus, Messala, ib.: salsi fretus, Licin. ib.—
B In partic., the Strait, for the Strait of Sicily:
cum se ille septimo die venisse a freto dixisset,Cic. Att. 2, 1, 5; Cic. Verr. 2, 1, 59, § 154; 2, 2, 7 fin.; Caes. B. C. 1, 29, 1; Suet. Tib. 2; Flor. 2, 2; Hor. Epod. 9, 7 al.—
2 Hence, Frĕtensis, e, adj.:
Fretense mare,i. e. the Strait of Sicily, Cic. Att. 10, 7, 1.—
II Poet. transf.
A In gen., the sea (syn.: mare, oceanus, pelagus, pontus).—Plur.:
fervet fretis spirantibus aequor,Verg. G. 1, 327:
in freta dum fluvii current,id. A. 1, 607; cf. Ov. M. 1, 36:
pastor cum traheret per freta navibus Idaeis Helenen,Hor. C. 1, 15, 1:
fretis acrior Hadriae,id. ib. 1, 33, 15.—Sing.:
Euxinum,Ov. P. 2, 2, 2:
Libycum,id. F. 3, 568.—*
B Of the sky: (pulvis) omnem pervolat caeli fretum, Enn. ap. Non. 205, 29 (Trag. v. 31 Vahl.).—*
C Of the spring, as the period of transition from cold to heat:
fretus ipse anni permiscet frigus et aestum,Lucr. 6, 364; so,
freta anni,ib. 374 ex conject. Lachm. v. ej. annot. p. 369.—
D A raging, swelling, heat, violence:
aetatis freta,Lucr. 4, 1030; cf.:
fretum adolescentiae, id est secunda imperii aetas,Flor. 1, 26:
invidiae atque acerbitatis fretum effervescit,Gell. 10, 3, 7.